Gumshoe

Sleuth Publications · Board game · 1985
1–6 · best 2 Solo 120 min Weight 3.1/5
rating Ludopedia
7.7 rating BGG
Buy
rating Ludopedia
7.7 rating BGG
Our Verdict

Perfect for noir mystery lovers who want to feel like a real detective without RPG complexity.

Highlights
  • Incredible period immersion
  • Amazing supporting materials
  • Very well-written plots
  • Pure deduction experience
Keep in mind
  • Requires heavy note-taking
  • Not a standard board game
FOR GENRE FANS
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About the game
Dust off your trench coat and grab your magnifying glass, because you've just been hired by the Continental Detective Agency! In Gumshoe, you dive into the dense and dangerous atmosphere of 1934 San Francisco. Forget colorful boards and dice; here, the experience is purely investigative. You take on the role of a hard-boiled detective, navigating through the dark alleys of Chinatown, clandestine gambling dens, and luxurious mansions in Nob Hill to solve crimes that defy logic.

The game unfolds over nine intense days (from July 3rd to July 11th, 1934). Each day, the 'Old Man' of the agency hands you new assignments. To solve the cases, you'll have an arsenal of materials that make you feel like a real investigator: detailed maps of the city and the Bay Area, directories with thousands of names and locations, fingerprint files, period newspapers, and criminal mugshots with vital statistics.

Make no mistake: Gumshoe is not a traditional RPG or a standard board game. It is an investigation simulator. You will need a pen and paper to note every clue, track the time spent on each search, and connect the dots until you reach the solution. If you love that noir vibe, where deduction and attention to detail are the only tools to survive the criminal underworld, this is the game for you. Created by the same geniuses behind Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Gumshoe maintains the tradition of simple rules but with complex plots and exquisite writing that transports the player directly to the era of the American Depression.
Rules videos

In English

BEST PLAYER COUNT
1 REC
2 BEST
3 BEST
4 BEST
5 REC
6 OK
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Game details

Families

Books: Mystery Novels Cities: San Francisco (California, USA) Players: Games with Solitaire Rules Theme: Mystery / Crime
Publisher Sleuth Publications
Designer Gary Grady
Artist Gary Grady, Helen Doward, William Lamb
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a board game?
No! It's an investigation game. There is no board, but rather maps, directories, and clue files.
Can I play solo?
Yes, it works perfectly as a solo experience or as a team effort.
Are there complex rules?
Not at all. The rules are simple; the real challenge lies in the deduction and analyzing the materials.
How long does a game take?
It depends on your detective skills! The game covers 9 days of cases, and each case can take hours to solve.
What's in the box?
San Francisco maps, directories, a case book, criminal mugshots, newspapers, and solution reports.