The Best Murder Mystery Games: Reviews and Testimonials!
“The game went GREAT– we even caught the killer! Everyone had a great time and asked when the next one will be. We decided to host two parties a year and cannot wait for the next one!
On a side note, if you are on the fence about hosting a Murder Mystery Party, do it! And do it with Foulplay. Their breakdown of the game for the host is phenomenal. It’s very easy to read and follow. I have a lot of anxiety around planning and prep–it can be super overwhelming for me. Foulplay’s format and delivery makes it SO easy to plan that I felt I could handle it the entire time! As a member of the LGBTQ community, I also greatly appreciate their inclusive language. Maddy was also very warm when we emailed and answered all of my questions. I know my next Murder Mystery party will be with Foulplay!”
“Everybody loved the game!! Even before the party we were all so hyped finding what to wear and studying our characters. The game was also a perfect ice breaker for the people who didn’t know each other. I was left speechless with my friends’ performances! I didn’t even know they were that talented at lying!! The girl who turned out to be the murderer deserved an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, SAG, Critics Choice, Nickelodeon and Spelling Bee award!! We made deals with each other, we blackmailed each other, and we danced a lot!! Foulplay’s guidance is so good that you will have absolutely no problem hosting your party!”
“We decided to use a Foulplay Games murder mystery party because they were local to us and we had a blast at their pop up game at Emerald City. There were sub-stories and sub-connections within the game, but we didn’t have to understand everything that was going on all at once. We could focus on our small group of characters and branch out from there. We knew Foulplay’s stories would let us become the best party hosts!”
“This is my third time hosting a Foulplay murder mystery party and happy to say it’s another smash hit! The host guide is thorough and player materials are user friendly. The main story is well-written and accompanied by multiple intriguing side plots to keep every guest invested no matter which character they play. Highly recommend.”
“I’ve played a few different games with Foulplay now and each time I’ve played a different character. I have had a blast each time. I LOVE the stories and very much enjoy how inclusive they are. If you’re looking for a cool time and want to play virtually with your friends I say do it. Have a really cool time trying to figure out who the murder is in your story.””
“I want to mention how much I love Foulplay’s dedication to creating gender neutral characters that can be played as women, men, or nonbinary people. Over half of our guest list was made up of queer people, and the inclusivity of the games Kristen and Maddy make made everyone feel right at home.
If you’re looking for a fun activity at a party that works just as well with strangers or long time friends, I highly recommend Foulplay’s murder mysteries!”
“We purchased Behind the Curtain for our News Years Party. It was such a good time from start to finish. Interesting characters and good twists made the mystery so much fun for everyone. The instructions were easy to follow. We had ages 21 to 80 years old involved. Would definitely do it again!”
“First and foremost, thank you for giving us millennials something to do other than drinking heavily in the Zoom chat! At this time of Covid-19, we have to be more creative to flatten the curve and we found that this game was innovative, fun and absolutely exciting for my friends and myself. We held the game over Zoom and it was fun. First and foremost, the characters were well detailed, but also the open genders that allowed both guys and girls was also helpful and flexible. One of the fun parts was actually getting other players to “kill” each other and take each other’s money, which is something I have never seen in a murder mystery game. Overall, the game was so much fun and one of my friends told me that it was just great to be someone else. As you guys get popular, you may want to consider making virtual games for up to 20 roles or 30 roles as I have a funny feeling you all will be about to be in high demand. ”
““I had an opportunity recently to play Foulplay’s virtual murder mystery Wanderstar—it was a blast! The game was complex enough to have several plot lines going at once, but it was simple enough that doing it online was accessible and didn’t lose anything due to the lack of physical clues or interpersonal espionage.
The session I was in was done over Discord, with various chat rooms and text channels acting as places for players to congregate, just as during an offline murder mystery. Each player, whether they’re part of the main mystery or they’re just passing through the events of the story, has enough information to understand who their character is. The use of multiple clues being spread out throughout the game made the mystery deepen and the time fly by. The rules are set up to ensure that the game doesn’t lag and last forever, but you’re still given plenty of time to get to know your fellow players and attempt to solve the murder.
Ultimately, nobody in my group solved it—not because the narrative was underwritten or the game was too difficult, either. Once it was explained, it was clear that the pieces were there and our group simply focused on different information.
The game also makes it clear that awkwardness will happen, that there are factors people can’t control, and it welcomes that and encourages players to participate however they feel comfortable. I’ll definitely be buying future games from Foulplay, especially their virtual output.””
“Foulplay has uniquely mastered creating a traditionally in-person event into an immersive online experience. Both their in-person and online games are extremely fun, well-written, and logistically solid. The online game experience allowed participants to share secrets, form alliances, and enjoy all the mayhem of an in-person murder mystery game. Highly recommend!!”
“This was a great opportunity to have fun and get into another character! Would do it again!”
“Maddy was so flexible and easy to work with. The game itself was incredibly fun, really brought our team together and was a welcome distraction during this difficult time.”
“WANDERSTAR went really well! At first I was nervous about the logistics of the game —planning the timing of the murder, presenting all of the evidence, and explaining the game in a way that made sense. But my guests were just as excited about the game as I was and made the whole party go off without a hitch! ”
“I was not sure how a murder mystery could work virtually. I was very impressed with the software and how easy it was to communicate. It was a ton of fun and I recommend it to still have some normalcy to everything going on.”
“This has been my 6th time playing a game from Foulplay and I enjoyed the experience! Kristen and Maddy craft enjoyable parties and stories, with gender neutral and fun to play characters!”
“Foulplay did such an amazing job - especially because my group had a ton of last-minute changes. The host was friendly and helpful and our group had a lot of fun with the story. Would definitely recommend!”
“This might sound weird, but after participating in two of Foulplay’s virtual murder mystery parties, I’ve had this boost of creativity and confidence that have helped me in my personal life! Foulplay managed to combine storytelling, creative improv, and mystery with some tantalizing layers into a really digestible format for beginners like me! It was accessible to learn, and within half an hour my “first time murder mystery party” anxieties faded and I found myself fully invested in my character and untangling who knows what.. and ultimately guessing who the killer was! My last two sessions has some friends AND strangers, and the party flowed so naturally (especially with our hosts easily accessible for help!). You can also host the games yourself, if you prefer to be the person behind the curtain. ”
“WANDERSTAR was an absolute blast! My husband and I spent the week making space decorations for our home and when our friends came, they were all dressed in full space-cowboy gear. I read the rules and script, and we were off! Everyone was in character trying to complete their objectives and once the murder happened, things really sped off with everyone trying to find the murderer and complete their side missions before the night was over! What was really great was the before and after murder goals/objectives were well explained for each character, so all of us were able to get right into character and know what we should be doing, so there weren’t many questions or extra explanation needed.”
“Really enjoyed the Wych Elm! Played with a group of 9th graders. It kept the guessing and engaged. It was their favorite mystery so far and we have done 5 other companies.”
“I just did my first murder mystery game ever through this group and I had the best time! it was engaging, entertaining, really easy to get into my character and I got to spend the evening with a lot of great people. 5 out of 5. Would highly recommend and can’t wait to do another game with them.”
“The game was so much fun! Everyone kept saying how it was so much fun, and it’s still being talked about weeks later! People who couldn’t make it are wanting another one so they can participate! ”
“Foulplay has created a great and exciting murder mystery format that can be easily played remotely! Their character stories are inclusive and diverse especially perfect for female nerds :) I had a great time playing Wanderstar, including dressing up, interrogating suspects, bribing others, exchanging items, and placing my final bet for the culprit. I would love to play again!”
“I have been playing a number of these murder mystery games with friends, colleagues and family, and they are one of the most fun online ways to keep in touch that I have found. I can’t wait to play them in-person when we are able to do so.”
“I had an absolutely wonderful time!!! Getting into character was easy and I had a blast!”
“Their event was very well done and entertaining. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to have a great evening!”
“So much fun! My group really enjoyed The Curious Carnival. There was so much helpful info put together by the makers and the story was really well thought out.”
“My friends and I had such a fun time playing Murder at Menlo Park! As the organizer, I felt like I had plenty of instructions to feel in control throughout the night. It was a tough mystery to solve - only one player guessed it right!”
“I played Wanderstar Expanded Edition for my birthday. I contacted FoulPlayCo about a month prior and they were an absolute delight to work with. I have never worked with a murder mystery company before, but they answered all my questions and were accommodating when there was a chance I was going to have to reschedule. As a result I had a very fun birthday party with my friends remotely, you could say it was to die for.”
“Hello! Last night some friends and I played one of your mystery games for my birthday and it was SO MUCH FUN! I’ve been wanting to have a Murder Mystery party since, well, I knew they were a thing. I did a lot of mystery party research, looked at a bunch of different companies, and I’m so glad we picked yours. I wanted one that was immersive where the GM could also play. I love that Foul Play is a women owned business and that you’ve made great strides to ensure your games are inclusive (especially after looking at other companies that don’t seem to make this a priority). I was especially impressed to see you took the time to ensure the clues are accessible to vision impared individuals as well. We played Wanderstar and we all agreed the storylines were so interesting we almost forgot to solve the murder! The party went over really well, and my friends and I all agreed we’ll definately be playing one of your games again. We left the evening trying to figure out how we can organize a large group to play the Curious Carnival. Thank you for all your hard work and for making my birthday a great one!”