Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail (2017) Board Game

Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail is a deduction board game that was released in in 2017. Designed by Stephen Sauer and published by Asmodee, this game puts a fun and whimsical twist on the classic Sherlock Holmes mysteries by featuring feline characters.

Game Components of Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail

Player boards

Furriarty token with the number 3

Paw Print tokens

Investigation cards

Dead End tokens

How To Setup Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail

Setup involves giving each player a player board, using the side without the “PAWS!” label. The Furriarty token and Paw Print tokens are set up in the center of the table to form the “trail,” with the layout varying depending on the number of players. Each player seeds their investigation by taking two free Investigate Actions using the top two cards of the deck.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Deductive Gameplay: Players use deduction to figure out the location of Furriarty and other tokens.

Investigate Actions: Players can take actions to reveal information about the tokens.

Furriarty’s Turn: After each player’s turn, Furriarty moves closer to escaping by moving the Furriarty Token one space to the right.

Guessing: Players can guess to capture Furriarty or collect other tokens.

Objective: The game ends when a player catches Furriarty or Furriarty escapes. If Furriarty is caught, the player with the most points wins; if he escapes, the player with the lowest score loses.

Player Experience

Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail is a quick-playing game, lasting about 20 minutes. It offers a light yet engaging deduction puzzle with a layer of strategy in grabbing points. The game is particularly enjoyable with smaller player counts (2-3 players) due to the increased turn frequency and less downtime.

Pros

Engaging Deduction: The game provides a fun and challenging deduction puzzle.

Light and Quick: It is a fast-paced game suitable for short gaming sessions.

Thematic Art: The game features appealing and thematic artwork.

Simple to Learn: Easy to understand and start playing.

Cons

Frustrating Endgame: If Furriarty escapes, nobody wins, which can be frustrating.

Downtime: With more players, there is more time spent waiting for other players’ turns.

Luck Factor: The game includes an element of luck, particularly in the initial card draws.

Personal Thoughts on Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail

Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail is ideal for fans of deductive games and those looking for a light, thematic experience. It serves as a great introduction to more complex deduction games and is particularly enjoyable with smaller groups. While it has some drawbacks, such as the potential for frustrating endings and increased downtime with more players, it remains a fun and engaging addition to any board game collection.

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