Sherlock Holmes never struck me as the type to rest, more like the one who would ‘pass away mid-deduction.’ Nevertheless, this premise begins the Beekeeper’s Picnic—A Sherlockian Adventure, an engaging new game recently launched on Steam.

Holmes resigns from his detective career to start anew as a beekeeper in the quaint village of Fulworth. He wishes to assist Dr. Watson in recovering from his wartime service. To celebrate their friendship, Holmes plans a leisurely picnic.

However, trouble lurks around every corner. A villager has been captured, a child’s cat is missing, an artifact has vanished from the museum, and a ‘mermaid’ has washed ashore. As the trailer suggests, Holmes can’t even enjoy a stroll without stumbling upon a dead body. “I must remind you that I am retired,” he jests.

The game blends traditional and modern adventure mechanics, allowing players to roam freely through Fulworth and interact with various eccentric characters, including a ‘grumpy police officer’ and a ‘clown with a tragic history.’ According to the developer, Afoot Games, solving mysteries will require both logical reasoning and narrative decision-making. “Puzzles have multiple outcomes that may please your neighbors differently.”

Interestingly, the Beekeeper’s Picnic’s Steam page highlights a badge stating that ’no generative AI’ was involved in its development, marking a unique stance among game developers.