Banks, Jamie - Cold Case Murder Mystery Game | Can You Solve The Crime?

The folks behind Unsolved Case Files really have their games down to a science. I'm a mystery fanatic and an escape room aficionado, so when I started seeing the "cold case files" type of games pop up I knew I wanted to check them out. The ones from this brand are, by far, the best ones I've played. Firstly, I love the linear formatting. You can't proceed to objective b until you have completed objective a, which is beneficial if you're the kind of person who likes to see your progress as you play. There's a very clear beginning, middle, and end. Secondly, I appreciate that the stories actually make sense. This may sound like a weird compliment, but some companies putting out these kinds of games do not put a whole lot of care into them. I've never experienced that playing Unsolved Case Files. This is either my third or fourth purchase from them, so I've gotten used to their style. The stories always tie together very coherently and the conclusions are satisfying. Lastly, I appreciate that these games don't excessively rely on ciphers and codes. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cipher. Brain puzzles are the best. However, ciphers can sometimes become absurd and even take away from the overall experience when they're overused and/or unnecessary. These games stand on their own. They don't throw a bunch of random crap in just to fill space and time. The evidence provided is useful and engaging. Overall, I really enjoy buying from this company. They do a great job putting their stories together and they always provide a good experience. Our weekend game nights are always awesome when we play these!

My family absolutely LOVES working on these "cases" together. Very fun!! This case had a few more red herrings and a clue we may never have found without internet help. But, still a good time.

Bought this for my daughter’s birthday party. The girls really enjoyed it and it kept them occupied for quite a while.

My family has tried many murder mystery games, and this brand is one of our favorites (we like it better than “hunt a killer”, but my husband likes “finders seekers” the best.). We like how it has witness statements, newspaper articles, and other evidence. Just when you think you have it figured out, there is a twist that changes your theory. They always include enough clues (some are harder to find than others) to help you solve each part, but they also offer hints to help if you are struggling. There are different levels of difficulty to choose from, something fun for everyone.

It is amazing. It may be fictional but it looks very real. Definitely the kind of game you can play as adults and with your kids. This item is of high quality. It is not cheesy or corny like a like a lot of mystery games. This is not something you want to carry around with you because of the plain view doctrine. I got pulled over and the cops saw it on my back seat and started asking for my chain of custody document. I explained what it was and they laughed about it. I look forward to more cases. I like these because they exercise your mind.

We're definitely going to do this again! Our family spent about 3.5 hrs on this and I was surprised how highly engaged everyone was! My parents (in their 70’s), my sons (both in their 20’s), my husband & I were all reading and searching for clues. Next time, we've decided that we'll open the file & then pass around the documents & let everyone have time to read everything before discussing. We needed note paper, a whiteboard or poster board, and post it notes to list people & clues. When you get stuck or want to submit your answer, there is a QR code or website to go to. Instead of one person on their cell phone, we should have projected it on the TV screen so we could all see it. We’re looking forward to the next one!

No spoilers here. My wife and I are big fans of these games. I love the lack of structure--how you are just handed a box of evidence to weed through on your own time. As an English nerd, I'm always impressed by the writing. The thoughtful storytelling is a refreshing deviation from the half-hearted, sloppy narratives we've grown so accustomed to in modern media. Unsolved Case Files stand out for their thorough storytelling, careful architecture, and overall, their tremendous heart--the makers' pride and joy in their work is truly palpable when playing these games. Banks isn't my favorite overall, but the second objective is one of my favorites across the Unsolved Case Files catalog, because of its difficulty and the amount of research I had to do in order to solve it. My biggest qualm with the games is the reliance on online material--I'd prefer that the games be entirely hard copy, so that they can be played without internet access (for example, on a road trip), and to ensure that they'll always be playable down the line, even long after the Unsolved Case Files website is gone. I'd also like the option of identifying my own suspect rather than picking one from a list, since using that list means that the police/investigators are already on the right track--and aren't we being pulled in because they can't solve the case themselves? Anyway, I definitely recommend these games.

First time playing something like this, A little difficult to get the hang of completing objectives when you want to solve the case right away. after going through all of the evidence, I knew who it was, but I had to prove without a doubt based on technicalities. THAT was the hard part. but overall Loved it!