Unsolved Case Files | Gardner, Avery - Active Murder Mystery Case - Can You Solve The Case?

As an Amazon Vine Reviewer, I get to try out many things- one of which was a new Unsolved Cold Case game. While I might pay for the items I pick, per se, I do still pay taxes on a fair market value of the item- which is usually the price (with exceptions when it comes to some health and beauty). So when it comes to what I do choose, I do choose with care. In trying out the Unsolved Cold Case game, my husband and I loved the first case so much (well, both of the ones I reviewed) we decided to order two more (this being one of the ones I came back to purchase after my inital review). It's really a great case and with different props and pieces than the others (as it included a detective's notebook about the case, as well as many other items). At first I thought that there would be less information with this particular case- but then I saw that there were business cards included for some suspects, witnesses and family members of the victim- and all included links to active websites. What made the use of websites better (within the game rather than more colored photos in the other cases we worked)- is that the print photos included in these unsolved cases sometimes need to be magnified to see (but a magnifying card is included for your use during the game). My husband has really bad eyes so we oftentimes would use our phone to enlarge a print photo. However the website photos (in this case) can be enlarged on your phone, tablet or computer screen- along with all the insight you gain into the case from them. My husband and I are amazed at the detail of these “unsolved cases”. My favorite part is always the clipped newspaper article included- as it comes on real newsprint and is always about the case. In some of the other cases (and even this one), you can gain knowledge from some of the other things that appear on the back of the page- and sometimes it's just information not needed (but insightful, nonetheless). These cold “game” unsolved cases are much like what I think solving a real cold case would be like. And since we are big fans of Dateline and true murder shows, being able to be the ones to find out what happened- find the “culprit”, unmask the killer- is always the most fun for us. As a child and teen, growing up in the eighties, I remember always wanting games like Clue to be more detailed- any game, really. This is the type of game I feel I have been waiting for my whole life and everytime my husband and I finish one- we are left wanting another (and will definitely make our way through them all one day). This is our fourth cold case solved, two that I reviewed as an Amazon Vine member and two that I came back to purchase on my own, after that those trial (review) cases. I have to say, hands down, a game has never been so much fun. However the best thing (and what makes it seem more true to life)- is that game always wraps up for you in the end, as a detective you get a big thank you- from those who want to get the victim justice (whether it be a cop that worked on the case when it happened, a family or friend of the victim, someone is there to advocate for the victim and prompt you to move along in the case during each step). You even get to find out what happens- whether by letter or a news story that is included in the case. Sometimes I even have a tear or two (reading these thank you’s)- some embedded in the case (and game) I have become. Each case has objectives and several steps. When you think you have solved the objectives, you scan a QR code and are asked for the evidence that helped you do this. If you get it wrong there are always three hints to help during each objective (on the website). No matter how long it has taken my husband and I to solve an objective (and some are easier than others), we have always been able to- even if we set the case down for several hours or days and come back to it. Since this was the fourth game we played and there were lots of details we actually played it over two weeks- a few hours each sitting. We probably could have gotten through it faster if we wanted (as our first cases were both solved in one night, seven hours without break playing) but we wanted to savor this last game- as we'd weren't able to purchase another game (as it didn't fit our budget and savings) for a couple months. One of the best games I have ever played- like I said, this is the kind of game I have been waiting a lifetime to play- where the evidence seems so real, detailed and plentiful- I couldn't think of a better way to spend my weekend! Plus, it was a real boost to my husbands and my relationship- as the first one we played really improved our communication skills, in the end we felt we had achieved something together- and we really felt closer as a couple. It was a well needed refresher that I think all couples should try- if you feel your relationship is in a slump- it's amazing how something like this can make a difference. This game helped remind my husband and I of many things, one of which is qualities we love about one another. I often find myself thinking too, how much fun a game like this might have been in my early teen years- with my girl friends during a sleepover (but then we never had anything good and detailed, game-wise in the eighties and nineties). Though it does present an unsolved murder, there hasn't been anything that I have ever seen in a game that couldn't be shown to a kid who also watches true crime shows (or grows up around American media). It's such a change of pace to try and be a detective with this unsolved cold case game- and have so much fun, even if it's something you want to do on your own (as I sometimes think my husband and I will each work our own case, become proficient in it and then share ;).

This was challenging and fun! It kept my 15 yr old teen and her friends occupied for several hours. It came with realistic pictures and real websites to go to for clues. They loved it and highly recommend for a fun afternoon.

This is the 2nd Unsolved Case Files I've completed. Needless to say, my 3rd is already ordered and on its way! These are challenging cases with such authentic details the players are totally immersed in the experience. The first case I solved was "Harmony" with the mystery club I run in my high school. The students loved it! It was perfect because it is divided into 3 segments which we solved one meeting at a time. Very logical and no crazy "leaps." This one was just as fun. The only drawback is the detective notebook format. Unlike the police file folders with individual evidence and photos in Harmony, this one had 1 very detailed detective notebook. In my family group of 6, it was difficult for everyone to get to read and easily refer to the notebook which led to some frustration. Overall, these are tremendous fun and so very well done! One of the best on the market! Beware that this requires a lot of time and brain power, but if you enjoy puzzles and enigmas, and those "aha" moments, this is for you!

LOVE these games. Such a fun thing to do during family game night. Its unfortunate that you can only really play it once, but its fun to rotate these between friends and family. It is a bit expensive for a game you play once, but I would recommend trying it at least once.

Our family has solved several of these "Unsolved Case Files" mysteries and now my daughter is old enough to not be put off by the murder aspect (she is 13 now. I don't recommend this for kids 10 or younger). This one holds up with the other ones, although like Scooby Doo mysteries, these mysteries do tend to fall into a rut where the important clue is not where you expect it and once you find that clue, all of the other information that you have attempted to consolidate is sort of unimportant. But I guess that is the nature of mysteries -- finding that one clue out of all of the distractions. I do have 2 complains about the game. The first is that there are a few accidental mistakes that can lead you astray. I'm pretty sure these mistakes were unintentional, but when you are reading everything extremely closely and you think these mistakes are important, some proofreading would really help not waste time. For example, in the newspaper clipping about " ... Roxanne Needle's Disappearance", there is a mention of "Nelson's former boyfriend". It is clear from the context that this should have been "Needle's former boyfriend". The game maker clearly got the names confused because they both start with N -- Nelson is not mentioned anywhere in the article. That's not a big deal - except that Nelson is one of the characters in the mystery and one of the main suspects. You can easily spend 20 minutes reviewing every piece of evidence trying to figure out why Nelson (a guy) had a boyfriend and how the murder of Needle is related to the twins' murder. My major complaint is that you don't find out until you open the package that an Internet connection is needed to check if you have the questions correct. You CAN NOT solve the puzzle to the end without using the Internet, because you need to get the right answer to the questions before you can open the next envelope. I would have liked to play this game in an off-grid cabin on vacation, but you can't play it that way. WARNING: SPOILER/HINT in this paragraph. If you are planning on playing this game yourself, don't read this paragraph. It's ok to read if you are buying this game as a present for someone else. The second major problem is actually worse: that ALL of the important clues are found on external websites. You can NOT solve any of the 3 questions of the mystery with the given printed material, and then you also need the Internet to check if you have the right answer. The whole reason to buy these physical paper games is to have a self contained mystery. It would be much better to have all clues in the bag and also have the answers in sealed envelopes, so that an Internet connection is not needed. Nevertheless, we had fun playing the game. It took about 2-3 hours to complete it. It stimulates discussion between everyone, and you'll be fighting over clues and notes (in a good way). My sharp 13 year old daughter found most of the important clues.

This was so much fun! Love the details. Don’t want to spoil the fun, but we had a blast!

Sneaky, tricky, but OH SO FUN! Put your thinking cap on and your drink down for this wild and crazy case!

I got this for my teenage daughter, who loves crime scene investigation shows. It was a little too much reading for her, so I took it and had a blast! There is so much thought put into everything…it is very well done. It’s not overly difficult, but you need an eye for detail and the patience to sort through a lot of information. Everything they provide is important. There were parts that had me scratching my head at first, but once you study and absorb the information, everything falls into place. I enjoyed the process of solving it! Looking forward to working on my next one.

Ein tolles Spiel ,kann man nur weiter empfehlen . für ein Spieleabend zu viert oder sechs . Schade ist , man kann es nur einmal spielen und auch nicht tauschen mit anderen Spielern weil man sich Notizen macht auf Bildern oder Karten . Den es ist sehr, sehr teuer . Sicher es ist aufwendig aufgebaut aber trotzdem. Man kann auch Pech haben das Spiel( der Fall) nicht so gut ist. Schade das es so teuer ist .wir würden es sonst öfter Spielen

I absolutely love unsolved case files! My boyfriend and I are addicted to them and just purchased another! Such a fun date idea or family activity, also perfect for a rainy or lazy day inside. The stories are interesting and although the endings can be quite anti climactic, I love how interactive the games are.

My kids love it

Love these games.. great to get family & friends to get together to play

This was the first one we tried and really enjoyed it, the hidden interactivity was great and kept us going for a few hours. They aren't cheap but then neither is anything nowadays, cheaper than a night at the cinema for free of us and probably more fun. The quality of all the clue pieces is high and well thought out. You can of course pass them along to friends/family for them to enjoy too. It's a shame they sealed the envelopes as the opening of them obviously detracts from the passing along. A simple wallet style container would have been beneficial.