Deception: Murder in Hong Kong – The Ultimate Guide to Solving the Crime!

Get ready to dive into the neon underworld of Hong Kong, where a brutal murder has shaken the city! In Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, you and your friends will be thrown into a web of mystery, where the truth is as slippery as the rain-slicked streets. But beware: the killer might be sitting right next to you!

This ultimate guide from BoardGameBot will turn you into an elite detective, ready to unravel the secrets and catch the culprit. Shall we begin?

Game Objective

In Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, the main objective is to solve a heinous crime! As Investigators (and the Forensic Scientist), you need to identify the “Key Evidence” and the “Means of Murder” to apprehend the Murderer. If you succeed, justice prevails and you win the game!

But make no mistake, the Murderer is among you, trying to sow discord and divert attention. Their objective (and the Accomplice's, if present) is simple: to escape unpunished! If the Investigators fail to solve the crime, the Murderer and their accomplice celebrate victory.

The Witness, if present, has an objective aligned with the Investigators and the Forensic Scientist: to see the crime solved. But they also have a target on their back, so be careful!

Setup

Let's set up the table and prepare the scene for this thrilling mystery:

1. Scene Preparation:
   • Return all Event Tiles to the game box (they are for variants).
   • Deal 4 Clue Cards and 4 Means of Murder Cards to each player.
   • Each player should arrange their 8 cards (4 Clue Cards and 4 Means of Murder Cards) in front of them, face up, in two rows of 4 cards. Ensure that the texts and illustrations are visible to everyone.
   • Take a moment for everyone to observe the cards on the table. Remember, the illustrations are references; use your imagination with the texts!
2. Character Assignment:
   • Choose the number of Character Cards according to the total number of players:
     • 4 to 5 players: 1 Murderer, 1 Forensic Scientist, and the rest are Investigators.
     • 6 to 10 players: 1 Murderer, 1 Forensic Scientist, 1 Accomplice (optional), 1 Witness (optional), and the rest are Investigators.
     • 11 players: 1 Murderer, 1 Forensic Scientist, 1 Accomplice (mandatory), 1 Witness (optional), and the rest are Investigators.
     • 12 players: 1 Murderer, 1 Forensic Scientist, 1 Accomplice (mandatory), 1 Witness (mandatory), and the rest are Investigators (8).
   • Return unused Character Cards to the box.
   • Shuffle the selected Character Cards and secretly deal one to each player.
   • The only player who reveals themselves is the Forensic Scientist. They will be the game master and discard their Clue Cards and Means of Murder Cards, as they will only use the Scene Tiles.
   • All other players keep their characters secret until the end of the game.
   • Tip for the first game: Assign the role of Forensic Scientist to the most expressive player in the group!
3. Badge Tokens:
   • Give one Badge Token to each player (except the Forensic Scientist). This token indicates that the player can still attempt to "Solve the Crime" and should be visible.
   • Return extra tokens to the box.

The Game Turn

The game unfolds in two main phases: The Crime and The Investigation. Let's understand how it works:

1. The Crime

In this phase, the Murderer chooses the resolution of the crime:

1. The Forensic Scientist announces: "All players, close your eyes," and confirms that everyone has obeyed.
2. The Forensic Scientist announces: "Murderer (and Accomplice), open your eyes," and confirms that they have opened them.
3. The Forensic Scientist announces: "Murderer, indicate the ‘Key Evidence’ and the ‘Means of Murder’." The Murderer, in silence, points to one of their own Clue Cards and one of their own Means of Murder Cards.
4. The Forensic Scientist silently nods, indicating understanding. Then, they announce: "Murderer (and Accomplice), close your eyes."
5. (Only if the Witness is in the game) The Forensic Scientist announces: "Witness, open your eyes." They then simultaneously point to the Murderer and the Accomplice, without giving clues as to who is who. The Witness silently nods. Then, the Forensic Scientist announces: "Witness, close your eyes."
6. The Forensic Scientist announces: "All players, open your eyes."

2. Investigation

This is the main part of the game, divided into 3 rounds. Each round has an Evidence Collection Phase and an Exposition Phase.

2a. First Round of Evidence Collection

1. Preparation: The Forensic Scientist separates the 4 Scene Tiles titled “Crime Scene” (green) and the “Cause of Death” tile (purple). They shuffle the remaining Scene Tiles (orange) face down to form a draw pile.
2. Arrangement: The Forensic Scientist forms an arrangement with 6 Scene Tiles: 1 “Crime Scene” tile (green) chosen from the 4 separated; the “Cause of Death” tile (purple); and 4 Scene Tiles randomly drawn from the pile.
3. 2a-I. Evidence Collection:
   • The Forensic Scientist, one at a time, places each of the 6 Bullet Markers on the information listed on the 6 Scene Tiles. Only one Bullet Marker per tile.
   • Placement can be slow or fast, at the discretion of the Forensic Scientist.
   • After the first Bullet Marker is placed, all players (except the Forensic Scientist) can discuss freely and express their opinions.
   • The Forensic Scientist uses these discussions to guide the placement of subsequent markers, which can be placed in any order. Once placed, they cannot be repositioned.
   • This phase ends with the placement of the sixth marker.
4. 2a-II. Exposition:
   • After the last marker is placed, the Forensic Scientist allows a brief period of discussion.
   • Then, each player, starting with the player to the left of the Forensic Scientist and proceeding clockwise, presents their opinions on the “Key Evidence” and the “Means of Murder”.
   • Each player has 30 seconds for their exposition (suggested time, can be adjusted).
   • Golden Rule: No one can interrupt the player exposing, EXCEPT to attempt to “Solve the Crime”.

2b. Second Round of Evidence Collection

After everyone has made their expositions in the first round:

1. 2b-I. Evidence Collection:
   • The Forensic Scientist draws a new Scene Tile from the pile.
   • This new tile will replace one of the Scene Tiles already in play, except for the “Crime Scene” and “Cause of Death” tiles.
   • First, the Forensic Scientist discards the tile to be replaced (including its Bullet Marker).
   • Then, the drawn tile fills the empty space and the Forensic Scientist places the removed Bullet Marker on one of the six pieces of information on the new tile.
2. 2b-II. Exposition:
   • The Forensic Scientist allows a moment for discussion about the new evidence.
   • Then, each player presents their opinions in a new Exposition Phase, following the same rules as the first round.

2c. Last Round of Evidence Collection

After everyone has made their expositions for the second time:

1. 2c-I. Evidence Collection: Repeat step 2b-I.
2. 2c-II. Exposition: Repeat step 2b-II.

Important: The game ends IMMEDIATELY after the last player makes their third and final exposition, if the crime has not been solved.

Solving the Crime

At any point in the game (except the Forensic Scientist), a player can attempt to “Solve the Crime”. To do this:

1. The player announces: “Let me solve the crime!”
2. They point to a Clue Card and a Means of Murder Card in front of another player.
3. If the chosen cards are the correct “Key Evidence” and “Means of Murder”, the game ends immediately. Forensic Scientist, Investigators, and Witness (if in play) win!
4. If any of the cards are incorrect (even if the other is correct), the Forensic Scientist simply says “No,” without giving further hints. The game continues.
5. If the player fails, they hand their Badge Token to the Forensic Scientist, indicating that they have used their only attempt. They continue to participate, but cannot attempt to solve the crime again.

Attention: If a player does not use their “Solve the Crime” attempt before the end of the third Exposition round, they lose the chance! Use it wisely!

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends in one of the following situations:

1. Investigators' Victory: An Investigator attempts to “Solve the Crime” and correctly chooses the “Key Evidence” and the “Means of Murder”. In this case, Forensic Scientist, Investigators, and Witness (if in play) win the game!
   • Sudden Change (with Witness): If the crime is solved, the Murderer still has one last chance! After discussing with the Accomplice, they choose a player they believe to be the Witness. If they are correct, the Murderer and Accomplice escape and win! If they are wrong, the Forensic Scientist, Investigators, and Witness win.
2. Murderer's Victory: All players lose their chances to “Solve the Crime” (either by failing in their attempts or by not using their chances until the end of the third round). In this case, the Murderer and Accomplice (if in play) win the game.

Tips for Winning

To avoid getting lost in the Hong Kong fog, here are some valuable tips:

• Investigators: Observe the Forensic Scientist! The way the Forensic Scientist places the Bullet Markers, the order, the speed, and even signs of hesitation, are crucial clues. They cannot speak, but their actions speak volumes! Discuss openly during the Evidence Collection Phase to guide their choices.
• Murderer: Divert Attention! Your job is to sow doubt. During discussions, try to point to cards that are not yours, or that are yours but are not the solution. Create convincing narratives to divert focus from your Key Evidence and Means of Murder cards. Remember, you win if the crime is not solved, even if you are unmasked!
• Forensic Scientist: Be a Master of Clues! You have the knowledge, but you cannot speak. Use the Bullet Markers with precision to guide the Investigators. Think about how each marker can eliminate possibilities and bring players closer to the truth. Follow the discussions and try to direct the hints to the correct cards, without being too obvious to the Murderer.

Now you are ready to unravel the mysteries of Deception: Murder in Hong Kong! Good luck, detective!