Unusual Suspects*
Unusual Suspects (Insoliti Sospetti in Italian) flips the traditional detective game on its head by focusing not on the appearance of the criminal, but rather on their habits and behaviors. This unique approach challenges players to think differently about how they deduce the identity of the culprit, making for a fascinating and often humorous investigative experience.
Gameplay Dynamics
- Roles: One player takes on the role of the Witness, who knows the identity of the Guilty party but can only provide information based on behaviors and habits. The other players form the Investigative Team, tasked with asking questions to narrow down the suspects.
- Question and Answer Mechanism: The Investigative Team asks yes/no questions, and the Witness's answers guide the team in eliminating innocent suspects from a lineup.
- Mode of Play: The game can be played in two modes – competitively, where players individually try to identify the Guilty suspect, or collaboratively, where players work as a team or teams to solve the mystery.
Key Features
- Behavior-Based Clues: Distinguishing itself from typical deduction games, Unusual Suspects relies on understanding the suspects' behaviors and lifestyle choices rather than physical descriptions.
- Engaging Discussion: The game encourages lively discussion among team members as they interpret the Witness's answers and debate which suspects to eliminate.
- Versatility: With options for competitive or collaborative play, the game is adaptable to different group dynamics and preferences.
Conclusion
Unusual Suspects offers an engaging and entertaining twist on the detective game genre, emphasizing social deduction and insight into human behavior over physical evidence. The unique premise, combined with the collaborative and competitive modes of play, ensures that each game is filled with intrigue, discussion, and plenty of laughs. Whether you're playing as the all-knowing Witness or a member of the Investigative Team, Unusual Suspects challenges you to think creatively and work together to uncover the Guilty party.
Nominated for 1 award.
- 3 - 16 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Immediately playable
We like Unusual Suspects so much that we recommend it in the following board game recommendation lists 2024
- Position 20 in The best board games for 2 to 8 people 👯♀️-👨👩👦👧👦👧👦
- Position 5 in The best games from Paolo Mori 🇮🇹👨
- Position 28 in The Best Games from Heidelberger Spieleverlag 🇩🇪🏢
- Position 14 in The best games presented at the Spiel 2015 game fair in Essen, Germany