In Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments, you play the famous detective on a quest to solve six mysterious murders, thefts, and disappearances. All the usual tools are at your disposal.
You start by observing the crime scene and collecting evidence. You analyze it in your improvised lab in 221B Baker Street. There’s an archive for you to cross-reference letters and news articles with. Of course, you follow the trail to various locations, too. You might find yourself in a clay mine or the morgue at Scotland Yard.
But of course, Holmes’ best source of information remains to be, as ever, people. From Inspector Lestrade to witnesses and suspects, they all have something to say, and the better you listen, the faster you can piece the picture together.
Since it’s a game, which questions you can ask to whom is predetermined. There might be anywhere from five to ten topics you can prompt any character about. The questions cover details of the crime scene, the person’s relationship with the victim, and the progression of the day’s events.
There is, however, one question that pops up with everyone you meet, almost without fail: “Did the victim do anything unusual in the last few days?” The answers are always fascinating. “He seemed anxious and erratic.” “It felt as if there was something she kept secret, news she wasn’t yet ready to share.” “This group of people bought expensive train tickets but never used them.”
Why does Holmes keep asking this question? For one, it reveals that we pay more attention than we think we do. If only we prod our brains for a bit, we’ll realize we have processed that something seems off—we just didn’t do it consciously. For another, the unusual is a generous source of clues. If you don’t understand why something’s happening, look for pattern breaks surrounding the event. If it hadn’t come to pass under normal conditions, what changed that made the situation possible?
This is as valuable when applied to our own lives as it is in solving murder mysteries. Sure, plenty a crooked habit hides behind the veneer of routine, but just as many gremlins try to steal the good from our lives in its breaks.
Do you have a big event coming up that’ll put you on the spot? Perhaps that’s the source of you not sleeping well. Has the tone at work shifted from jovial to serious? If everyone’s worried about layoffs, maybe it’s no wonder you’ve become more guarded with your tasks. And if it’s raining for two weeks straight in a town that typically knows only sun this time of year, it might not be surprising that you’re uncharacteristically grumpy.
Take your clues from everywhere—especially the unusual. Even if you’re not a master detective, sooner or later, you’ll piece your own puzzle together.
