A solo RPG inspired by Seven, Mind Hunter and Zodiac has players seeking a serial killer
The TRPG for lovers of true crime.
A new single-player tabletop roleplaying game inspired by Seven, Mind Hunter and Zodiac challenges players to solve a series of murders.
A solo roleplaying game – meaning that there is no game master and players experience the game alone – the plot of Seven Murders til Midnight revolves around the crimes of a serial killer, with players being tasked with attempting to find them before more deaths can occur. The tabletop RPG has players taking the role of someone who has stumbled across a series of murders, whether deliberately or by accident, and finds themselves compelled to solve the crimes.
Seven Murders til Midnight enables players to play as a seasoned detective, a rookie cop, a rogue reporter or even a concerned citizen, with each role bringing its own advantages and challenges. How players come across the murders will help to determine the motivation behind their pursuit of the killer: whether they’re just doing their job or if they’re somehow driven to uncover the murderer despite the danger it puts them in.
The upcoming RPG takes inspiration from the likes of critically acclaimed films and television series such as David Fincher’s 1996 thriller Seven – which sees a rookie and cynical detective teaming up to solve several murders connected by the seven deadly sins – and Mind Hunter, a Netflix TV show loosely based on a true-crime novel about the development of criminology studies in the 1970s, alongside the 2007 film Zodiac and 1991’s Silence of the Lambs. Players in Seven Murders til Midnight will have exactly seven in-game days to catch a serial killer – before they become the next target.
In the tabletop RPG, players use a standard deck of playing cards to build each murder scene, as well as the various clues left by the killer, any events they encounter in their investigation and any effects to their character’s mental health brought about by their dive into the murders. Throughout the investigation, players will capture their character’s thoughts, such as any clues or suspicions, within a journal. The players will have access to two main resources – sanity and clues – which will determine the kind of ending they experience when the seven days are up.
Seven murders til Midnight was co-created by David Thomas, the designer behind the rules-light roleplaying game Churrascaria, and Jacqueline Schlasner, with layout and development being completed by Will Thompson – who has previously contributed to titles such as roleplaying game Coyote and Crow.
The Kickstarter campaign for Seven Murders til Midnight is live until March 9th, with a pledge of $14 (£12) getting players a physical copy of the book in June. Alternatively, a digital version of the book is available for a pledge of $5 (£3).