Why I Made Murderful
A personal note from Martin on where the idea came from, why the online version came first, and what I hope people get from sitting down to play it.
What if nobody knew who the murderer was?
Hey there,
I've always loved detective games and murder mysteries. The clever clues, the bluffing, the whodunnit tension. There's nothing better.
But I kept thinking: what if there was a game where no one knew who the murderer was? Not the detectives. Not even the murderer themselves.
That idea wouldn't leave me alone, so I started building it.
Murderful is a social deduction mystery where everyone is in the dark together. You get a hidden Alibi, a public Alibi Denial, and a deck of cards that lets you investigate, pressure your friends, spread rumours, and make bold accusations.
One of you, or one of the Street positions, is hiding the truth, and even the player closest to it may not realise.
The whole table shares the paranoia and excitement at the same time.
Why online came first
That's why I made Murderful Online first.
It's completely free to play right now for two simple reasons. First, I genuinely want your feedback, good or bad. Tell me what's fun, what's confusing, and what made you laugh. That all helps make the game better.
Second, I'd love to stay in touch. Your email won't be sold or spammed. I only want to let you know about updates, new features, or whether this eventually becomes a physical game.
What I hope happens next
Every room helps the mystery grow.
If you enjoy it, I'd be hugely grateful if you told your friends or shared a funny moment from a game. Every game helps the project grow and makes the mystery better.
Thanks for playing.
Now go accuse someone.
Current Status
Playable online now. Physical edition in development.
Murderful is currently playable online in private playtest rooms. One host requests access, opens the room when approved, and shares the code or join link with the rest of the group.
The physical board game edition is in development, but it is not yet available for retail sale.
This site is the public-facing home for the project while the private test tools and the game itself keep evolving in the background.
What matters most to me
- Real conversation over passive screen time.
- Suspicion, bluffing, and deduction sharing the same table.
- Feedback that helps shape where Murderful goes next.
- A mystery world that feels stylish, social, and replayable.
Other Prototype
CRIMENOES lives here too, but as its own separate thing.
CRIMENOES is a separate live prototype, an asymmetric heist-themed domino-style game living on Murderful.com while it develops into its own thing.
It is for 3-7 players, where one player, the Detective, tries to seal off every escape route before the rest of the table, playing as a gang of Suspects, can either complete a shared route to its target length or personally play their last tile and get out clean.
It plays in 8-16 minutes, teaches almost instantly, match the symbol, extend the route, and the tension comes from a genuine double bind: Suspects need each other's routes to survive the round, but only the ones who empty their hand actually escape.
Why it fits
One villain against the table, built on a mechanic everyone already knows.
It shares the same social, suspicious energy as Murderful, but it is much faster, leaner, and more openly competitive.
While it grows into its own identity, it lives here as a sister prototype rather than part of the main Murderful play path.