The Night Hunter has been behind bars for over 20 years … or, has he? With a new victim found, and a new case at hand, it’s difficult to believe this is just a copycat. The Bureau is handing you all the information they can. It’s up to you to determine who is committing the crimes, and catch them before they can strike again. Explore the evidence and uncover the truth before it’s too late. Hurry agents, there is no time to waste!

*I will try to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but please keep in mind that there may be a spoiler or two ahead.*

What Is It?

Cooperative – Players work together as a team of agents to solve the case

Mystery / Deduction – Use the provided clues (i.e. case files, photos, et cetera) to answer the questions surrounding the case

Hybrid Game – The game utilizes a website for answer input/confirmation, as well as the included hint system

Who Is It For?

  • 1 or More Players – I’d say 2 or 3 is ideal for this. There’s a lot of evidence uncovered over time, but you aren’t necessarily using it all simultaneously, so with bigger groups, you’ll have some players with not much to do at any given time
  • Ages 14 and Up – Mostly based on the theme/content
  • Players who like deduction/solving mysteries
    • Fans of the escape room style of game, as this sits close to that; also a good fit for those newer to the style looking to try something like this out
  • Players who don’t mind the electronic element of the game

PROS

  • Story is good/engaging; the game creates an immersive experience
    • I like that it does this without having graphic components. There are crime photos and such, but nothing felt gory or over the top
  • Website works well overall
    • Hints are well-detailed, should you need help
  • Quality – Good components throughout (mostly pages)
  • Smooth gameplay – objectives are clear throughout
    • None of the answers felt like “leaps” in logic or blind assumptions (which I have felt in other similar games)
  • Approachable – I thought the game didn’t feel too difficult overall, so if you’re new to the genre you could definitely succeed

CONS

  • The very last page of the website we accessed (objective 4.3) was the only page that did not load properly on mobile, and we tried on a few devices. It was a little frustrating given the heightened “rush” of the game end, but luckily we were able to load it by using “desktop site”
  • It seemed there was no penalty for wrong answers. Most of the game isn’t timed, so it can’t take away time. It felt anticlimactic that you could technically just guess and nothing bad would happen
    • Similarly, when going to objective answer pages, the answers are multiple choices, rather than having to, for instance, type in an answer and see if you are correct. We decided to try and commit to an answer before looking at the options in most instances, because it felt like more of a challenge
  • No Reset Instructions – I wish it was easy to put everything back so you could save the game to play again in the future, or donate/pass it on to someone once you’re done with it

Final Thoughts

As someone who’s played a bunch of this style of mystery/deduction game, I thought this was a solid play! I like the narrative, and the characters it created, and I thought the production was well done, so everything in the box added to the engaging experience.

That said, also as someone who is familiar with the genre, I would say this felt fairly easy to me and my group of 3 (the other 2 who are also fans of/familiar with the genre). We started off thinking we’d need to dive deep into lots of details, but felt the answers ended up being much more straightforward. Of course, that’s not a bad thing!

I think if you’re a fan of this type of game it’s a worthwhile experience, but just know you probably won’t struggle much, so if you’re looking for a bigger challenge, this might not be the right pick for you. On the other hand, if you’re newer to the genre, and looking for someplace to start, this might be a good one to try. I think it’s approachable, and the multiple choice answer system will give you some guidance in case you’re unsure of some answers.

I definitely enjoyed my time playing, and would likely play another in the series myself as well!

Additional Information:
My Final Rating – 7/10

Designers – Jordan Goddard, Mandy Goddard, Ryan Schoon
Publisher – University Games
MSRP – $39.99
Website

*I was provided a copy of this game to do this review*

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