Do you have what it takes to solve the case, gumshoe? Take out your magnifying glass and do your best Sherlock Holmes impression as you enjoy some excellent murder mystery games you can play online for free. Put your detective skills to the test!
Bela Kovacs and Trail of Blood
Times are tough in Eastern Europe. And they're even tougher in Bela Kovacs and Trail of Blood as you take on the titular role of a hardened ex-cop in Hungary. Your 21-year-old niece has been murdered, and the police seem to be covering it up. It is now up to you to solve her murder on your own.
The photorealistic game consists of five chapters, each with the story unfolding over a series of captioned still images. The investigation starts at the scene of the crime where you search your niece's apartment for clues. Simply click on the clues as you find them to further the investigation.
Murder Mystery
For a very simple, retro-inspired take on the genre, the appropriately titled Murder Mystery places you in the middle of a large room with the murder victim, the policemen who need your help in solving the case, and the apparent suspects.
Move around the room using the arrow keys on your keyboard and then interact with the people and items in the room by pressing the Enter key. When you stop to talk to one of the suspects, you are typically offered multiple choices for what you might say or ask. After you think you've gathered enough of the story, you go and tell the police officer who you think committed the bloody crime.
The Tea Shop Murder Mystery
Starring the world famous Sherlock Holmes, The Tea Shop Murder Mystery has more of a cartoon-inspired, cel-shaded art style. The owner of a local tea shop has been murdered, and now you and Sherlock Holmes have been assigned to the case.
In this point-and-click mystery game, it is up to you to find the interactive objects in each scene. When you do, Sherlock will give you some sense of what they might mean and how they can add to your hypothesis for solving the case. Collect the objects as you go, interview the locals, and navigate to different locations throughout London in search of more clues.
Sleuth: Noir
Described as interactive fiction, Sleuth: Noir requires you first to create a new detective account. No email or other verification is needed. This is more of a role-playing game, so you get to choose the gender of your detective character (which affects how witnesses and suspects respond to you) as well as your detective's background to determine his or her skills and statistics. A full bio is generated with the amount of money you have, total skill points, sleuth theme, equipment, and more.
The featured free mystery case is Murder in Manhattan. The apparent suicide of Jonathan Drake is no suicide at all, and it's up to you to take the case. Search the crime scene, discover physical evidence, interview suspects and potential witnesses, and more. The game is very story-driven, so be prepared for some light reading.
Murder on the Set
As part of the very popular hidden objects genre of online games, Murder on the Set sets you up with your partner as you investigate the murder of a famous actor while he was working on his latest movie. Investigate each animated scene carefully and look for the specific clues as indicated by their images at the bottom of the screen. The game is divided into three "worlds," each with multiple level to explore.
Keep an eye on the "mood" of your investigative partner at the top of the screen and utilize the normal, "flashlight" or "selected item" hints near the bottom of the screen if you need help to find the cleverly hidden items. You can "buy" more hints as you accumulate in-game currency. Your rating for each level is determined by the amount of time you take to find all the objects and the accuracy of your clicks.
Crack the Case
Lose yourself in a world of murder and mystery with these free online games. They'll surely test your problem solving and keen observation skills as you scour the crime scenes and beyond in search of clues. Bring the murderer to justice!
