Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is a series of board games. The Baker Street Irregulars is another game in the Consulting Detective series, but on a harder difficulty.
This is a great detective board game that will give players a lot of fun and immerse them in a world of unsolved cases!
In this article, we will look at the basic facts of the game, the purpose of the game, and the pros and cons.
Key facts
| Type | deductive, team |
| Created by | In 2020 |
| Number of players | 1-8 |
| Age of players | 14+ |
| Complexity | mediocre |
| Duration | about 90 minutes |
| Indicative price | 45-53 eur |
The aim of the game
The aim is to solve each detective case successfully and to get as many points as possible for efficiency and correct solutions.
The pros and cons of the game
✅ A detective experience: The game broadens players' horizons by adding new detective challenges and narrative elements.
✅ Engaging scenarios: Interesting events draw players into a narrative with the most incredible detective quests.
✅ Promotes cooperation: Initiates communication and discussion that can lead to interesting and useful solutions.
❌ Complex: Some players may find it difficult to cope with complex scenarios and tasks.
❌ More time is needed: As the game is quite involved, it can take much longer than planned.
About the game
The ten game files cover a five-year period from 1885 to 1890. It focuses on a small group of children, the Irregulars, whom Sherlock Holmes recruited as his team of investigators.
In previous games in the series, they were occasionally involved in the detective's work, but here the lives of these clever children are brought to the foreground and there is a much greater thematic focus to the events that unfold in the game.
It is this exclusive focus on children that makes this game seem different. It has a coherent vision without going into specific cases and you can see that both the design and the narratives are very sincere.
As each case develops, players become more and more attached to the young detectives as more and more interesting cases are revealed.
The Baker Street Irregulars also have an updated design for the survey. Some clues can be bookmarked on the in-game help board, which will be useful for further exploration of locations or for asking clarifying questions to experts and potential suspects.
This new addition opens up the possibility to work confidently and responsibly with clues, as players can go back to a previously unfinished case with a flagged clue and solve it to the end.
Game rules
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective The Baker Street Irregulars is a game where players work together to solve detective crime cases.
Players become members of the Baker Street Irregulars, a group of children who help the famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
In each case, players have to collect clues, interview witnesses and follow the trail of crime until they find the answers to the questions Sherlock has asked.
The board game can be played in groups of up to 8 players, but is best played with two players.
The first four tasks can be played in any order you like, but it is recommended to follow the order.
The last six cases are closely interlinked, as players have to go back to previous newspapers to find clues and possible crime scenes.
Players can work on one or more cases at a time, or return to them later.
Start of the game
Each Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective case book starts with an introduction that gives a general idea of how the investigation should be conducted.
Players can use the provided map of London to identify the landmarks that will help them find the next big clue.
The map shows five districts and important places are numbered to make them easier to find.
Each case is accompanied by a copy of the local newspaper, The Times, which may contain important information about the case.
It includes names, company and organisation lists that can be customised during the game.
With all this information, players must identify possible clues based on the information gathered at each location.
Players may have to visit the scene of the crime before they can find out what might have really happened.
So, situations change and offer many opportunities to push the story towards unravelling the case.
Players may even find that cases turn into completely different ones, as information changes and distorts their guesses about what happened.
Ultimately, as the players get closer to a solution, the number of options becomes smaller and smaller.
They may spend only a short time on the streets of London before they have to take stock of the information they have gathered and move on to solving the case.
Before returning to Sherlock, the players, with their suspicions, are confronted with a series of two questions they need to answer.
The first series is directly related to the case, while the second series deals with mysteries or puzzles that players may encounter on their next journey.
By answering these questions correctly, players can earn extra points at the end of the game.
And they will definitely need all the points they can get!
When the players give their solution, the number of clues they have heard is compared to the number of clues Sherlock Holmes would have needed to solve the case.
For each additional clue beyond Sherlock's solution, points are deducted from the points obtained for the two sets of questions in the case.
Players must score 100 points to earn Sherlock's respect.
The challenge is very serious and intriguing, and it is almost impossible to do.
What is in the game kit?
Board game In the box you will find the following components.
| Map of London | 1 |
| Case files | 10 |
| Newspapers | 10 |
| London Handbook | 1 |
| Book of Rules | 1 |
History
The game is set in 2020. The Baker Street Irregulars is the most recent version of the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective series, created by designer Dave Neale and published by Space Cowboys.
Summary
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective - The Baker Street Irregulars is a collection of new cases that cannot be overlooked.
Players are drawn into a detective game where they have to gather evidence, interpret facts and solve riddles to find out who is really guilty.
It is a very interesting and intelligent strategy game that requires players to have detective skills and logical thinking.
What is the purpose of the game❓
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective The Baker Street Irregulars players aim to successfully solve each detective case and earn maximum points for efficiency and correct solutions.
How many people can play a board game❓
The game is for 1-8 players.
What is the difficulty level❓
According to the rules, the board game is classified as a game of moderate difficulty.
What is the duration of the game❓
The game lasts about 90 minutes.
What is the recommended age of players❓
The game is intended for players aged 14 and over.
