Who Killed Mia? Murder Mystery Game Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Emma
I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to play ‘Who Killed Mia?’ – a ‘digitally immersive murder mystery game’ for adults. I had played a similar game a few years previously, but my partner had not participated in such a game before, and I was excited by the opportunity to introduce him to the fun!
The game begins with the viewing of an online video clip aimed to set the scene and explain that a young social media star (Mia) has been brutally murdered. The video clip also introduces the main objective – to find out who the murderer is from a specified number of suspects. Access to the internet is therefore necessary at the beginning of the game and throughout, as you need to input your answers in order to complete each objective before moving on to the next.
‘Who Killed Mia?’ comes packaged in a cardboard box measuring 27cm by 20cm by 5cm and contains three packs of evidence: Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3, each with their own objectives. There is a wealth of evidence in each pack (witness statements, camera footage, email evidence etc.) and you therefore need a large table or floor space to lay all the paperwork out on – a TV detective-style pin board might also be useful! You can choose to complete this mystery in one sitting or split it over three days – I did the latter as it allowed time to think about the plethora of evidence. The box states that the game can be played in 1 – 2 hours but I found that it took much longer, especially if you aim to solve all of the objectives successfully without peeking at any of the online hints or if you were to play the game with a large group of people — it could easy span a full evening!
The game is quite involved and needs a great deal of thought in order to spot the clues from the large amount evidence provided. In fact, the game requires you to read each clue in detail and keep them in mind when assessing the objectives. This process immerses you in game and is a lot of fun, especially when you link the clues together and come up with theories to discuss amongst the group you are playing it with. We also found it the game challenging but not impossibly difficult, striking a good balance for an activity of this nature.
This game would be the ideal centre piece of a murder mystery party or make a wonderful gift for keen board-game fans, avid mystery devotees or general lovers of a fun night out, a rainy Sunday afternoon activity or perfect for a post dinner-party event. The game does have an age rating of 17+ due to the murder content of the game and some of the language used: it is certainly not a game for children.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £30.00
Age: 17 years +
This product can be purchased from www.menkind.co.uk