Crushed in Time Brings Sherlock Holmes and Watson's Ridiculous Investigation to iPhone

Crushed in Time has reached the iPhone and iPad, introducing another wonderfully unconventional adventure from Draw Me A Pixel, the studio responsible for There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension. The mobile release arrived on October 19, bringing the developer's distinctive combination of puzzles, fourth-wall-breaking humour and elaborate visual tricks to touchscreen devices. The story follows Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson as they investigate the disappearance of a character from their own video game.

Unfortunately, these particular versions of the famous detectives are not especially competent. Their investigation takes them through different stages of the game's development, where unfinished environments, changing graphics and peculiar production problems become part of the mystery. Gameplay revolves around an elastic interaction system that allows players to grab, stretch and manipulate objects rather than relying exclusively on conventional point-and-click commands.

The adventure also incorporates dialogue recorded by human performers and numerous jokes about the process of creating video games. Crushed in Time is available as a free initial download, with a one-time purchase required to unlock the complete adventure. The British App Store currently lists that purchase at £6.99. The application requires iOS 15 or later and occupies approximately 1.7GB of storage.

An Android version has been announced, although its availability should be checked separately rather than assumed to match the iOS launch. The game represents an attractive option for players who prefer inventive puzzle design over conventional action. Apparently the world's greatest fictional detective has finally encountered a mystery that cannot be solved without examining the software development process itself.