Happy people sitting in cafés. Children wanting an ice cream from the market stall. Art lovers at a gallery opening. But with our trained detective’s eye we can see through the supposed harmony of Crime City’s inhabitants. There are over a dozen murder and crime cases to solve in this enormous bustling city map, drawn in the style of hidden object games. Who had a motive to stab a knife into the skateboarder’s back? Why was the mayor seen just before his death on the waterfront with a large case of money? Clues and signs give us evidence for the sequence of events, leading to an exciting reconstruction of the crime, all without any text and with minimal rules. Jealousy, resentment and deceit are the central themes of this co-operative hidden object game, all wrapped up in the sugar-sweet, knowing and detailed drawings.

A large black-and-white poster and a few cards – that’s all “MicroMacro: Crime City” needs to captivate players. When they lean in over the table to take in the whole scene, you can cut the tension with a knife. Everyone’s eyes flit over the city map, trying to reveal new information about the crime. Heated discussions between players about motives and evidence can created truly unforgettable moments.