Tag - One Shot Mysteries

The term “one-shot mysteries” covers a broad category of games, including everything from boxed escape rooms to complex narrative-driven puzzle games. What they all have in common is that they are reasoning games, where players must use their own logic and deductive abilities alongside provided clues to discover predetermined solutions to specific puzzles. They are explicitly designed to be played through once. After all, if you already know the answers, there’s not much point in playing again!

Many one-shot mysteries build on the classic murder mystery genre, putting players in the shoes of detectives trying to solve an uncracked case. Others are home-bound versions of the popular escape room hobby, where players must solve a series of puzzles in order to “escape” the room. Over the years, publishers have offered many twists on this category, changing how information is presented, what components players have available, and how close players must get to the correct solution in order to advance. Some mysteries feature a set time limit or variable scoring based on how quickly or accurately players navigate the game. Unique and interesting themes and the addition of more detailed storylines help keep things fresh as well.

There are many different styles and a dazzling array of logic puzzles to approach in this type of game, so take a look at some of these to see if any of them tickle your grey matter!