Chronicles of Crime

Objective and setup: Choose a case, then arrange the evidence board, starting location, and cards as instructed by the app. Each case is a cooperative investigation in which players collect information, solve the mystery, and submit a report at a specified location. Lucky Duck Games lists base box LKY 035 for 1–4 players, ages 12+, and 60–90 minutes, with one tutorial and five unique cases.

App requirement: The game requires the Chronicles of Crime app on a phone or tablet; one device is enough for the group. Once downloaded, the app does not require an internet connection during play. Select a case and follow the on-screen instructions to prepare the locations, characters, evidence categories, and special items. QR codes link the physical cards and location boards to the scenario content, so the standard game cannot be played with only the physical cards.

Team investigation: The group discusses which card or location to scan. Scanning a location board moves the team there; scanning a character card starts an interrogation; scanning an evidence-category card records a possible clue and receives feedback from the app. During an interrogation, a character can answer questions about other characters or evidence by scanning those cards. Use the app’s goodbye button to exit an interrogation; scan a location board to travel there.

Finding evidence: At a crime scene that allows a search, the group can use a panoramic view or an optional 3D viewing method. One player examines the scene for the allotted time and describes it to the team, while the others select evidence-category cards that might match. Scan those cards so the app can identify which ones are useful and should be added to the evidence board. Return cards that are not confirmed; they may become useful later in the case.

In-game time: Investigation actions advance the app’s clock. In the base English rulebook V0.8, scanning an evidence-category card, asking a character a question, or observing a scene usually costs five minutes of game time; traveling between locations costs twenty minutes. Time affects the final score and may move characters or trigger time-based events. A scene search is limited to forty seconds; searching again is possible but costs additional investigation time.

Character, location, and evidence state: Reveal and place new locations as instructed by the app. Put new characters in the indicated location; a character whose location is unknown can remain in an unlocated space on the evidence board. Use the board to organize objects already found and clues that have only been mentioned. The app identifies whether an evidence-category card is an actual clue for the case; do not assume every card placed on the table is a confirmed key piece of evidence.

Interrogation and deduction: One player may operate the device while the rest of the group decides what to scan, discusses clues, and builds a theory. Interrogations reveal relationships between characters and evidence; the same evidence may receive different responses depending on the person or point in the case. Track time, character movements, and links between clues. Repeatedly scanning irrelevant objects still advances the clock and can lower the team’s score.

Scene viewing and optional VR: The standard game uses the phone app to present a crime scene for a limited inspection. One player describes what they see while the team searches physical evidence-category cards for a match. A panoramic view is available; compatible VR glasses can provide an optional 3D view. The observer should describe the scene rather than select clues in the app, since the other players identify candidate cards and scan them for confirmation.

Reporting and conclusion: Once the team thinks it has solved the case, return to the Home location, the police station and end the investigation in the app. The group answers a series of questions and scans cards that support its deductions. Answer accuracy determines the main score, and elapsed time also affects the result. After reviewing the score, players can read the story conclusion. Some scenarios have linked episodes, though each can be played on its own.

Player count and edition boundaries: The publisher supports 1–4 players and describes the game as cooperative. One player can operate the device and make the decisions without a solo AI or automated investigator. The 2018 base game contains five story cases; Chronicles of Crime 1900, 2400, and 1400 are different products with their own characters, components, or rules. The current base-game page links to a 2400 rulebook by mistake, so this overview uses a clearly identified mirror of the original V0.8 rules for procedures.