Why is Pikachu talking and wearing a Sherlock hat? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

I really don't know what to make of this trailer for an upcoming mystery game starring Pikachu in a Sherlock Holmes hat. "Oh, Pokemon mystery game," I thought. "I'm sure that'll be cute!" And then Pikachu opens his mouth and starts talking, with a voice that sounds like an adult man, and then he starts poking at unconscious bodies lying in the street and stealing kisses in a dark alleyway.

Stop looking at me like that. I swear, this is not a fever dream I had. This is a real advertisement for a real product. Unfortunately, there's very little actual in-game footage shown, so it's not clear exactly how the game will play, but still! Take a look and see for yourself:

Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Combination, which we first heard about a little over two years ago, will be available in Japan via the 3DS eShop starting February 3. No word yet on whether the game will come west to the UK and/or US, but based on this teaser alone, I really, really hope it does. I want to help Humphrey Shockmouse here solve the mystery of the Maltese Pidgey.

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.