# Detective Mystery - Narrative Template | Summer Engine ## About this template Picture a game where players examine a crime scene and find three clues that each point somewhere different. They interview a suspect who lies smoothly about two things and tells the truth about a third. They have to figure out which is which. When they do, it unlocks a new line of questioning that reveals something about a different suspect entirely. The puzzle is layered and the pieces are human. Summer Engine helps you design that puzzle through conversation. Describe the crime, the suspects, the web of secrets, the evidence system. The AI helps you build a deduction architecture where players genuinely solve the mystery rather than exhaust dialogue trees until the story moves forward. Detective games fail when the investigation is just clicking through dialogue until the plot advances. They succeed when the player genuinely reasons their way to the answer. Design the suspects to have specific lies rooted in specific reasons. The truth should be discoverable by logic, not accident. ## Who it's for * Narrative designers who want to build a mystery game where the investigation is genuinely playable. * Writers with a crime or mystery concept who want to adapt it for an interactive medium. * Teams building a game in the tradition of Disco Elysium, Return of the Obra Dinn, or Her Story. * Solo devs who want to build a tight one-case detective game for the narrative game market. ## Highlights * ### Single Case Mystery A focused 2-4 hour mystery with one crime, a cast of 5-8 suspects, and a deduction mechanic that requires genuine reasoning. Every piece of evidence eliminates possibilities. * ### Multi-Case Detective Series An anthology of connected cases with a recurring detective protagonist. Each case is self-contained but threads connect across the series. * ### Social Deduction RPG A mystery with a full RPG layer: detective stats for intimidation, charm, and observation. How players invest their character determines which clues they can access. ## Highlights ### Evidence collection and examination Players find clues at locations. Each clue can be examined, combined with others, and presented to suspects. Evidence has multiple valid interpretations until the final deduction. ### Suspect interrogation Players question suspects using gathered evidence. The right evidence breaks down a specific lie. The wrong evidence closes off future questioning opportunities. ### Deduction board Players connect evidence, suspects, and motives on a deduction board. The solution requires assembling a complete picture, not just finding the final clue. ### Timed investigation windows Optional time pressure creates meaningful choices about where to investigate. Players cannot be everywhere. Prioritization reveals what the player found important. ## Features * ### Evidence and inventory system Players collect evidence from locations. Items can be examined for detail, combined to form new evidence, and presented to suspects or locations to trigger reactions. * ### Dialogue with evidence presentation Suspect conversations are dialogue trees with the additional ability to present evidence mid-conversation. The right evidence unlocks hidden dialogue nodes that close the case forward. * ### Deduction and accusation system Players connect clues on a deduction board to form hypotheses. When all connections are made, they can commit to an accusation. The game evaluates correctness and reveals what was missed. * ### Location and timeline system Each suspect has a timeline of where they were and when. Players compare suspect timelines with the crime timeline to identify inconsistencies. Alibis can be confirmed or broken. ## Genre fit * Mystery * Detective * Narrative * Adventure * Puzzle * Desktop * Web * Mobile ## Related Templates [View All](https://www.summerengine.com/templates) [Choice-Based Narrative Build a choice-based narrative game with meaningful decisions, tracked consequences, and a story that responds to who the player is becoming across every chapter. Narrative](https://www.summerengine.com/templates/narrative/choice-based-narrative/choice-based-narrative) [Dialogue-Driven Adventure Build an adventure game where conversation is the primary mechanic. Players navigate a world through dialogue, using words to open doors, resolve conflicts, earn trust, and reveal the truth about the world they inhabit. Narrative](https://www.summerengine.com/templates/narrative/dialogue-driven-adventure/dialogue-driven-adventure) [Interactive Fiction Build an interactive fiction experience where prose, player choice, and tracked variables create a personalized story. Every reader experiences a different version of the same world. Narrative](https://www.summerengine.com/templates/narrative/interactive-fiction/interactive-fiction) Source: https://www.summerengine.com/templates/narrative/detective-mystery/detective-mystery --- ## Machine-readable resources - Site index for agents: https://www.summerengine.com/llms.txt - Full inlined content: https://www.summerengine.com/llms-full.txt - Porting catalog: https://www.summerengine.com/llms-porting.txt - Structured catalog: https://www.summerengine.com/agent-catalog.json - Sitemap: https://www.summerengine.com/sitemap.xml - Developer resources: https://www.summerengine.com/docs