It's sooooooo good. The app doesn't fail, the stories are all interesting, playtime is on point. It's the best detective game I've played.

If you don't like to pass your phone to other people or missing the social aspect of it when playing with more than two players, just cast it on the screen. It increases the working together aspect more, because everyone can read the dialogues :)

Thank you Tom. Due to your review and praise in top 10-'s and 100, I bought this for the wife and I. She is NOT a gamer, unless you count Skip-BO. She loves this and so do I. This has really helped with Date nights. Love the reviews, keep them coming.

My family had a GREAT time with this game. We passed the iPad around and let everyone get a chance to narrate and investigate. We discussed constantly and had so many aha moments... it is a great merging of tech and face-time.

Yeah, I jumped on board of the KS when this first started. Never regretted it since. So easy to get into, highly interactive and social and just pure fun! So glad that I got all of the expansions as well. But then again, I'm a sucker for story-driven games. ^_^

After the Tutorial I played the first two scenarios with my family. We had a big flip chart up and were drawing big mindmap-like notes to read and to look at together. Me missed a link in the second case but despite that we did fairly good. The immersion was superb and we all had such a blast. The discussion with my two sons and my wife were intense and interesting. I strongly recommend to take open notes and to discuss a lot and if you are at all into these kind of games you will most probably have a great time. By the way: the German version works seamlessly and is well written.

At last a London themed game (this scenario anyway) with nice London artwork tgat isn't grey and dull.

I'm glad it's getting positive press. I'm hoping mine shows up soon because I really want to play this with my group before the holidays.

Went completely all-in day 1 of the KS, and am really excited to try this...I hope it arrives soon ! Really looks like alot of fun !

I'm so happy to hear this review! I finally picked this game up and now I can't wait to play it

I have problems scanning. The GR reader on the app is really dark and won't scan. I have tried in different angles for lighting, and moving glares out. The app to scan is just dark in my bright lit room.

Great to hear! Can't wait to get my copy :)

Woo hoo! Waiting for mine to arrive... ordered with the glasses! I'm curious how much those enhance the experience.

I just noticed that if Lucky Duck Games would give us a scenario editor, that would blow my mind on an interstellar level... Let them release some more scenarios and and the end give us a scenario creation tool!!!! \O.O/

This is a superb game. I've played the first case and it is amazing how the cases are written and how the components of the characters and locations integrate with the crime scenes. If you're worried about the app integration taking away from this being a board game, don't. Seriously the only thing you do with the phone is look at the crime scenes and scan QR codes. I suppose they could've just put all of the QR stuff on cards and a booklet, like as in This War of Mine, but honestly I would much rather just scan a code than have to flip back and forth in a book. And the fact that the crime scenes are VR just boosts the immersiveness of this game to the nth degree.

This looks like the perfect game for a date night! My wife and I will have to get this one! The fact that they can re-use characters makes it pretty evergreen. It's smart of them to do digital add-ons for the base game because they don't have to worry about the cost of producing physical copies or expansions and can still make money! What happens if the time runs out during your investigation?

anybody know if you could use multiple phones maybe a silly question just a thought if in bigger group.

It's better than Consulting Detective? I haven't played it, but browsing directories and newspapers for clues sounds more fun to me than scanning QR codes.

1:00 I was just waiting for him to drop his phone on the table

Hi, I have a question. Can you play the English version with the app in Spanish? I’m from Puerto Rico so every board game is in English but my group only knows Spanish.

Did anyone else want them to drop an tablet or phone for all the times they do the component splatter?

As someone who got the Kickstarter 3 weeks ago and backed for also Redview and Noir expansions I agree with mr. Vasel that this game is indeed fun times. I will say one more positive and negative that Tom didnt mention. The con and pro is actually the same, but before you go whaaat? Hear me out ;) You have these QR codes in this game and lets say 50+ characters with each having their QR code and the pro here is well, they use this to basically make a character with picture X in one story as a dirty cop named Larry in the second story he is a drunk named Bob in a third he is a famous actor named Lue and so on and on...so the pro is that the possibilities with this game are just infinite as they can collect different stories, different IPs and run with them and you wont even need different components, they will just upload the new scenario in fact community will be able to add their own, once reviewed and confirmed by Lucky Duck. Now talk about infinite possibilities right? But this can also be the game's con and a bad thing kind of. You see like Tom said this game has a really strong story aspect to it and it is important you feel immersed in it. Well if I just played a story where a guy with glasses and a scar was mr Bob the Cop but now in this next story he is a lunatic actor named Lue... well that can pull you out from that immersion and kind of bother you a bit. But you can avoid that can of worms by simply waiting a bit before playing a new game of this. :)

what about replayability? Does these scenarious generates or it is the same like the other Detective game, once you´ve done it, it is over and pass that game somebody else?

Can you use 4 different phones simultaneously? Or just 1 phone for the whole game?

I think as two player game it works best, because it is easier to pass phone, that you use for app. I want try play with 3 players, but with two it seems best. We with significant other just switch up, one scans, other takes notes (KS game had notepad included), then one looks into VR part and other looks through clue cards at same time. So with more that 3... it will lose this connection. As I remember, on KS there was suggestion to use two phones at same time, but then again... you need unlock scenarios for both of phones :D I am really looking forward, when they will add expansion scenarios, one has something to do with candy tokens and energy, other one has dice. Really up to different modes. Still I think that cardboard of location cards could be bit thicker, because if you have game + expansions, it is kinda bit struggle to get all locations, then separate the ones you need for game..eh... but since cards are not really that much of direct use in game, I think they will hold up long time. I mean, well, that is just minor things.

why the comparaison with Time Stories, and no comparaison with Detectives : Modern Crime board. It seems way closer in style and gameplay! Would have like to know if they're the same, or one better than the other! Anyway, it's my style of game, ,I'll get it for sure! :)

I still wouldn't mind trying this, but it might just cross the threshold of "too much App integration" for my tastes. I did really like Mansions of Madness 2nd edition, which has a ton of app based gameplay so I may enjoy this too. Except, MoM has in-app purchase expansions as well as physical expansions....FFG in full swing, so hoping this isn't the case for this one

If I was going to get one detective style game, would you pick this one? I like the idea of Sherlock Holmes but I've heard at least a few people say it's so complicated and obscure it's not even fun. Is this true? So far, I'm leaning towards Detective: City of Angels

Is this the game Tom teased on BGB as nearly giving a 10?

Hi. Can someone please share a link for the glasses that works with the game

I'm looking forward to Detective: City of Angels.

Hey Tom, I can’t find if you ever did a review of the VR/3D glasses expansion for this game. Thoughts?

I agree. Amazing!

How do turns work in the game? How many actions do you get?

What about the replayability of this game? Tom didn't mention this aspect.

Isn’t this really the same as Sherlock Holmes as it plays from 1-100 players ? Cause it’s really a solo game that can be played cooperative

I almost backed it, but I was watching my spendings at the time... So much regret!!!

Looks like a solitaire game to me, for that I'd rather have a videogame. Unless you can work with more than one phone at the same time, then it might be worth it.

How much money does the app cost? I bought a copy of this game for my brother because he's a fan of mysteries.

This looks fantastic, might pick it up if my group is interested as well.

Tom, could you tell us if the game is competitive or cooperative at the beginning of the rules explanation?

Special appearance by the Dice Tower clapperboard 😂

tom i need to say i love ur hats. i know i would certainly look stupid or weird with them but they match so good to you. fantastic outfits in generel. :D

How does this compare to Detective by Portal Games?

Why so many people absolutely need to make a clear and definitive distinction between board games and video games ? The aim isn't just GAMES ?

Got the kickstarter with all the expansions and the insert takes them all in, with the base cards in 1 slot, noir for 1 lost and redview in the other. Plus a cool place for the dice, the VR addition and the mini meeple for first player token. As for comments... games are subjective so post your negative reviews on BGG at it's a better place than here. I wholly agree with Tom, that this game is easily in the top lists for 2018, if not the best of the year.

Saying it Kills Consulting Detective is ludicrous. For some reason the Dice Tower crew aren't the biggest Consulting Detective fans despite it being an unbelievable amazing game

And where's the game? Just scanning qr codes and placing stuff till the case is solved?

I bought this game from Coo lStuff because you explained it very well . But where did you get the half skeleton holding his head ? He is so cool!!

Tom likes it. Sold.

Having played both Chronicles of Crime and also Detectives, so far Detectives is the superior game if I'm comparing initial impressions of their first scenario. Detectives felt like a more immersive game and I actually felt like there were difficult decisions to be made as the time pressure was so strong. In Chronicles of Crime, I felt like it really didn't matter what I did. I'm really hoping later scenarios were a lot more challenging.

WOW! Is this ever app heavy.

Reminds me of Ace Attorney...

The biggest comparison is Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective. And I prefer Sherlock Holmes for the fully analog nature of it and great components. (It even has daily newspapers!! :D ) And here you just scan a QR code to scan another QR code... yawn

We'll continue trying to like this one. But not much longer I assure you. I suspect that if you're

This is the game Portal Games wanted to make instead of Detective, which is Consulting Detective done wrong. Glad to hear it's good :)

Is it a boardgame, tho? Or is it just a very, very expensive SOLO app with some physical components, like World of Yo-ho? I mean, if I can buy a board and components for Clash of Clans for 50 bucks, will it be a very good and addictive boardgame? Sounds good, i like it, but the other problem, is nobody can write too much original and meaty crime stories that fast, so the quick expansions would be weaker, more mechanical from storytelling standpoint.

Is it just me, or is the scanning very excessive? I would think a menu, with tabs down the side, to switch between characters would be far faster, and more efficient. I think I'll avoid this one, even if the stories are good.

Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective is much better

The one thing about app integration is that it stops being a board game at a certain point. It's a video game with components, which is honestly no different from Lego Dimensions, Skylanders, etc. App integration in games should make them easier to play, not become the crux of the game itself. Sadly no, this was a giant pass for me...keep it in the box or just make a video game.

Well, for thoe younger generations for whom anything bigger than a Galaxy Note is regarded as obsolete, ancient technology, this game does, indeed, require a board and physical cards etc... but for us, old, old people who can still remember - and even use horrendous thing like a laptop, god forbid, a desktop PC, this game may easily seem like a nrmal computer game which the makers really wanted to turn into a semi-board game. As I was playing it, I couldn't help thinking that the physical parts - board, cards etc - are, indeed, needless. It makes it clumsier to have to handle those things while holding a phone which is getting real hot real soon, instead of doing everything on the screen... Yep, the game is not bad - but it should not be a "board game" IMHO.

Seems like a solitaire app that only has physical components so that the other people at the table have something to look at while the phone guy plays his game.

In all honesty this much app integration makes the board game elements seem superfluous. Seems quite well done but just not my cup of tea.

Why not just make it 100% an app at this point

Yea this really isn’t a board game. If I wanted to use my phone that much in a game then I’m just going to play a game on my phone or pc for that matter. This is a video game, not a board game.

No reason for this to be a board game. As other people have said, its just a visual novel video game with some components. Also, I strongly object to them essentially bringing microtransactions into a board game. I'm fine with expansion sets being released but the business model for this with all the locked maps and modules looks like it's going to get very expensive in the future if this takes off.

Yeah, I'm also gonna be "that guy". No matter how fun the game is, I just don't see the point of a boardgame which is basically a mobile game with parts of its GUI exported in cardboard form. P.S. I can't stop looking at that skeleton lovingly ogling Tom.

So i have to say, that i heavily disagree with Tom on this game. I tried it at Essen Spiel and was really disappointed with it. I don't say, that it is bad, but it is not for me. When it comes down to it, you are just scanning and scanning and scanning. You're only running around showing everything to everybody and talk to everyone, there is no real deduction. There barely is a game in my opinion. The thing i really liked though was the searching for clues with the glasses and stuff, but thats impressive for 3-4 times and thats it. But the biggest downside to this game and where it really disappointed me, is the complete lack of player interaction or even multiplayer at all. This is a SOLO game you play with up to 4 players. Of course you can discuss stuff with other players and look for clues more efficient, but thats it. One player holds the phone and scans stuff, the others wait and listen to the phone guy reading out loud or read for themselves, if you place the phone on the table. The app handles too much. If you don't opperate the phone, there is no way for you to do anything in this game, because there is nothing on the boards or the cards, just QR code. If you play it by yourself, thats fine, if you like this kind of stuff, but you could just play a videogame and have the same experience then.

Im sad to see so many solo ("cooperative") games being so popular and highly rated. I cant sit on the table with these, its ZERO fun. Why play this with a group? its a single player thing? if you are going to play solo then.. why not jut play sherlock holmes on your device. Really incant figure this out

isn't the whole point of a board game to put down your phones and be sitting and interacting with your friends? This board game everyone is going to be engrossed in their phones. No thanks.

I play board games to AVOID computers, phones and such... Ugh!

I hate this app only games cause what about next year or in 5,20 years that the company doesnt support the game or goes bankrupt etc then you the box is literally a trash paper. When i buy i want it to own it not rent it both games and videogames and whatever. I dread the future is coming we will not own anything and everything will be temporarily. We gonna lose the legacy and timeless value of any medium.

I actually don't like the idea of using your phone...and everyone trying to get onto the screen to see what is happening...the reason we play boardgames is to get people's eyes off the screen. having said that I think this will make quite a good solo game - it is close to kind of video game in a way you get to get a bit of your own time with detective stories...

how absolutely boring!!! first I play games to get away from the phone. I can't image playing this with other people and and everyone looking at their phone. Sorry don't see the appeal