Ruse (2014)

About this game

A murder has been committed in the Victorian steampunk city of St. Sebastian. You have made the short list of police suspects and the only way to retain your freedom is to prove that one of the others on the list is in fact the murderous culprit. Players take turns making Accusations against the other players by placing Method, Motive, or Opportunity cards in front of them or providing Alibis against the Accusations made against them by other players. You must remember what has been played and craft your Accusations well to pin the murder on another player. Ruse uses cards with specialized suits and amazing steampunk artwork to tell the story of murder and mayhem under the gaslights of St. Sebastian. As a bonus, the deck may also be used to play all of your favorite traditional card games.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 5.
• Rules load. At 1.2/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.