仙乂

As this is a commercial boxed game, many Chinese reviews exist; you might want to check them out too.

Played at: 梦回 Another Day
5 players (2 female, 3 male)

In a sense, playing jubensha is no longer necessarily about solving cases — as shown by how only some cases have the 推理 (case-solving, reasoning) label. Emotionally-driven 情感 cases might put a greater focus on role-playing; faction (阵营) games might sacrifice truth for the sake of victory; and game mechanics (机制) might be more reminiscent of tabletop RPGs.

《仙乂》isn’t considered a 推理 case; it’s a light-hearted (欢乐) wuxia adventure with significant game mechanics and interactive elements. There’s still lots to puzzle out, but the truth isn’t the only goal that players are pursuing.

I found《仙乂》worth playing as a fun game in its own right, but also as a fascinating example of how jubensha have evolved beyond their murder mystery origins. As a 机制 case, it might be a good gateway game for tabletop RPG players (though I don’t play tabletop RPGs, so this is pure speculation).

Try if you like: Wuxia or xianxia; hidden goals; having a fun time.

Not recommended for: Players who just want to solve a case; players who might feel awkward being silly in front of others.