恐山大祭

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
6 players (3 female, 3 male)

Many hardcore cases are heavy on story-reconstruction, identity-tabulation, different timelines, and so on; murder-focused《恐山大祭》is a change of pace. Though there are some narrative threads, the gameplay is mainly about analysing details to figure out murder methods.

If you enjoy that, then this game provides a solid challenge. It’s complex enough to leave room for the murderer(s) to manoeuvre, but fair enough that detail-sensitive players should be able to make the required intuitive leaps.

While not groundbreaking or interesting enough to be considered a must-play,《恐山大祭》is a sound choice for analysis-focused 推土机 players — though not necessarily other player types. While the narrative and PvP nature might spark some lively in-character interactions, there isn’t much emotional immersion. And despite the title, this is not a horror case.

Try if you like: Hardcore player-vs-player cases; a focus on murder-solving; a more twisted/cynical tone.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who prefer a cooperative dynamic; players seeking emotional immersion.