Murder mystery in Bugis: Can you solve the case in this new Sherlock Holmes adventure game?

Murder mystery in Bugis: Can you solve the case in this new Sherlock Holmes adventure game? Hidden has lauched A Studio In Red, an official Sherlock Holmes adventure across Bugis Street, Bugis Junction and Bugis+ that combines real-world exploration, puzzle solving, and exploration in 90 minutes. As someone who loves mysteries and escape rooms, A Study In Red: The Official Sherlock Experience is exactly what the good detective ordered. Set across Bugis Street, Bugis Junction, and Bugis+, this new 90-minute real-world murder mystery adventure that launched Friday (Aug 21) caters to both casuals or experienced escape room players. Created by Singapore-based real-world gaming studio Hidden, the brains behind the real world Monopoly adventure games, this Conan Doyle Estate-licensed adventure that's based on the original A Study In Scarlet novel sees players become investigators for 221b Consultants, while using their phones to chat with London-based Sherlock and Watson to help local police inspector Lester Ang (a homage to the novel's Inspector Lestrade) solve the case. Teams of up to five start at the 221b office located at the second level of Bugis Street, where you will get a staff pass, a case file, and access to the secure chat group with Sherlock and Watson. But to be officially accepted as a consultant, you'll first need to solve a simple puzzle for a password. Once you do so, the game is afoot. From there, you'll explore a room with a dead body, discover clues, and be guided on a trail that leads through Bugis Street, Bugis+, and Bugis Junction while solving puzzles along the way. And the best thing? The whole adventure mostly takes place indoors in the air-conditioned areas, so you stay sweat-free. "What I try to do is combine stories and characters that people love – for me it would be Sherlock – with venues that also have their own stories like Bugis and create an experience that people such as families or couples can enjoy," said Lee Yee Hung, CEO of Hidden. Lee added that the team also drew inspiration from adaptations such as BBC's Sherlock and Japan's Miss Sherlock. CREATING THE ADVENTURE Hidden beat out other UK-based studios to secure the licensing from The Conan Doyle Estate to secure the world's first official licensed Sherlock Holmes game set in the real world. Development started in late 2025, and took about six months to complete, with the script drawing on lesser-known historical facts of Bugis' past and written by its teams in Singapore and New Zealand as well as in consultation with The Conan Doyle Estate. Lee said that while AI was used for coding and brainstorming, the final product was created by the team. After Singapore, Hidden plans to bring the game to London's Baker Street, the famous home of Sherlock Holmes in the novels. The London adventure will also be localised, said Lim. TEXT-BASED ADVENTURES A Study In Red isn't the first real world immersive adventure in Singapore – besides Hidden's Monopoly games, there have been a slew of other real-world interactive experiences, such as 2023's Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience that saw players walking through a dark misty forest casting magic and drinking butterbeer, or the more recent Minecraft Experience located at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. What sets Hidden's games apart is that it uses chat-based platforms such as WhatsApp to guide players around landmarks. A Study In Red, though, is the first Hidden game that uses a web application instead. The web app lets players scan clues and explore virtual crime scenes located within the mall, which was something that wasn't doable on WhatsApp. It also makes the game accessible to tourists, such as those from China, who may not have access to WhatsApp. REAL WORLD INTERACTIONS A Study In Red isn't just about trying to solve the mystery, you'll actually have to talk to store employees (and not just look at your phone) at various shops in the shopping mall to get clues such as maps, and the game also features a break moment so you can order a discounted snack or meal with the included "staff pass". It's a clever way to generate business for the participating stores, and some of the discounts are actually pretty good, including S$10 off S$25 for a meal at chicken joint Sides. Once you get all the clues, you'll also be able to challenge Sherlock by solving the case before the answers are revealed. At the end of it, you'll receive a Sherlock Holmes notebook for your efforts. Honestly, the game isn't too hard if you're paying attention, though you may find it too easy if you're an avid escape room player. But A Study In Red really isn't about the difficulty – it's the fun you have figuring things out together as a team. If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, keep an eye out for easter eggs, too, and see if you can spot them all. A Study In Red: The Official Sherlock Experience debuts on Aug 21 with tickets starting at S$29 (weekdays) and S$39 (weekends and public holidays) for adults and S$19 for students. [Image text:] RETOCECUPDILNCE RICELIS 29 39 19 EWCE