千佛梦

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 male, 3 female)

《千佛梦》is a popular beginner-friendly case, known for its thematic and emotional aspects. If you’re interested in themes of historical and cultural preservation, this is the case for you.

Happily, unlike some other 立意 or 情感 cases, the actual murder-solving aspect is substantial enough to be interesting. All the evidence you need is provided, but the murderer still has room to manoeuvre.

The experience is well-rounded, with some 机制 aspects in the form of an early auction game; substantial narrative elements; and emotional heft, particularly in the endgame.

We decided to play this partly because we enjoyed《鲸落》, a later case by the same author. While I still prefer《鲸落》, I think《千佛梦》earns its reputation as a solid beginner-friendly option. More experienced players who appreciate thematic/emotional aspects should consider giving it a try, too.

Try if you like: An emotional case that still has significant murder-solving; a well-rounded, beginner-friendly experience; the theme of cultural preservation; moral dilemmas;《鲸落》.

Not recommended for: Players who dislike obvious appeals to emotion; players who dislike romantic relationships between characters; purely case-focused players.