档案·玻璃屋

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

Played at: AK推理社
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

The first of a trilogy, this 2020 case is widely seen as better than its successors《集会·魔女屋》and《漫游·白兔屋》– and just an overall classic. I think it deserves that reputation; even today, it should still satisfy experienced players.

Above all,《档案·玻璃屋》felt well-rounded for a hardcore case. It has a good mix of case-solving and story reconstruction, and spends some (but not too much) time on character depth and thematic concerns. Its twists are surprising without being too ridiculous.

The one area where it lacks balance is in the individual characters; some are clearly more central to the narrative, so players of other characters might feel sidelined.

Still, the case manages to have a good mix of content while remaining cohesive and compact, with a playtime of about 5 hours. I also really enjoyed the endgame. A solid choice for any case-focused group.

Try if you like: Case-solving in general; a mix of murder-solving and story-reconstruction; twists.

Not recommended for: A full group of complete beginners.

花与爱莉丝

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

Played at: AK推理社
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

Written by the author of 《奇妙万事屋》 and 《风吹麦浪》 (and falling between them chronologically, in publication), 《花与爱莉丝》 differs significantly in tone; be prepared for the darker sort of 日式 case.

The case rewards detail-oriented readers, and thus requires all players to be on the ball. Structurally, I liked how some 还原 aspects fed into the 推理ing.

This case relies on dramatic twists, but their effectiveness may vary. One problem (also noted by Chinese reviews) is that some twists are visible early, yet players still need to reach the ‘wrong’ conclusion for the game to progress. Experienced players might have to artificially refuse to consider loose ends until the right time arrives.

Some revelations are also cool in the moment but fall apart under scrutiny. Still, the case is enjoyable enough, especially if you’re inured to sordid aspects.

Try if you like: Close reading and reading between the lines; dramatic twists; questioning one’s earlier conclusions.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who don’t want too dark a game; players who don’t enjoy being ‘tricked’ by cases; players who are bad with close reading.

桔梗花消逝的秋天

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

Played at: AK推理社
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

This is a belated review of a case I played in October, so my impression of it has grown somewhat vague.

Although part of the same season/flower-themed, Japanese-style series as《风信子不开的夏天》, 《桔梗花消逝的秋天》is quite different in feel and structure. It’s also slightly longer, with a runtime of 6+ hours.

There are still commonalities with its summer counterpart, including the need to read closely; some attempt at emotional resonance; and the pleasingly intricate way that the characters’ stories intertwine.

One of the murders is pretty silly, but I found the rest quite satisfying, including the big-picture 还原 aspect.

Try if you like: A substantial experience; intertwined storylines; melodramatic character backstories.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players with a low tolerance for slightly silly twists; players who dislike close reading.

风信子不开的夏天

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

Played at: AK推理社
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

This is a belated review of a case I played in September, so I only retain a vague impression of it.

《风信子不开的夏天》is part of a season/flower-themed, Japanese-style series, though each instalment stands alone. As the cover aesthetic and title suggest, this is one of those cases that tries for a touch of literary elevation — or, at least, a case where it’s particularly important to read closely. (It’s not too sordid for a 日式 case.)

Make no mistake, however: this is a 推理/还原 case, not a 情感 one. I enjoyed how intricately the characters’ storylines were intertwined, as well as one particular twist.

While not groundbreaking, it’s a solidly crafted case that’s substantial but doesn’t take too long. We liked it enough to try another in the same series.

Try if you like: A substantial case that only takes around 5 hours; important clues hidden in individual players’ stories; an attempt at emotional immersion even in a case-focused game.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who don’t like close reading.

牌花

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

Played at: AK推理社
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

Another late review of a game I played in May. I think this was generally quite satisfying, with clear routes to follow and everything clicking together nicely by the end. The overall poker card framework was quite fun, too.

Yes, some particular points might feel contrived (like a much more forgiving version of 《这美好的一天》), but they’re contrived for the sake of the overall logic, if that makes sense. I’d say this is a solid choice for 推理- and 还原-focused players.

There are some surprising plot developments that players might find interesting or disorienting; they certainly made this case memorable, at least.

Try if you like: Organising disparate info and trying to make everything fit; overarching structure/a central conceit; just a solid case-solving time.

Not recommended for: Players who don’t like it when a case hides info in contrived ways.

The Lost Tomb of the Queen

Created by: AveLIVEX
5 to 10 players

AveLIVEX has created several online escape games, which might explain why this jubensha includes escape-room-style puzzles alongside the central mystery.

It’s available in two modes: Murder Mystery, the traditional role-playing format where the culprit can lie in order to escape suspicion; and Crime Scene Investigation, a co-op format where players just read the testimonies of suspects.

The game is played at offline premises, but makes extensive use of an online interface. I liked that they had physical replicas of some items, which were more fun to work with than the digital versions.

The escape room puzzles were okay: a few questionable design decisions, but also a couple of fun ideas. I wouldn’t play this with the puzzles in mind, but they generally added to rather than detracted from the experience.

The central mystery itself is solid, spreading suspicion around while preserving clear paths towards the truth. We played the CSI version, but I think the Murder Mystery format might be more fun — there’s some room for the murderer to manoeuvre, especially as the digital format imposes artificial difficulty in keeping track of the evidence.

The game serves as a good introductory jubensha, with a forgiving three hour runtime, fun touches such as costumes, and a relatively straightforward plot. As a rare English game in Singapore, it’s certainly worth playing.

There might still be tickets left for this weekend’s run; I can imagine this working for corporate groups as well.

案件重演

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

Played at: AK推理社
6 or 7 players (3 female, 3 or 4 male)

I was interested in《案件重演》because re-enactment — with players themselves acting out scenes — is part of the solving process. Unfortunately, I don’t think this method was used as thoroughly or interestingly as it could have been.

Still, the re-enactment aspect does make for a lighthearted time (and means this case is best played in a group of friends, or very extraverted strangers).

The intro phase felt a bit extra, but the actual case-solving is reasonably solid. Players are required to consider psychology and characterisation, which I always appreciate.

The game was briefer than expected, at about three hours — though that makes it ideal if you want something that doesn’t take too long.

Try if you like: Character-driven analysis; significant player participation; the idea of re-enactment as part of case-solving (just don’t get your hopes too high); a decent case that can be finished in three or so hours.

Not recommended for: Players who dislike the idea of acting; players looking for a longer or more complex experience.

The Melody of Waves

This was a pilot event that ran from 22 to 26 Feb 2o23.

Created by: KMS Games
5 characters (2 female, 3 male) with 2 optional detectives

After their first English boxed game, Singapore’s KMS Games has now produced an event-format mystery. Like its predecessor, The Melody of Waves is a good introduction to the world of jubensha: beginner-friendly without being trivial, with many classic narrative moves. (Granted, this does mean that experienced players may easily jump to some conclusions.)

Happily, my main complaint about the previous KMS offering — that some aspects were underclued — doesn’t apply here. The Melody of Waves is thoroughly fair in its provision of evidence. As a gamemastered event, it also runs smoothly: once the group reaches certain hypotheses, additional evidence emerges to confirm or deny it.

Because the game was held in conjunction with Total Defence Day, we did worry beforehand that its messaging might be unsubtle. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case. The topical theme of climate change is handled well, with multiple aspects explored. Other pillars of Total Defence are woven into the story unobtrusively.

The game was tabletop-style with pictures of evidence rather than physical props, but there was a nice multimedia touch that added to the atmosphere and brought everything together.

Overall, the experience felt well-calibrated for beginners. While there weren’t many surprises for me, I did find it a fun case, and am excited for whatever KMS Games does next.

The event was exciting for another reason, too: the prospect of more such collaborations, akin to how escape games are used in everything from anti-drug campaigns to heritage events.

By their very nature, murder mysteries are ideal for making players better informed — as they gather, process, and analyse clues — while conveying messages or exploring themes. The role-playing aspect makes jubensha more immersive than even most “immersive theatre” productions: in portraying a character, as well as assessing the motives of others, participants are constantly engaged in imaginative empathy. I’d be interested to see if other organisations explore this medium.

步步莲华

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
7 players (3 male, 4 female)

This 古风 (Chinese period setting) faction game is surprisingly layered, even though it’s meant to be relatively beginner-friendly; there’s quite a bit to figure out before you can even start forming alliances.

Thanks to the case structure and win conditions, there’s a decent amount of solid murder-solving (推理) and backstory-uncovering (还原) — in contrast to some other games where faction considerations mean that the murder doesn’t matter. This makes《步步莲华》worth playing even if you’re not really into faction games.

For the eventual factional showdown, the game mechanics are pretty fun. There’s an element of chance, so the outcome isn’t overdetermined; but not so much luck that your preparations end up being useless.

Try if you like: Faction games that still have mystery-solving; ancient Chinese settings; fanciful backstories.

Not recommended for: Players who dislike convoluted backstories; players who dislike supernatural aspects.

漓川怪谈簿

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

Played at: AK推理社
7 players (3 male, 4 female)

《漓川怪谈簿》is a fun experience that could serve as a bridge between beginner-friendly cases and hardcore 硬核 ones; indeed, some reviews even classify it as a 硬核 case.

It offers something for everyone: locked room mysteries; a supernatural setting, but with rigorous murder-solving; backstories to unravel; some big-picture mysteries; and unexpected twists.

There’s an undercurrent of humour — including some deliciously, hilariously macabre realisations — but also a touch of genuine emotion near the end, that thankfully isn’t overplayed or forced.

The case remains accessible to new players, but has enough interesting aspects that even jaded veterans might be charmed. It’s been described as a must-play stepping-stone in one’s jubensha journey, and I can see why.

Try if you like: The idea of playing a hardcore case, but you’re worried about it being too intense; playing a hardcore-esque case within 5+ hours; just an overall fun time that still has serious mystery-solving.

Not recommended for: Players who really dislike unrealistic settings; players who don’t like gory details.