I downloaded and completed the demo last night. I'm completely new to these games and have little knowledge of Sherlock Holmes in general, so I didn't really have any expectations going in. The first thing I noticed was that on the highest graphical settings, Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper is the most "up-to-date" adventure I've seen in terms of fully 3D graphics; certainly comparable to new games in other genres. The second thing I noticed is how the game is clearly meant to be played in the first person view, and so I did. I suppose a pros and cons list is the quickest way to sum up my thoughts:
+ Very interesting premise
+ Nice lighting and high-res texture work
+ Fitting dark and dirty atmosphere
+ Some good voice acting
+ Some good character models
+ Streets don't seem empty like in most adventure games
+ Interesting deduction & murder reenactment mechanics
- Stiff character & facial animation
- Watson's suit seems oddly pale & bright in the dark environments
- Some bad voice acting
- Some bad character models
- Not much variance in NPC models
- Menial tasks to perform before getting to "the good bit"
I couldn't help but laugh watching Sherlock Holmes mount Watson during the murder reenactment
Anyway, for me to drop $20 on this game, I'd have to be assured that the average task is a lot more interesting than finding someone's suitcase and nipping to the clinic for some medicine. Saying that, I did enjoy the demo. It certainly captured my imagination. I'll be keeping my eye out.
