Portal Games Detective , Blue

I am an avid fan of board games, but I had never played a mystery or detective like board game (e.g.Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Chronicles of Crime). So when I bought this game, I had no expectations. But we pulled this out with a group of friends and we were immediately hooked by the game mechanics and story line. The premise of the game is that there is a case to solve, and you start with a set of leads. You can choose to follow a lead, which might open up another set of leads. Following a lead usually has a cost, whether it is in-game time, skill tokens, or stress tokens. You have a set amount of time to solve the case, after which you get a final score to see how you did.One of the coolest parts of the game is its integration with the game's online database. All the information about suspects or characters you meet in the game, different pieces of evidence, interview transcripts, etc. are all found in this database. This makes it feel like you're actually doing detective work as we are constantly cross checking information we find online with the clues that come from each lead.When we played this game, it took our group 2-3 hours to solve each case (5 cases total). Each time, we had a whiteboard or a tear sheet where we were constantly writing and processing all the clues we were discovering. Would definitely recommend having a dedicated notetaker in your group.I would definitely recommend this if you have a group of friends (3-5 people) who are willing to play regularly. I would not recommend playing with a different group of people for each case since each case builds upon information from the previous cases. Also, since the game premise is about being a detective, be prepared for some intense mental work throughout the game.The game can be played once through (5 cases), and after that, you'll know all the answers to what happened. But all the game components remain intact, so you can pass it on to another friend for them to enjoy once you complete the game.

We purchased this after playing Chronicles of Crime and having so much fun with that series. This game is just as fun, if not more so. The unique mechanics of this game include a database feature that you fill out as you progress through the game which gives you bios, fingerprint/evidence matching, and a few other fun tricks that make it feel more like a real detective process. The game, like Chronicles of Crime, has a time limit element to help build tension. One of my favorite parts of this game is how the stories are based on real life events/history, locations, people, etc. You need to use tools outside of the game such as online maps, Wikipedia, Google, etc. to research aspects of the cases. Highly recommend for those that enjoy a deep dive game.Pros:1. Feels more like a detective experience2. 1-6 players3. Cases have details that are based on real-life events, people, places, etc.4. English is not the first language of the writers, which can make for fun reading5. Cases vary in length and difficulty as you progress through the storyCons:1. Requires internet to play2. Database tool can take some time to get used to using3. Database sucks your laptop's battery due to high processing, recommend having a power supply available when playing

The game is very well made and play tested, you can tell. The story is great! The game play is awesome and they change it up which makes it great to keep playing. The game is hard though so be prepared. My issue is with the final reports, in which you answer questions about the case to get a score. I don't agree with the questions they asked nor do I think they encompass the chapter you play. Ovreally a great game though!

This game is fantastic, priced right and extremely immersive. You should not play if you are not going to dedicate your full attention. It's not a game you can play while watching the game or multitasking. You will find you and your friends making mind maps and cross checking information just like real detectives.

Brevity is the soul of wit. But so many today have abandoned the bard's famous axiom. Przemyslaw Rymer and Lakub Tapot (the credited writers) needed someone to disabuse them of the notion that they are the next Nick Pizzolatto. I understand that fluff was required to mask the plot points from the red herrings. But when following the first three lead cards in our initial gaming session I had already spent multiple paragraphs reading about the quality of the precinct's coffee and my choice of egg salad sandwich for lunch, I honestly began to lose interest in the game's narrative. An editor needed to take a chainsaw to the script for this game.Even while gaming with a group that included several dedicated roll players ( who are more than familiar with painting pictures with words and narrative flourishes ) our patience quickly began to wear thin. Its a shame. The concept is solid and the idea of having to carefully select which leads to ignore and which leads to follow is enjoyable. But, in the end, this is a game first and not a pot-boiler novel. Some one really should have reminded the creators of this fact during play-testing.