Asmodee Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective - The Thames Murders & Other Cases Board Game - Captivating Mystery Game for Kids & Adults, Ages 14+, 1-8 Players, 90 Min Playtime

A fascinating dive into Sherlock's Victorian London with compelling mysteries to solve. You're given a map, address book and a newspaper page (plus ones from previous cases). Armed with these, you are presented with a crime to solve and have the freedom to choose how you go about it. When you are ready, you can go to the back page of the casebook to answer a range of questions. The mechanics of the gameplay are therefore very simple and effortless to learn, but the challenge is often high. You can play solo or in any sized group. There is a scoring system, based on your ability to answer the questions correctly while visiting as few locations as possible. However, I think the game is best enjoyed without worrying about it. Exploring London, going down rabbit holes, and being tricked by inevitable red herrings is more enjoyable for me than trying to "beat" Sherlock's score (which, let's face it, is rather a fool's errand). It seems a shame to have all this narrative material and then try to ignore as much of it as possible for a high score. But players are free to play however they like, so I don't really consider it a problem. There's ten cases in the box. A couple didn't quite grab me, but on the whole they're great and well-written. While replayability isn't really possible (maybe many years later?), there are dozens more free fan-written cases available online to get more mileage out of your purchase. Highly recommended.

My kids and I play a lot of escape room and cooperative games, and this is by far my favorite. It is very challenging and beating Sherlock Holmes is impossible. So we just try to solve the mysteries (answer all the questions correctly) instead of trying to beat Holmes. We've only played the first few cases, but we've enjoyed them all. Each one has taken 2 to 3 hours. Playing with 1 to 4 people seems to be the best. More than that and I feel like someone will be bored. I played one by myself and missed some clues but still enjoyed it. I think playing with someone else would have been better, but not necessary. The game itself is beautifully made. Even the storage box feels like a better quality than the usual game box. It's pricey, but with 10 cases in it I think it's a great price. If you are gentle with the pieces you can easily pass it on to someone else to play. I'm very excited that there are 3 more boxes to buy! We'll be getting them all for sure! If you are hesitating because this isn't a replayable game, don't! You'll get many hours of fun and I'm sure you won't feel cheated.

I played this as a solo board game, and I enjoyed what I've played. I recommend having something to write on when you play this to keep track of where you go as clues you find might have you trace back what you have learned to a previous clue. In this game you play against Sherlock Holmes trying to solve the mystery and end up with 100 points or something. Honestly I don't pay too much attention to the point system since I find even figuring out what happened pretty difficult, but that's what I enjoyed the most. Going around London, visiting people, hearing what they have to say, and picking the pieces of what they say is the whole point of the game.

Love this game! We enjoy playing as a family as it is easy to cooperatively approach the gameplay. It plays out like a more text based escape room/mystery novel and does require a significant amount of reading. The individual mysteries generally take around 1.5-2 hours depending on the speed of your reading and desire to succeed with minimal hints and each module builds upon the one before it so make sure to do things in the right order. Depending on your memory there isn't a high likelihood of "replayablity," but it's a great game to share with friends after you've finished.

I really love this game and find it unique. The basic mechanism is simple: you are given a case to solve with a brief introduction that already contains many important clues. Then you can gain additional clues by going anywhere on the map (using the directory to look up addresses) or reading the newspaper. If there’s an entry for that location, you read it and hopefully gain some more clues. When you’re ready to solve the case, you turn to the back and see how well you did. What I love about this is that despite the simplicity of the mechanics (which means anyone of any age can play, and I’ve heard about people even playing this in the car, with one person reading the entries), the cases have great depth and nuance. You’ll be discussing the case with your partner (I enjoy playing this two-player) and trying to piece together clues and evaluate theories. Eventually you’ll have enough clues to think of a coherent theory. I’ve played this with my mother, who doesn’t play board games but enjoys watching Colombo and such shows, and it works great. We’ve solved the first two cases with 70 and 85 pts—very respectable scores. Some people find it too hard, but if you are willing to keep investigating, you’ll eventually have plenty of clues. It’s also great that the game allows you to bring in your real world knowledge to help you solve the case: the battle of Trafalgar, the way people smoked cigarettes, etc. The detail is fantastic. The materials are also top notch. Everything looks and feels great. I’m very much looking forward to the future cases and future boxed sets. There’s nothing else I’ve come across that’s quite like this game!

Honestly I don’t know that I’ve ever taken the time to write a positive review but I really feel the need to with this game. I bought it for my birthday to play with my SO and didn’t really know what to expect. But this game is so detailed and in depth and AWESOME! I’ve seen a few reviews of disgruntled people saying you have to jump to crazy conclusions or they’re upset that they can’t beat Sherlock. So far we haven’t had to jump to any crazy conclusions and the solutions have made sense to us and we got them right. Even when we were wrong once the real solution still made sense and made us feel dumb for following the wrong lead for so long and fitting the clues to our theories. Of course Sherlock does everything perfectly and usually figures it out following HALF the leads we do but the rules even say try to beat him if you want but that’s not really the point of the game. The point is to solve the case! And that’s totally possible and so much fun to do. The closest we have come to beating him so far is 85 to 100 but we don’t mind at all. At least we solved the case 100% correctly even if it took us just a bit longer than the famous Holmes 😂 Also the game says 90+ minute play time for each case... heavy on the + for us but we go all out. Wear our top hat and detective cap, drink our tea, have our fake pipes, take tons of notes on notepads, etc.

I have wanted to try the murder mystery games for a long while but could not see spending $30-$50 for one evening of play. When I saw this one had TEN cases to solve, I pulled the trigger (see what I did there?). I played the first case with my parents and my brother (my brother and I are late 40s) and it was the most fun that I have had in a long while! It was challenging but not crazy hard. It was easy to follow and the clues, written in old English are sometimes hysterical (I had no idea what a "peccodillo" was). We played the second case with my parents and my niece (late 20s) and it was equally fun! Once you get started, the play is very logical. I also love that the game can be gifted to someone else because it is not consumable and there are no small pieces to be lost. SO MUCH FUN! One pro tip: it is much easier to keep track of everything with a couple of pieces of paper and a pen.

I bought the original Consulting Detective series of games when they came out in the 1980's. They were great fun to play, but the production quality of the game materials was generally poor; there were frequent spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors; and there were inconsistencies between what the clues said and what Holmes said at the end of each case. One overlooked such deficiencies because the game was so fun to play. When I saw that new editions had come out with higher production quality, I snapped them up in the hope that modern digital editing techniques and a thorough review of the case materials would fix the deficiencies in the original series. Sad to say, while the new game materials are FAR superior to their 1980's originals, very little has been done to fix the other problems. There are still numerous spelling, punctuation, grammatical, and typographical errors, which are all the more glaring given the high quality of the game materials. There is simply no excuse for misspellings and grammatical errors in the age of Microsoft Word, nor is there any excuse for not having gone over the original case files to fix inconsistencies between facts presented in individual clues and facts presented by Holmes at the end of each case. My real rating for this product is 3.5 stars. I just couldn't give it a fourth star given my disappointment over putting out an updated edition of an otherwise great game without fixing the problems in the original.

This game is the best. So different than any other board game, exciting and fun! All the cases are in-depth and very detailed (or at least the 3 we played so far), the newspapers are cleverly put together and the whole game experience is just awesome. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime & detective stories. Bear in mind though that it's NOT a party game, when you sit down to play, you're in for a 2-3 hour sitting, reading and speculating, so don't bother bringing it to a party that was supposed to be about music, alcohol and chit-chat. Also, don't worry that the cases are not replayable. 10 is a lot, you probably won't finish it in 10 days. The cases are - as I mentioned - in-depth and can be tiring too, so once you finish them you'll feel like you just finished a very-very long book. Besides, there are two more games with 10-10 brand new cases each so if your only concern is that the cases are not replayable then drop it and just buy the game! 😃 You won't regret it.

Amazing game. Playing with my girlfriend at a relaxed pace - a couple nights for each case, lasting about 45 min-1 hour per session. Perfect bonding experience - feels good to work things out together. Very well written cases and immersive gameplay - unique. I am used to playing games with physical boards, cards, or pieces. We have really enjoyed the freedom of playing a game that only requires your mind and enough time (don't give up and go to Sherlock's house for help! - his hint pretty much gave away a case, and the enjoyment comes from that eureka moment when you figure something out yourself) Recommended if you enjoy mystery, teamwork, and earning your victory. Or losing horribly and enjoying the experience anyway because you failed as a team.

"Sherlock Holmes: The Thames Murders & Other Cases" is a captivating board game that transports players into the intricate world of Victorian London, challenging them to step into the shoes of the legendary detective himself. This game is a masterclass in deduction, offering a thrilling and immersive experience for fans of Sherlock Holmes and mystery-solving enthusiasts alike. The attention to detail in the game design is impressive. The artwork, the components, and the thematic elements all work seamlessly together to recreate the atmosphere of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic stories. From the moment you open the box, you're drawn into a world of intrigue and suspense. The gameplay is where this board game truly shines. As players, you assume the roles of Baker Street Irregulars, collaborating to solve a series of challenging cases. The use of deduction, logical reasoning, and the gathering of clues make every move a strategic decision. The mechanics are well-crafted, providing a balance between accessibility for newcomers and depth for seasoned gamers. The variety of cases included ensures that each playthrough is a unique experience. The game master's guide, which leads the narrative and manages clues, adds an immersive storytelling element reminiscent of the original Sherlock Holmes tales. It's a delightful touch that enhances the overall gaming experience. The game components, including the map of London, case booklets, and character cards, are of high quality. The attention to historical accuracy and thematic details adds a layer of authenticity that enhances the overall immersion. The puzzles are challenging but rewarding, making every solved case a triumph for the entire team. Whether you're a Sherlock Holmes enthusiast or simply love a good mystery, "The Thames Murders & Other Cases" is a gem of a board game. It combines engaging gameplay with a rich narrative, offering a unique and memorable gaming experience. Gather your fellow detectives and dive into the world of Victorian London – the game is afoot!

Attention le jeu est bien en Anglais, je l'ai choisi pour jouer avec mes amis étrangers. Il faut bien entendu aimer le genre détective, ce n'ai pas un jeu où vous aller rigoler. Pour ma part j'ai adoré et je n’hésiterai pas à prendre les autres jeu de détective Sherlock Holmes. La qualité de la boite et du matériel est aussi très bonne

Juego cooperativo. Casi ni necesita la mesa, es más, mucha, lectura y comprensión, investigación. Cada caso tarda un buen rato aunque creo que la caja dice 2 horas. Está interesante y buena la historia. Dificultad... depende de tu habilidad para resolver misterios.