Awkward Guests

Previous to playing this I would always point people towards the excellent Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective series for anyone interested in solving murder mysteries. But now? Well, let me put it this way: Awkward Guests takes away the agonising struggle of Sherlock Holmes without sacrificing the essential feeling of deduction, making it less of a brain-burner and more of a good time. Plus it's actually replayable! The pure joy of marking your evidence on a paper map of the household is such a strong core gameplay mechanism... I never tire of it. Exchanging information between players is a streamlined system that allows space for keeping valuable information secret, but also to gather necessary information from your opponents in your goal to be the first to solve the murder.

The genius of this game is in the cards. Structurally speaking, although the set-up and pack-down is a frankly cumbersome, it is worthwhile and sees you creating a new case every single game. Replayability is strong here, and I also recommend that you use the free mobile app that optionally accompanies the game to ensure no player elimination when checking if your solution is correct. The app is minimalistic and exists only to make the mechanics more accessible for the players; a perfect companion. You can play solo and counts up to 8 people. I’ve played it with 2, 4, and 5 players, with every game ending with someone wanting to play "just one more game."

Purchase Awkward Guests Here.