Detective Club (2018) Board Game

Detective Club is a party game released in 2018 by designer Oleksandr Nevskiy and published by IGAMES. It is a bluffing and deduction game that involves players taking on the role of detectives solving a mystery. With its unique gameplay mechanics and engaging storytelling element, Detective Club has gained popularity among board game enthusiasts.

Game Components of Detective Club

168 Evidence Cards featuring unique and surreal artwork

68 Victory Point Tokens

8 Voting Tokens (wooden magnifying glasses)

8 Player Markers

7 Notebooks

1 Pencil (for the Active Player)

How To Setup Detective Club

To set up Detective Club, each player chooses a color and takes the matching Player Marker and Voting Token. They then draw 6 Evidence cards for their starting hand. One player is chosen to be the first Informer (Active Player), who receives the pencil and all the notepads. The Informer reviews their hand of Evidence cards, selects a word that can be represented by two of their cards, and places one of these cards face up on the table.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Social Deduction: Players must figure out who the Conspirator is.

Card Play: Players take turns playing cards that they believe match the secret word.

Bluffing: The Conspirator must blend in by playing cards that do not reveal their ignorance of the word.

Explanations and Voting: After all players have played two cards, each player explains why their cards match the word. Players then vote on who they think is the Conspirator.

Scoring: Detectives earn 3 points for correctly identifying the Conspirator. The Conspirator and the Active Player earn points if zero or one Detective guessed correctly.

Player Experience

Detective Club is a game that encourages creativity, imagination, and storytelling. Each round, the Active Player creates a clue by writing a word on all but one of the notebooks, designating one player as the Conspirator. The other players, knowing the word, play cards to match it, while the Conspirator must gather clues from the played cards to avoid suspicion. The game is full of humorous moments as players explain their card choices, and the Conspirator tries to come up with convincing explanations.

Pros

Beautiful Artwork: The game features surreal and engaging artwork on the Evidence cards.

Easy to Learn: The game is simple to teach and understand.

High Replayability: Each round is unique due to the random distribution of cards and the secret word.

Encourages Creativity: Players must think creatively to explain their card choices.

Great for Large Groups: Supports 4 to 8 players, making it an excellent party game.

Cons

Writing Clues Can Be Time-Consuming: The process of writing clues in notebooks can be slow, especially for those with slower handwriting.

Difficulty with Higher Player Counts: Guessing the Conspirator becomes increasingly difficult with more players, particularly with 8 players.

App Installation Issue: The mobile app intended to streamline clue distribution requires all players to install it, which can be inconvenient.

Personal Thoughts on Detective Club

Detective Club is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a light, fun party game that combines social deduction with creative storytelling. It is particularly suitable for groups who enjoy bluffing games but may struggle with intense deception, as it provides a more relaxed and humorous experience. The game’s artwork and gameplay mechanics make it appealing to both performers and wallflowers, ensuring everyone has a good time. If you’re a fan of games like Dixit or Mysterium, or if you’re new to social deduction games, Detective Club is a great place to start.

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