With their first "Dark Case," in which a "deep case" had to be investigated, Gmeiner Verlag delivered a very good murder mystery game in 2022. At the time, it was one of the best murder mystery games of its kind for me. After about three years and roughly 20 more murder mystery games played by me, there's finally a second "Dark Case." Can this case maintain the high quality of its predecessor, or even surpass it?
The trend for crime games simply refuses to die down. Amidst a lot of mediocrity, there are always some truly excellent cases. In retrospect, the first "Dark Case" is one of those excellent ones. However, due to the long time that had passed since its release, I considered it a one-off. So it was all the more gratifying that a sequel was released last year, which I was finally able to test.
Classic process
"A missing mayor, from whom there has been no sign of life for 48 hours, a barn burned to the ground in the middle of the forest, and among the rubble a dead man with severe burns! No wonder that the annual Midsummer bonfire of the young men's club in the tranquil town of Hagenkirchen becomes a side issue and the local police authority is faced with a mystery..."
This is the situation players are confronted with at the start of the game. The police, as always overwhelmed, now need our support. To do this, players have a diverse mix of evidence and documents at their disposal, ranging from newspapers and crime scene reports to witness statements. Of course, some digital investigation is also required.
Besides the final solution to the case, a few intermediate questions naturally need to be answered so that all the necessary information is available for the grand resolution at the end. There isn't much more to say about the gameplay, as it follows the classic format familiar from so many other mystery games.
Information about Dark Cases – Fireproof
| Number of people: 1 to 6 people Age: from 14 years Playing time: 90 to 150 minutes Difficulty: Crime game Game concept: Tobias Kühnlein, Mona Dengler Illustrations: Tobias Kühnlein, UORG Lutz Eberle Published by Gmeiner Verlag Official Website: Dark Cases – Fireproof Year of publication: 2025 Language: German Cost: 20 Euro |
Conclusion
The second installment of the Dark Cases series, which will hopefully expand to include more books in the near future, picks up exactly where the first left off and even improves on a few things. The setting and the characters feel more "alive." It seems that after the somewhat more conservative first installment, the authors approached the project with even more confidence and enjoyment.
The case itself is brilliantly constructed. You gradually work your way through all the game materials, uncovering new clues and managing to unravel the tangled relationships and circumstances in the village of Hagenkirchen. In the end, all the findings come together to provide a perfectly satisfying resolution to the case.
The game components don't detract from the fun either. Everything is attractively designed and flawless. Since nothing gets damaged, the game can easily be passed on after a round.
The two of us were also exactly within the specified time frame for the game and were able to complete our investigations and solve the case after just over 90 minutes.
Feuerfest offers top-level murder mystery entertainment. More "Dark Cases" please!
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