Detective City of Angels

In the shadowy streets of 1940s Los Angeles, where crime and corruption run rampant, a compelling and immersive story unfolds. Welcome to Detective City of Angels, a unique board game that immerses players in a film noir world of intrigue, mystery, and murder. Developed by Van Ryder Games and designed by Evan Derrick, this game offers an engaging blend of deduction, interaction, and storytelling that challenges players to channel their inner detective and solve a series of complex cases.

Setting and Theme

Detective City of Angels is deeply rooted in the atmosphere and aesthetics of film noir. Players are transported to 1940s Los Angeles, an era of darkness and seduction. The setting is filled with grainy streetlights, the smell of cigarette smoke, and the sounds of jazz in smoky nightclubs. The game is steeped in classic noir elements, such as hard-boiled detectives, femme fatales, corrupt police officers, and dangerous gangsters.

Game Mechanics

Detective City of Angels is an asymmetric game that offers a unique role distribution between players. One player takes on the role of the Chisel, the mastermind behind the crimes. The other players are the Detectives, who work together to unravel the truth and solve the mysteries that the Chisel has created. The game board shows a map of Los Angeles, divided into different districts. Each round, the Chisel moves through the city, leaving clues at locations. The Detectives try to interpret the clues and discover the hidden truth. The game uses an innovative "I-spy" mechanism, where the Detectives ask questions to the Chisel and he/she answers by placing "I-spy" chips at the relevant locations.

Interactive Storytelling

One of the most striking features of Detective City of Angels is its interactive storytelling. Each case is imbued with a unique storyline that unfolds as the Detectives uncover the clues. The Chisel has a secret goal and must deceive the Detectives as much as possible as they search for the truth. The storyline is enhanced by beautiful writing and story cards that provide players with extensive and graphic descriptions of events and characters. This allows players to fully immerse themselves in the mystery and imagine themselves in a real noir film.

Deduction and Logic

Detective City of Angels is primarily a deduction game. Detectives must interpret the clues left by the Chisel and draw conclusions to uncover the truth. The game encourages players to use logical thinking and reasoning to make the right connections and understand the suspects’ motives and actions. At the same time, the Chisel must do his/her best to throw the Detectives off the scent and keep the true identity of the perpetrator a secret. This creates a tense and competitive dynamic between the Chisel and the Detectives, where every move is crucial.

Extensions and Repeatability

Detective City of Angels also offers several expansions, which add new cases, characters, and stories to the base game. This allows players to enjoy almost infinite replayability and an ever-changing experience. The expansions further expand the game's world and add new elements to make the game even more challenging.

Production Value and Artwork

The game also deserves praise for its production value and artwork. The components are of high quality and the board and cards are beautifully illustrated to perfectly capture the atmosphere of the game. The game board and cards evoke an atmosphere of dark alleys, glittering nightclubs and the bleak side of Los Angeles in the 1940s. Detective City of Angels is an intriguing and immersive board game that immerses players in the mysterious and dangerous world of film noir. Featuring interactive storytelling, clever deduction, and a challenging asymmetrical game mechanic, the game offers a unique experience for those who enjoy puzzles and storytelling. Whether you take on the role of a determined detective or operate as the cunning Chisel, Detective City of Angels promises an unforgettable and exciting adventure that you will want to relive again and again.