Guilty: Houston 2015 Detective Game

About this product

One night. One case. Every choice costs time.

An immersive crime investigation where every lead you follow brings you closer to the truth, or uses up precious time.

Work together to investigate a suspicious death inside a county prison, question suspects, examine evidence and decide which leads are worth pursuing before time runs out.

Product Description

The clock is already running.

In Guilty: Houston 2015, you step into a tense crime investigation inspired by the atmosphere of hard-edged detective thrillers. A young woman has died inside a county prison, and by morning you will be expected to explain what happened.

For groups of up to four players — or a solo investigator — everyone collectively takes on the role of a single investigating character. Rather than controlling separate pieces or characters, you discuss the evidence together, decide which leads deserve your attention and build your theory as the investigation unfolds.

The Story cards form the heart of the case. They can represent people to question, locations to search, evidence to examine and the consequences of the decisions you make. Information is revealed gradually, and every new detail can change how you interpret something you discovered earlier.

But you cannot investigate everything.

Many actions cost time, forcing you to decide which clues matter most and which paths you are willing to leave unexplored. The game deliberately gives you too little time to uncover every Story card, so prioritising your investigation is part of solving the case. Your choices can also influence how the narrative develops and the conclusions you ultimately reach.

The rules themselves stay deliberately straightforward. Follow the instructions on the cards, organise the evidence as it appears and focus your attention on the investigation. As time passes, new events can enter the case and disrupt what you thought you knew.

Clues are dense, details matter and theories will change. Take notes, revisit information and keep talking through the possibilities — something that seemed insignificant earlier may look very different once another piece of evidence comes to light.

View the Guilty: Houston 2015 Rules (PDF)

Why You’ll Love It

• A deeply immersive investigation: Work through a crime case filled with suspects, evidence, locations and leads.
• Your choices consume time: You cannot investigate everything, making every decision about where to look next important.
• Built for deduction: Study the details, connect information and develop theories as new evidence appears.
• Shared investigation: Up to four players work together as one investigating character, discussing what to pursue and what the evidence means.
• Works solo: Take on the complete investigation by yourself if you prefer a focused single-player experience.
• Narrative consequences: The choices you make influence the direction of your investigation and the conclusions you reach.
• Designed for a full game evening: Set aside the time, settle somewhere quiet and immerse yourself in the case.

Quick Details

• Publisher: IELLO
• Product: Guilty: Houston 2015
• Product type: Detective / investigation game
• Players: 1–4
• Recommended age: 18 years and older
• Playing time: Approximately 3–4 hours
• Play style: Cooperative investigation
• Designer: Yohan Servais
• Artwork: Jocelyn Millet
• Setting: Houston, 2015
• Gameplay focus: Investigation, deduction, evidence analysis and decision-making under time pressure
• Included: Investigation Area supplement, 62 large Story cards, 44 small Time cards, additional investigation material in an envelope and game rules.

Good to Know

• Avoid spoilers: Do not look through or turn over game materials until instructed. Seeing information ahead of time can reveal details of the case.
• Plan enough time: Allow approximately 3–4 hours and choose a quiet place where you can concentrate on the investigation.
• You cannot investigate everything: There is deliberately not enough time to reveal every Story card, so deciding which leads deserve your attention is part of the game.
• Keep your evidence organised: Notes can help as information builds, and revisiting earlier evidence may reveal connections you initially missed.
• Internet use is controlled by the game: Only use outside online information when the scenario specifically indicates that you may do so.
• Mature content: This product is not recommended for players under 18 and contains mature crime-related subject matter.