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Loretta no Shouzou: Sherlock Holmes

Sega Master System

Sega Master System

Loretta no Shouzou or Loretta's Portrait is an adventure game. In this title you play as Sherlock Holmes at the end of the 19th century who has agreed to find the portrait stolen from the art gallery. Basic gameplay is based around choosing appropriate commands such as Look, Take, Talk, Examine a...

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Developer
Sega Enterprises

Released on
1987

Size
1 Player

Version
Sega Master System

Requirements
Sega Master System

Downloads
Adventure

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Loretta no Shouzou or Loretta’s Portrait is an adventure game. In this title you play as Sherlock Holmes at the end of the 19th century who has agreed to find the portrait stolen from the art gallery. Basic gameplay is based around choosing appropriate commands such as Look, Take, Talk, Examine and so on, a separate menu also summons up the verbs related to movement such as Move or Enter. Despite those commands being in English, the majority of game text is in Japanese only, as the game was not released anywhere else.

Packaged as a Sega Mark III game, but it plays on the SG-1000/SC-3000 series of systems.

Loretta no Shouzou: Sherlock Holmes

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1987 by Sega for the Master System, *Loretta no Shouzou: Sherlock Holmes* (translated as *The Portrait of Loretta*) is a rare and fascinating divergence for the iconic detective. Rather than a traditional point-and-click investigative adventure, Sega repurposed and skinned an action-platformer engine to thrust Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary sleuth into a fast-paced, peril-filled gauntlet. The storyline kicks off when a mysterious, cursed portrait of a woman named Loretta is stolen, drawing Holmes and Dr. John Watson into a labyrinthine conspiracy involving occult societies, hidden Victorian London underworlds, and classic literary adversaries. The game holds a unique place in Master System history for attempting to fuse atmospheric noir detective tropes with strict 8-bit platforming action, making it a prized collector's item today.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike cerebral detective games, *Loretta no Shouzou* relies heavily on platform-jumping, item collection, and direct combat. Players control Sherlock Holmes as he navigates side-scrolling stages ranging from foggy London alleyways to candle-lit Victorian mansions and creepy crypts. Holmes is not entirely defenseless; he can wield a trusty cane for melee defense and collect special throwable items like explosive pepper pots or smoke bombs to deal with aggressive street thugs, guard dogs, and supernatural apparitions. Each stage is punctuated by environmental hazards such as collapsing platforms, swinging chandeliers, and deep water pits. Watson occasionally appears to drop hints or supply health tonics, but surviving the onslaught requires sharp reflexes. At the end of major sectors, Holmes must confront specialized bosses in tactical duels that test jump timing and weapon trajectory, slowly piecing together the mystery of Loretta's portrait.