Just being a collaborative game may put some people off of There’s Been a Murder. There is no way to win, if winning to you means defeating your family and friends, but you can lose. Those odds do not appeal to everyone. Like the hugely popular and possibly prescient game, Pandemic, all the players work together for a common victory or a common defeat. For some people that eliminates the main reason for even playing a game, to try to beat your siblings. But if you can get over the idea that everyone will rise or fall together, There’s Been a Murder is a great way to kill some time.
It is a very simple game in terms of overall rules, though there is a lot to read to get started, each player gets two cards and if the right two cards end up in someone’s hand everyone wins. If the wrong two cards end up in someone’s hand or the deck runs out before the right two cards do, everyone loses. You are all working together, but you can not talk about what cards you or anyone else has. Pretty simple. But the fun is that each of the cards has special rules on it. “The Butler” card allows you to look at the top card of the deck, announce it to everyone, and put it back. While you hold “The Drunk” you can talk freely about what cards you, or anyone else if you know, have or have had.
Games are typically quick, 10 minutes or so, and once folks get used to the special rules you can begin to develop strategies and tactics that will help you and your table-mates win. But this game is not for everyone. Besides the cooperation-adverse it’s not for people who don’t like weird games with weird, and often changing, rules. One of our players particularly did not like that it is quite possible to lose even though you do everything right. In fact it is possible to lose on the first deal if one person happens to get both the “Murderer” and “Witness” cards, which can never be in the same hand.
Generally this is the sort of game that you will like, if you like this sort of game. It is well done and creative. The art on the cards is nice and it is actually relatively inexpensive. But it is not for everyone.