Description
Chronicles of Crime is an award-winning cooperative game of criminal investigation mixing a board game, an app and a touch of Virtual Reality. You and your team will be put on crime cases, moving all around town, interviewing suspects or witnesses, and searching for clues in 3D scenes.In Chronicles of Crime (London Forensic), players will have five unique story-driven cases to solve plus a full tutorial to introduce you to the game. Each scenario is written by experienced authors to give you the most immersive experience while you solve both individual and series of connecting criminal cases!
Personal Thoughts
Fair warning, this game has limited replayability once you've already solved each case, and the game designers haven't been as prolific releasing new cases via the app as I would have liked when I backed the game via Kickstarter. That caveat aside, this is still one of my absolute favorite mystery games.I doubt Lucky Duck Games pioneered the hybrid tabletop/app-driven board game, but they certainly were among the first to do it right. This game is delightful to explore, and the mysteries can be downright challenging. I don't think we've ever flubbed one so badly that we felt the need to replay it, although I'm guessing it would be possible if you didn't feel compelled to analyze the solution at the end (which we always do).
This game works best when you can solve each case in a single sitting. I don't even know if they offer a "save" mechanic like many modern story-driven games. So plan to spend an hour or two per playthrough.
Gameplay involves visiting locations, reviewing the scene, noting your observations, and scanning cards that match categories of what you might have seen. All without the cards being spoiler-y! If you see an overturned chair at the crime scene that you want to inspect, you'll scan the card that represent "furniture". And either you'll learn more about that chair, or learn that "funiture" isn't important in the scene.
As you uncover evidence and talk to suspects and witnesses, you'll unlock new locations, and do it all again. But you can't do everything, and not all leads are important. Like any good mystery, red herrings abound. And because you're a Scotland Yard detective, you answer to a boss who answers to the mayor who gets pressured by the media for answers, so time is limited.
But it also means you have the resources of a team. So if you're stuck, you can ask your medical examiner for clues from the body or your tech liason to sift through the victim's electronic devices.
If you love complex mysteries and are willing to risk a legit chance of failure for the sake of a real challenge, all wrapped up in a delightful gameplay experience, Chronicles of Crime won't disappoint.