The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Rose Tattoo

The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Rose Tattoo

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founded	1996
Founder	Mythos Software
Headquarters	United States
Products	Graphic adventure game
Parent	Electronic Arts

The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Rose Tattoo is a 1996 graphic adventure game crafted by Mythos Software and released by Electronic Arts. This title continues the adventures of the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, originally created by Arthur Conan Doyle, and acts as a follow-up to The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel.

Plot

Set in October 1889, the narrative begins with an explosion that devastates the Diogenes, injuring Sherlock Holmes's brother, Mycroft. Players initially assume the role of Dr. Watson before taking on Holmes himself during the investigation, which reveals that the incident was caused by a bomb rather than a gas leak. An encrypted message from Mycroft uncovers that a chemical formula for a potent explosive was stolen from the Ministry of Defence. Although Mycroft urges an official inquiry, the Ministry swiftly halts any further investigation.

Holmes and Watson track down various suspects, including a destitute nobleman, an ambitious Ministry employee, an eccentric business tycoon, and a politically motivated charwoman. A murder connected to a prestigious Cambridge student society links the case to a Prussian officer covertly working to advance Otto von Bismarck’s plans against Kaiser Wilhelm II. This intricate conspiracy involves theft, kidnapping, and blackmail designed to suppress the investigating committee. Ultimately, Holmes unravels the scheme, retrieves the stolen documents, and in the conclusion is awarded a secret knighthood by Queen Victoria.

Although independent from The Case of the Serrated Scalpel, this installment includes familiar characters from Conan Doyle’s tales such as Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard, alongside newly introduced figures like Sergeant Duncan.

Development

Character visuals in this game were produced by filming actors dressed in costume against a bluescreen, creating more realistic imagery; however, unlike its predecessor, Rose Tattoo does not feature large, high-resolution facial close-ups during conversations. This technique of integrating live-action video was briefly popular due to contemporary hardware capabilities, notably the expanded storage offered by CD-ROMs that supported digitized voice recordings and cut-scene sequences. Subsequent technological progress enabled detailed 3D character models.

Compared to its predecessor, Rose Tattoo extends gameplay length and enhances historical authenticity and detail. The game’s near-photographic graphics combined with authentic ambient sounds contribute to a deeply immersive experience, while background music is used more judiciously. Digitized voice acting throughout enriches interactions with non-player characters.

Distinct actors provided both voices and visual sprites for characters: Jarion Monroe voiced Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson was portrayed vocally by Roger L. Jackson; Coralie Persee lent her voice to Mrs. Hudson; and Paul Vincent Black voiced Wiggins. The character designs for Holmes and Professor Moriarty drew inspiration from actor George Gregg. The project’s story development and design were led by R. J. Berg, with sound and musical direction managed by Rob Hubbard.

Reception

Lisa M. Howie of PC Gamer commended the user interface, animation quality, and narrative, considering them on par with leading titles in the genre, though she pointed out common adventure game flaws such as awkward character placement during conversations; she assigned an 80% rating. Peter Olafson from PC Games emphasized the unique and authentic voice acting, as well as the increased challenge relative to its predecessor, giving the game an A− grade. Tim Royal of Computer Games Strategy Plus praised the artistic atmosphere created by the hand-drawn backgrounds, awarding a 3.5 out of 5 score.