缄默公馆

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

Played at: 忆南馆
6 players (3 female, 3 male)

This 独家 case was a miss for our group, though I can imagine it being enjoyable for some other types of players.

From a case-solving perspective, this was weak. A lot of info felt irrelevant, and the solution wasn’t satisfying.

As a narrative ride, however, this could be fun. It reminded me of some “escape games” (more like immersive horror experiences) on a recent trip to Changsha — there isn’t much to solve, but there’s lots of atmosphere, acting and narrative twists.

Our experience also suffered because the gameplay (fulfilling personal missions) wasn’t fully explained at the start; a group which doesn’t face this problem would have a better time.

It feels as if 忆南馆 is particularly big on cases with atmospheric and immersive elements; if that sounds interesting, and you don’t mind a lack of case-solving rigour, then this could be worth a try. If you just want to 推理, you can give this a miss.

Try if you like: NPC acting and interaction; mini-games; personal missions and 私聊ing; a mild horror atmosphere; lots of narrative twists.

Not recommended for: Case-focused players.

我于万物之中

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

Played at: 忆南馆
6 players (2 female, 4 male)

This was an SCP case (like 《收容失效》) with everything that implies: a focus on paranormal phenomena, redacted info, and a need for some creative leaps. If all that sounds cool, or at least tolerable, then you might find《我于万物之中》to be an enjoyable ride.

Above all, this case just felt fun. The character relations were entertaining to discover, the inclusion of physical props was a nice touch, and there were some genuinely funny twists.

At the same time, the central case itself is substantial and complex. Some characters also get stories with deeper emotional resonance.

The need for creative leaps is particularly pronounced in the endgame, which some players might dislike. It didn’t disrupt most of the case-solving, though, so I wasn’t too bothered.

I’d recommend this as a fun yet substantial experience for any group that doesn’t mind 变格 cases.

Try if you like: SCP or paranormal themes; intuitive leaps; amusing touches.

Not recommended for: Players who dislike supernatural aspects; players who dislike having to make imaginative leaps.

月落洼

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

Played at: 忆南馆
5 players (2 female, 3 male)

This is a very old classic from 2019, often named as a gateway into the long-running 豪门 series (although it’s actually the 16th (!)). I can see why it deserves that reputation; even after so long, it holds up well.

The case packs a lot of detail into a relatively low amount of reading, and provides a lot of room for 推理ing. There’s significant freedom for the murderer to manoeuvre, which could make their game experience quite enjoyable.

The estimated playtime is a mere 5 hours — but those should be 5 full hours of rigorous case-solving. An obvious choice for any case-focused group (and, as a rare 5-person case, a good backup if last minute player cancellations force a downgrade from a 6-person case).

Try if you like: A traditional but highly non-trivial PvP case; ambitious case conceits; playing a murderer with a fair chance of escaping.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who prefer cooperative games.

病娇男孩的精分日记

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

Played at: 忆南馆
7 players (technically 7 male, but gender irrelevant)

《病娇男孩的精分日记》is a very popular case, which actually made me hesitant to try it; having now played it, I can see why it’s so talked about.

There’s certainly serious case-solving involved, and non-trivial realisations to reach. But the game is best enjoyed as an overall immersive ~experience. To say anything more would be a spoiler.

Serious analysis-focused players should still have enough to chew on, but you’ll get more out of this case if you enjoy the interactive aspects of jubensha. There’s very little text compared to your average case, so this is friendly to players who aren’t good with reading.

Try if you like: Something different; horror elements and dark/twisted plots; narrative immersion; being shookt.

Not recommended for: Strictly case-focused players; players sensitive about depictions of dissociative identity disorder.

二律背反

This half-physical-set (半实景) game is also available in China, so Chinese reviews exist; you might want to check them out too.

Played at: 忆南馆谋杀之谜 / 忆南推理馆
6 characters (2 female, 4 male)

《二律背反》is a fascinating “half-physical-set” (半实景) case. It has a hefty amount of content (~6 hours’ worth, when we played) and a complex structure worthy of a tabletop case. But instead of reading clue cards, you search the scene for physical evidence, which you then interpret.

Most interestingly, unlike some physical-set games where you just ransack rooms, the placement of each piece of evidence is significant.

Case: This ambitious hardcore case covers all the usual types of deduction: figuring out identities and relationships; reconstructing specific happenings based on evidence and timelines; piecing together a broader story; and exploring the world’s overarching mysteries. Granted, the plot goes to some strange places in the final act — but up till then, 《二律背反》is an engrossing exercise in reasoning.

Suspects: Due partly to the nature of the case, there’s limited immersion, though certain revelations might still be emotionally effective. Some roles are more important than others, but there aren’t any truly sidelined characters.

Structure: This multi-stage, multi-layered case requires at least as much stamina as a tabletop one — perhaps more, given the added dimension of physical scene analysis. There’s a build-up to a narrative and deductive climax, and a thorough epilogue.

That’s the core experience; what about 忆南馆’s specific implementation?

Setting: I suppose this is technically part of the game specifications rather than the implementation, but: by far my favourite aspect of《二律背反》is its use of physical evidence. For me, this alone suffices to make the game worth playing. It’s not just the fun of handling real evidence; what I really appreciated was the inclusion of clever details and subtle significance of various clues. The actual setting isn’t that impressive, but that’s in line with the plot, so nothing to complain about there.

Facilitation: Our DM saw us through the case patiently, asking the right questions to get us unstuck without giving too much away. He was also quite generous with the ending, haha.

Try if you like: Ambitious and unique game formats; interpreting physical evidence; rigorous in-depth analysis and deduction.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players uninterested in working out detailed strands of logic; players who dislike unrealistic elements.