The Forensic Scientist then gives the Lab Technician a thumbs up if the card selected was the Clue or Means card used in the murder and a thumbs down if it was not. Players should not reveal what their hidden roles are until the game is over. This includes claiming a role without revealing the card. In Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, players find themselves in a scenario of intrigue and murder, deduction and deception. One player is the Murderer, secretly choosing their weapon and the evidence they leave behind. Another is the Forensic Scientist who holds the key to convicting the criminal but is only able to express their knowledge through analysis of the scene. The rest are investigators, interpreting the clues to solve the crime - and the killer is among them. As the game master, the Forensic Scientist holds the solution to the crime. They are responsible for assisting the Investigators in identifying the "Key Evidence" and "Means of Murder".

When I initially read about the deduction part, it sounded quite bland and straightforward. But, in reality, the evidence and scene cards are written in such a wonderful way that conversation and wild deductions can’t help but flow out. Special roles like the forensic scientist have access to the solution but can only communicate using special scene tiles while the rest of the group interpret the evidence. As long as one of the Investigators correctly identifies both the "Key Evidence" and "Means of Murder", the Murderer is arrested and the Investigators win the game as does the Forensic Scientist.

🍪 Privacy & Transparency

Even though everyone we’ve played Deception with has loved it, we know it won’t be a fit for every family. The first reason is the name of the game itself. With the title including “murder”, many people may immediately be turned off. When the crime takes place, the Murderer chooses 1 Clue card and 1 Means card as the solution to the crime. These will be the "Key Evidence" and "Means of Murder" respectively.

The new Event tile - called "The Perfect Crime" - can allow for a huge shift in the game. When the Forensic Scientist draws this tile they should read it aloud then follow the instructions.

That’s right, there’s a whole lot of cards in the box, and they’re all nicely designed. The tiles and tokens look really good, too, and are all made of really strong stuff, so they will easily be able to last many a high-energy game. The wooden bullet markers are a nice touch, as well. When an Investigator does that successfully, the crime is solved and the Forensic Scientist and the Investigators win the game. When the crime takes place, the Murderer chooses 1 Clue card and 1 Means card as the solution to the crime. These will be the “Key Evidence” and “Means of Murder” respectively. If that seems too tough for the murderer, you can always add some extra roles: an accomplice helps out the murderer, giving them cover for their fake theories or by drawing attention to themselves so the murderer can avoid suspicion. But with that many criminals involved, there’s bound to be a witness, which is an investigator who knows which players are the murderer and accomplice, but not which is which. They also have to be extra careful with their knowledge. If the investigators solve the crime, the murderer and accomplice get a chance to guess the identity of the witness, winning the game if they get it right. The forensic scientist can take as much or as little time as they would like to place the markers on the tiles, and as soon as the first one is placed all investigators may start discussing thoughts about the evidence. Once the sixth marker is placed though, this stage of the round is over. Investigators are given a few moments more to discuss then the next stage begins. Presentation

Find out who among you can cut through deception to find the truth and who is capable of getting away with murder! Then, during the Committing a Crime phase, don’t rush it. Be extra clear about your instructions. And, my goodness, make sure that anyone who has to open their eyes is absolutely silent when they do so. And then has their eyes firmly shut and their hands in a normal position when it’s time for everyone to open them again. At the end of the game, the murder will have either been caught or will have evaded the investigators. If the murder evaded the investigators the murder and accomplice have won. If the murder was caught by pinpointing both needed pieces of evidence, then they have one more chance to win, they may discuss with their accomplice and choose a character they think the witness maybe if they are correct the murder and accomplice win. If the witness is left alive, then all investigators and forensic scientist win the game. VARIANT

The artwork suits the theme and the card design is simple an effective. My only criticism here is that if trying to play in low light the dark colours can be hard to distinguish between, and the palette can look a little bland. But the pieces are well made and the game has everything it needs. If the cards chosen when a player attempts to solve the crime are the correct "Key Evidence" and "Means of Murder", the game ends immediately and the Forensic Scientist and Investigators (as well as the Witness) win. Social deduction games can be a little confusing for those new to the game. And, by their very nature, can be quite difficult to teach ‘as you go along’, as if anyone reveals their identity, the game is ruined.

If the Accomplice and Witness are in the game, there are further steps to take for them, but we don’t need to go into those details. Just know that they’re fun to have in the game as well. If you were the Murderer, which two cards would you choose (1 blue, 1 red)? Kelly Ho has an interest in local politics, education and sports. She formerly worked at South China Morning Post Young Post, where she specialised in reporting on issues related to Hong Kong youth. She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong, with a second major in Politics and Public Administration.

Suggested Role Sets

In the game, players take on the roles of investigators attempting to solve a murder case – but there’s a twist. The killer is one of the investigators! Each player’s role and team are randomly assigned at the start of play and include the unique roles of Forensic Scientist, Witness, Investigator, Murderer, and Accomplice. While the Investigators attempt to deduce the truth, the murderer’s team must deceive and mislead. This is a battle of wits!