This detective mystery game with a survival horror twist transfixed me for 7 hours, and the killer is still at large

Clue: Murder by Death screenshot — (Image credit: Cocodrolo Games)

I've finally found the strange key to unlock a mystery chamber when my time runs out. Seconds, minutes, and hours are a precious resource in Clue: Murder by Death, as are the limited health items dotted throughout Lord Anderson's sprawling manor. Detective John Smith's three-space inventory is another factor to manage, forcing me to constantly swap items in and out of his pockets on my hunt for the truth: who murdered the Lord, what with, and why?

Uncovering the answers to these questions is trickier than it seems. Set against the backdrop of 1930s England, the heyday of gumshoe detective mysteries like Poirot, Clue: Murder by Death is an intensely replayable adventure-puzzle game with no shortage of drama to uncover.

Is a salacious affair nothing more than scandal, or could it be the killer's motive? What secrets lie in the family crypt? And why on earth is there a vampire named Mr D roaming about the gloomy halls? All of this sounds intriguing enough, but you'll have to focus on the most probable lines of inquiry to investigate. Scotland Yard arrives in two hours to wrest the case from Detective Smith's hands, meaning every second counts – and everyone, even the sweet old Lady Brighton, is a suspect.

The plot thickens

Clue: Murder by Death screenshots — (Image credit: Cocodrolo Games)

Keen eye

(Image credit: Armonica)

Detective Instinct is a retro throwback that celebrates menu-based sleuthing with a thrilling train conspiracy I can get on board with

You won't be able to uncover all the mysteries of Lord Anderson's abode in a single two-hour session. Not even three or four will be enough; I should know, since I spent a whole Sunday picking through the place and still have yet to find the culprit.

Instead, I focus on exploring which of the characters I'd like to investigate, choosing a handful at a time. This is made easier when the kindly butler, Mr Benson, offers up any two of the household's staff and residents to aid you on your inquiry. There's a colorful cast to choose from, each represented by an adorable cartoon character model reminiscent of player tokens in board games like Cluedo. You can enlist estranged sisters Lady Rose and Lady Sophie, for example, or perhaps a staff member like Susan Grey. Even that shady certainly-not-a-vampire Mr D can be at your beck and call, unless you'd rather investigate his curious stash of bottled blood from a safe distance.

One of my favorite things about being able to swap across characters, aside from granting me three extra inventory slots apiece, is how much their perspective can influence a playthrough. Walking near highlighted items in Clue: Murder by Death allows a controlled character to make an observation about things.

Each character has their own opinions and reactions to secrets you uncover, from Lady Rose's outrage at uncovering a hidden affair to Mr D's gleeful discovery of a creepy, cobwebbed passageway hidden behind a bookshelf. Some of these characters will remark on their own secrets if you enter their bedchambers, pointing out things that the detective might have missed – especially if you've dropped his trusty magnifying glass in favor of carrying a clue item.

It's these small hints and moments of character flavor that give Clue: Murder by Death a narrative edge.

Spending a whole two-hour session uncovering extramarital affairs is just as exciting as traversing hidden dungeons, solving riddles, and striking up unique conversations. It may or may not be relevant to Lord Anderson's murder, but every exhausted lead is one less I need to worry about next time. Clue: Murder by Death feels almost roguelike in that regard; presenting an incorrect accusation at the end of my allotted two hours leads nicely into another session, and if you have a notebook handy, you can metagame your way for a more streamlined experience next time around.

In fact, I'd say that having a pen and paper handy is essential. Much like Blue Prince's own web of overlapping mysteries, you never know when you might stumble across an item, location, or bit of information that might come in handy later. The detective's case notes might present a list of all notable interactions that can be clicked to help color code and organize them, but the UI can be confusing to navigate when you find yourself scrolling for ages on the hunt for one specific lead.

Let's split up, gang

...a thrilling slice of old-school boardgame fun...

Similarly, the progressively revealed mansion floor plan holds very little information and cannot be annotated in-game; rooms show up as blank squares rather than having names written on each of them. I'm sure I waste upwards of 30 minutes per playthrough simply trying to find my way into the gardens, and a lack of shared pockets means I need to hunt down characters using other ones if I want to trade items.

But these hurdles have their workarounds. I find myself using characters as map markers, leaving Mr D hovering in the chapel (to the discomfort of the family priest) or positioning Lady Rose in the lobby so I don't forget where the main staircase is. I also make notes of key item locations and the quickest pathways between them, meaning each playthrough allows me to see more and more of developer Cocodrolo Games' charming mystery.

To me, this is the ultimate way to enjoy Clue: Murder by Death. Don't get bogged down in finding the killer immediately. Get to know the cast, memorize the layout of your surroundings, and be sure to rule out anything you don't need to experience more than once. Unless you want to, of course. This is a thrilling slice of old-school boardgame fun, and sometimes there's nothing better than following the rabbit hole all the way down – just as long as you have a way to get back out again, of course.

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