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How to play Deception: Murder in Hong Kong (2026): Deception is a social deduction game for four to twelve players. One player secretly commits a murder by choosing a Means of Murder and a piece of Key Evidence from the cards in front of them. A Forensic Scientist knows the answer but can only communicate by placing bullet markers on scene tiles. The other investigators debate, accuse and try to name both cards before three rounds run out. These rules follow the official rulebook.
The box you need: Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
The box contains 12 role cards, 200 clue cards, 90 means cards, 32 scene tiles (6 of them event tiles), 11 badge tokens and 6 wooden bullet markers. A game takes about 20 minutes.
Price band: $30+ (about $45) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Roles in Deception
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Forensic Scientist | Revealed game master who knows the solution and gives clues only with bullet markers |
| Murderer | Chooses the solution and tries to point suspicion elsewhere |
| Investigators | Try to identify the Key Evidence and Means of Murder |
| Accomplice (optional, 6+) | Knows the murderer and the solution and helps them escape |
| Witness (optional, with the Accomplice) | Knows who the culprits are but not which one is the murderer |
Setting up Deception
- Remove the event tiles for now. Deal each player 4 clue cards (red) and 4 means cards (blue), displayed face up toward the table.
- Take role cards equal to the number of players: one Murderer and one Forensic Scientist, plus investigators. With six or more you may add the Accomplice and Witness.
- Shuffle and deal the roles face down. The Forensic Scientist reveals their card, discards their clue and means cards and uses the scene tiles instead.
- Give every other player a badge token, which shows they still have their one chance to solve the crime.
The crime: a night phase
The Forensic Scientist asks everyone to close their eyes. The Murderer (with the Accomplice, if used) opens their eyes and points to one of their clue cards and one of their means cards. Those become the Key Evidence and the Means of Murder. The Forensic Scientist nods, the culprits close their eyes, and if there is a Witness, the Forensic Scientist shows them who the culprits are. Then everyone opens their eyes.
Three rounds of investigation
Round one
The Forensic Scientist chooses one Location of Crime tile, sets out the Cause of Death tile and draws four random scene tiles. One at a time, they place the six bullet markers, one per tile, on the items that best point to the solution. After the first marker, everyone else may discuss freely, and the Forensic Scientist can shape later placements around that discussion.
Presentations
Starting to the Forensic Scientist’s left, each player gets about 30 seconds to explain which cards they suspect. Nobody may interrupt except to attempt to solve the crime.
Rounds two and three
Each new round, the Forensic Scientist draws a scene tile to replace one of the four random tiles (never the location or cause of death tiles) and places a marker on the new tile. Then another round of discussion and presentations follows.
Solving the crime
Any player except the Forensic Scientist may try once, at any time, by pointing to one clue card and one means card in front of another player. If both are correct, the investigators win immediately. If not, the Forensic Scientist only says no, and that player hands over their badge. They keep playing but cannot guess again. If nobody solves the crime by the end of the third round of presentations, the murderer and accomplice win.
The Witness reversal
With a Witness in play, a correct solution is not quite the end. The murderer, after consulting the accomplice, names one player. If that player is the Witness, the culprits escape and win. Otherwise, the investigators and Witness win.
Variants and difficulty
- Event tiles: shuffle them into the scene deck after round one for surprise events in later rounds.
- Easier for investigators: deal 3 clue and 3 means cards to each player.
- Harder for investigators: deal 5 of each.
Looking for more games like this? See our best social deduction party games, how to play Mysterium and how to play Werewolf.
Deception rules questions
Can the murderer try to solve the crime?
Yes. Every player except the Forensic Scientist may make one attempt, and a murderer can use theirs to look innocent.
Can the Forensic Scientist talk?
No. They may only place bullet markers and say yes or no to an attempt.
How many players do you need?
Four to twelve. The Accomplice and Witness are optional with six or more.
What happens if you guess wrong?
You give up your badge but keep playing and presenting.