雾岛家杀人事件

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)

《雾岛家杀人事件》 is an extreme example of a co-operative case: it’s meant for six or seven players, but the scripts are identical apart from a brief section at the start.

To me, that makes the individual playing experience less meaningful: you don’t even have your own viewpoint to analyse, let alone a character in which to be immersed.

If that doesn’t bother you, 《雾岛家杀人事件》 provides a decent hardcore (硬核) experience. There’s a fun yet meaningful warm-up, followed by substantial case-solving.

The game has interesting “rules of engagement”, including the assumption that murderer(s) would try to remove relevant clues from the crime scene. There’s some consideration of character psychology, which I always appreciate.

Some of the murders had less satisfying solutions than others, but the 推理 process itself was reasonably enjoyable.

Try if you like: Hardcore cases that don’t require all players to be on top of their game; being able to rely on fellow players and not worry about having missed information in your own booklet.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who want their individual participation to be meaningful; players who care about being immersed in a character; players who don’t like unrealistic murder methods.

奇妙万事屋

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2 (one-north branch)
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

《奇妙万事屋》is a rare light-hearted (欢乐) yet hardcore (硬核) case. The danger is that fun-seeking players might flounder in case-solving, while case-focused players might get impatient with ‘time-wasting’ shenanigans; this is a game for groups that appreciate both silly nonsense and serious case-solving.

This case takes at least six hours due to its hefty amount of reading and sheer number of rounds; we took eight (!), perhaps mostly due to reading speed. Yet despite the long duration,《奇妙万事屋》felt much less tiring than some other cases, thanks to its snappy pacing, relatively digestible amount of information, and smooth lines of 推理ing.

Perhaps its biggest flaw is that the weight of the narrative is unevenly distributed, with clear central (C位) characters. But the distribution of clues is more balanced, allowing players to contribute to case-solving even if their characters aren’t that involved in the story. (This also means that all players need to pay close attention to their booklets; if any one player drops the ball, that can make it hard to approach the truth.)

Try if you like: Both silly diversions and serious case-solving; having to track movements and timelines; a substantial yet non-exhausting experience.

Not recommended for: Players who don’t like huge amounts of reading (more than 30 pages of smallish text); case-focused players who don’t like frivolous diversions; players who want a fun time without too much thinking.

青楼

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 female, 4 male)

《青楼》is known as a classic beginner-friendly light-hearted (欢乐) case; I think this reputation is well deserved. Its great advantage over some other beginner-friendly and/or light-hearted cases is that it retains a focus on murder-solving, thus providing a more effective introduction to jubensha than cases without real 推理ing.

Every character has something to hide, making each role very playable. However, the case is much less friendly to some murderers than others. There’s also a 机制 (game-mechanics) component which felt neither fair nor satisfying (though it was admittedly still entertaining/exciting).

If you treat this as a fun time and don’t take winning/losing too seriously, then you might find《青楼》to be a solid experience, and a good way to ease into jubensha.

Try if you like: A beginner-friendly fun time with non-negligible murder-solving; a case that can be finished in 4 hours; not needing to read much.

Not recommended for: Very shy players; experienced 推理-focused players; players who really dislike game mechanics, especially with a large element of chance.

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.

搞钱

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
7-10 players

《搞钱》is a light-hearted 欢乐 case with laughably negligible mystery-solving. It focuses on game mechanics (机制) instead, with the premise that you’re businesspeople trying to make the right investments.

Each character has secrets to hide and mysteries to figure out, and there’s some reasoning involved re: investments, but it’s all pretty lightweight. Like 《日日是好日》, this is chiefly jubensha-as-social-activity, not jubensha-as-intellectual-exercise.

The fact that it accommodates 7 to 10 players is convenient if you can’t confirm exact numbers. Play it with a group of friends if you like the idea of gleeful roleplaying, alliance-forming, semi-serious business proposal evaluation, or mild game theory-ish calculation; don’t expect much else.

Try if you like: Light-hearted business and investment games; alliance-building; interacting with the DM and other players.

Not recommended for: Players who care about investigation and murders; players uninterested in alliance-forming.

这美好的一天

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
6/7 players (3 female, 4 male)

This case belongs to a jubensha genre that I haven’t noticed a name for yet: the sort that involves significant identity-assigning or perspective-matching. In 《这美好的一天》, such reasoning seemed to take up more energy than case-related analysis.

If puzzling out the identities and relationships of characters in a depicted scene sounds like fun, then you’ll probably enjoy this hardcore (硬核) case — which feels like a marathon despite only lasting 5+ hours. If that at least sounds tolerable, then you might still enjoy figuring out the multiple deaths packed into this case, as well as its overarching story.

In short, this is a case for players who have the energy to analyse multiple detail-dense scenes, and not for players who want a light-hearted time or narrative investment.

Some cases build emotional immersion via the very process of case-solving;《这美好的一天》, sadly, tacks on an unearned attempt at poignancy at the very end.

Try if you like: Detail-driven analysis; multiple small cases; having to tabulate info; a real challenge.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who dislike getting bogged down in details unrelated to murder-solving; players who are likely to get tired or find drawn-out analysis tedious.

死者在幻夜中醒来

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
6/7 players (3 female, 4 male)

《死者在幻夜中醒来》has almost become shorthand for a certain style of gameplay… which I unfortunately can’t talk about without getting into spoiler territory. Let’s just say that there’s a lot going on beyond mere murder-solving, though the murder cases themselves are reasonably interesting.

One key thing to note is that this is a hardcore (硬核) marathon of a case, and it’s very easy to run out of steam. Not all of the reasoning required might be to your taste, either; there is a hefty 还原 (story-reconstruction) component.

Your experience will also vary greatly depending on your character — one character in particular may make for a dissatisfying experience (which sadly means that someone will have to draw the short straw in any game).

《死幻》is not particularly accessible, and is certainly not a crowdpleaser. But if you’re interested in getting deeper into the jubensha world, then this trend-setting case is basically required playing — if only so you can understand what reviews mean when they say another case is reminiscent of 《死幻》.

Try if you like: Ambitious cases; attention to detail; unconventional case structures; a real challenge.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who prefer shorter games; players who prefer classic murder-focused investigation; players who don’t enjoy being ‘tricked’ by cases.

木夕僧之戏

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

Played at: 无序·探案馆 UNORDERED
7 players (3 female, 4 male)

This satisfyingly substantial hardcore case is packed with content but doesn’t get overwhelming or draggy, thanks to a structure that allows for constant progress. The case-solving process rewards attention to detail but doesn’t require you to get bogged down in calculation or tabulation. There are even some fun multimedia elements midway through.

While it’s not really a horror case, there are some delightfully goosebumps-inducing touches. This isn’t the sort of case where you get attached to the characters, either, but the relationships are certainly complex enough to make for some fun and lively in-character accusations interactions.

Tangentially, I find the existence of the Japanese-themed (日式, “Japanese style”) jubensha genre interesting; surely there’s a non-zero risk that such cases could feature gross exoticisation or uncomfortable stereotypes. Fortunately, 《木夕僧之戏》makes decent use of its Japanese cultural elements.

Try if you like: Large amounts of case-solving; overarching mysteries; Japanese folklore.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players who dislike supernatural elements or contrived world-rules; players who don’t enjoy multiple cases within a game.

梅芙罗尔号

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 characters (3 female, 4 male)

《梅芙罗尔号》is an interesting example of a faction (阵营) game, with the added dimensions of game mechanics (机制) and the ability to hide evidence. All of this makes for a refreshingly atypical experience.

It helps that the factional aspect is rooted in character motivations and thus feels like a natural part of the gameplay, rather than being forced or tacked on. The scriptwriting supports this, with a significant emotional (情感) focus, up to and including the dramatic ending.

However, the factional nature of the case is also arguably its main weakness: it means that the actual murder-related analysis can become irrelevant, especially if key evidence is hidden.

If you’ve never tried a faction game before, I’d recommend this as a example of both the strengths and shortcomings of this subgenre. And even if the factional aspect doesn’t interest you, you might still find《梅芙罗尔号》worthwhile if you enjoy emotional, character-driven cases.

Thoughts from a friend:
First 剧本杀 to make me cry. I think one reason many 情感本s include factional elements is that it reinforces your ‘character’ because you need to think it’s us against them; so if you play your factions properly, you end up getting very invested in your character and trying to ensure it’s a happy ending for whichever faction you’re on.

Try if you like: Relative thematic depth; a character-driven experience; having to make narrative choices; something a bit different.

Not recommended for: Players who prefer a strong focus on murder analysis; players who are uninterested in emotional aspects; players who don’t like faction games.

异闻录 | Special Rumors

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

Played at: LOADING SG
8 characters (4 female, 4 male) with no detectives; also playable with just 7

Compared to LOADING SG’s other case, Special Rumors is less conventional and less accessible. Set in an anachronistic version of ye olde Europe, this faction game’s physical set and game structure are arguably more interesting than the underlying case.

Case: There are two tasks: identifying the members of one faction (with voting thus meant to be along faction lines), and finding the murderer (with all players free to vote for them, even if they are faction-mates). Perhaps we didn’t get a full debrief, but I found the threads of logic underdeveloped in both cases. This does provide lots of fun leeway for the players who are trying to escape suspicion, but the lack of rigour may bother those who focus on analysis.

Suspects: In-character confusion is an intended feature of this case, which you may or may not enjoy. Interpersonal ties are quite developed, which increases engagement and can make for some fun confrontations.

Structure: The game starts off in an unexpected manner, with a significant lead-up before discussion begins. There’s a larger dramatic component compared to LOADING SG’s other game; I’d recommend playing in Chinese if you can, since the NPCs might be more comfortable in that language.

That’s the core experience; what about LOADING SG’s specific implementation?

Setting: The physical set heightens the game’s dramatic elements, from the unique opening stages, through to mid-game cutscenes and the ending itself. Costumes were cool, though props felt a bit perfunctory.

Translation: Generally fine, though some of the names are odd. Any confusion in this case arises from the content itself, not the translation.

Facilitation: Our gamemaster was patient and accommodating. He nudged us along where required, without spoiling the game, and was open to providing clarifications.

Try if you like: Dramatic sets; interesting game structure; social deduction and intrigue.

Not recommended for: Players who prefer a focus on hard evidence; players who don’t enjoy faction games; players who are sensitive about the use of quasi-Christian elements (watch the trailer for a sense of this).