We open with a cut-scene of Watson’s recurring spooky nightmare, amidst all his screams for Holmes’ help. We also find out that he alarmingly doesn’t own a pillow or duvet. But he does sport some good old-fashioned pyjamas, so that’s ok. Having played through the entire preview disk, though, none of these revelations seem to be of much importance at this stage.

The next morning, there is a lengthy conversation between Holmes and Watson, in which Holmes states that he’s bored out of his wits, waiting for the next mystery to perplex his great mind. However, it isn’t long until his wishes come true. On his way back from the local bookstore, he discovers that a young Maori, working as a manservant for Captain Stenwick, has disappeared. It is at this point where you will get your first opportunity to show off your detective skills.

A quick look around the boy’s living quarters reveals that the door was not forced open, and footsteps lead to a tall wall. Sherlock’s tape measure tells you the size of the footprints and his magnifying glass shows not only a fish scale above the left footprint, but also that the right footprint is unusually missing a nail. Holmes also finds a nearby ladder and uses it to inspect the top of the wall to find some fibre. After a thorough sweep of the area, in which he unearths a Maori drawing, a piece of cloth, and an odd-looking ball, he comes to the conclusion that the lad was kidnapped by two men. It must be said, however, that the game does not progress this far unless you find every single minute detail, and with no clues from Watson or anyone else, it is easy to overlook the tiniest little thing. Specifically, I did not make out the missing nail even after checking the footprints more than several times, and the breakthrough was made due to blind clicking.

Back at Holmes’ abode, he analyses each of the items he found carefully. He discovers that the fish scale came from a perch, that the compound from the ball is opium, and that the stain on the fibre is that of coal soot. Meanwhile, control shifts over to Watson, as he runs a few errands. He visits the local bookstore and borrows a book about the Maori, as well as talking to the newspaper boy to mysteriously find out that the Scandinavian princess’ bodyguard has also gone missing. As the two friends put their heads together, they come to the conclusion that one of the kidnappers must have come from the Docks.

At the Wharf, though, after a straightforward conversation with the bartender at the local pub, it soon becomes unclear as to what Holmes and his sidekick are meant to do next. The man they are looking for is not at his house, and with nothing to go by, this generally means it’s your cue to wander around and hope you stumble across something. It doesn’t help that Watson only gets in the way either. His inability to walk and instead deciding to appear right behind you whenever you turn around is a little irritating, as he occasionally blocks your view.

After some eventual progression, they enter an old warehouse, and it is here where the best puzzle of the preview disk lies. Their task is to open a massive metallic door on the floor, something which is clearly impossible to open with just two sets of hands. But, it just so happens that there is a rope over two pulleys and a hanging pot. Holmes has an epiphany: why not fill the pot with water, tie one end of the rope to the pot of water and the other to the door handle, and use your knife to cut off the original rope? Genius! Note that this is all without Watson’s help.

Venturing inside and getting past another puzzle (a confusing, but not impossible one based on glyphs that were seen earlier engraved at the pub), they arrive at an altar where they see a bloodied and tortured dead body. More drawings litter the walls, and on the ground lies a heap of dirty mattresses. Coal and opiates are at the scene too, further establishing a clear link between this eerie place and the kidnapped Maori boy. As soon as Holmes and Watson are done uncovering everything there is and get ready to exit, they see a gruesome sight of snakes coming out of the dead body with the victim’s head falling off and tumbling down the stairs. Ick!

The premise of the story is certainly intriguing and out of the ordinary, but how does this tie in with Watson’s nightmares that was witnessed at the start of the game? And what about his lack of pillows and duvets? Unfortunately, while the case seems to be well-planned (despite the occasional illogical jump), as it currently is, the gameplay slows the pace down considerably. With no hint system and Watson standing idly by, it’s not hard to get stuck because you miss one small item. However, if this issue was addressed along with one or two other nitpicks--for example, it would be nice to see Watson walk instead of creepily teleport around--then Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened could be a compelling title that would suit adventure enthusiasts just fine.