Working the Case is Now Available
I’m excited to share that the digital version of Working the Case is now available to buy on Itch: https://randylubin.itch.io/working-the-case
Working the Case is a 30-minute cooperative murder mystery game that’s playable online via Playingcards.io. So far there are three playsets: Fantasy, Space Station, and Cyberpunk.
Key Info:
- Time: 30-60 minutes
- Player count: 1-5 players, no facilitator
- Themes: murder, mystery
- Playsets: fantasy, space station, cyberpunk
- Style: writers room
Through play, you’ll collaboratively tell a murder mystery story from the perspective of the investigators who are working to solve the case. Start by quickly establishing the setting, victim, and crime scene. Then, dive into the core of the game – revealing one piece of evidence at a time and linking it to one of five suspects. At the end of each round, eliminate a suspect until only one remains. Finally, confront the culprit and determine if justice is served.
The case details and culprit are not determined in advance. You’ll tell the story such that any of the suspects could be the murderer and then you’ll find out the truth at the end of the game. The full rules of the game are available in this rules document.
Working the Case is perfect for mystery lovers and its simple rules make it an approachable game for novice storytellers. It’s short playtime (less than an hour) allow it to easily slot into a busy schedule – play it over lunch or during date night.
You can listen to an actual play of Working the Case on the Party of One Podcast, where Jeff Stormer and I investigate a murder on a luxurious vacation space station.
Working the Case is one my favorite creations – it consistently generates a satisfying mystery through a fun, brief play session. I’ve prototyped a physical version of the game and some day I hope to publish that version of the game too; it likely won’t be soon, though.
Once again, if you’d like to buy a copy, you can grab one at: https://randylubin.itch.io/working-the-case
If you like this style of game, you may want to check out Seizing the Crown, which uses similar mechanics to create a political fantasy epic of rival factions vying for control of a kingdom. That game is in late-stage playtesting and you can grab a free beta version to test it out.