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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsChoose Return of the Obra Dinn if you want the most rigorous follow-up to Dupery. Its investigation is built around reconstructing events from evidence rather than repeating procedural runs. Choose Black Sonata for short hidden-movement puzzles, The Search for Planet X for formal constraint logic, or Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective for reading-heavy case files and interviews. Dupery remains the outlier: a replayable noir roguelite that turns social deduction into a run-based system.
What Dupery does differently
Dupery is a single-player deduction roguelite set in a noir city controlled by a criminal syndicate. You investigate suspects, decide when to make arrests, and protect a reputation meter while cases change from run to run. Its official description also highlights three regions, role and modifier choices, and an in-game notation toolkit for tracking information.
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The role system is unusually broad: Steam lists more than 175 individual roles across four categories. That variety matters because Dupery asks you to infer who people are inside a changing ruleset, not simply solve one authored mystery. The full release arrived on October 15, 2026; Steam showed 84% positive from 229 reviews when checked in 2026. Those figures describe the listing at that time, not a permanent score.
Use that design as your reference point when choosing a follow-up. The important questions are not just whether another title is “a detective game,” but what kind of deduction it demands, whether its puzzles reset, how much story surrounds each inference, and how long a typical investigation occupies your table or screen.
#1 Best Overall
- VICTORIAN MYSTERIES: Immerse yourself in the gaslit streets of Victorian London with this standalone box that offers ten thrilling cases for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective.
- COOPERATIVE DEDUCTION: Join forces with friends or play solo in a shared deductive experience, where every player's wits are essential to cracking the case.
- UNIQUE GAME STRUCTURE: Experience an utterly unique game structure that draws you deep into the world of Sherlock Holmes, where solving each mystery feels like stepping into the detective's shoes.
- REIMAGINED AND REFINED: The ten cases included in this collection have been fully revised and retranslated from the Ystari version, ensuring a fresh and engaging experience.
- THRILLING CHALLENGES: Test your deductive skills, follow the trail of clues, and make logical connections as you tackle each intriguing case, just like the legendary detective himself.
At a glance: which game fits your next session?
| Game | Core deduction structure | Replayability profile | Narrative density | Session shape | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return of the Obra Dinn | Evidence reconstruction and logical deduction | Finite, authored investigation | High | Longer, concentrated investigations | Players who want a demanding mystery with a definitive solution |
| Black Sonata | Hidden movement and uncertainty | Repeatable puzzle structures | Light | Compact sessions; community guidance is about 30 minutes | Players seeking a quick, strictly solo deduction game |
| The Search for Planet X | Formal logic, binary constraints, and deduction sheets | Variable logical setups and scenarios | Light to moderate | Focused puzzle sessions | Players who prefer abstract reasoning to noir storytelling |
| Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective | Case-file synthesis, reading, and interviews | Authored cases | High | Long reading and investigation sessions | Players who enjoy following leads and assembling a narrative explanation |
| Dupery | Procedural role inference and social deduction | Repeatable roguelite runs | Moderate; systemic first | Run-based play | Players who want changing cases, builds, and risk management |
1. Return of the Obra Dinn: the strongest choice for strict logical reconstruction
Why it follows Dupery well
Return of the Obra Dinn is explicitly described by Steam as “a first-person mystery adventure based on exploration and logical deduction.” You play an insurance investigator examining a ship that returned without a visible crew and work out what happened from the evidence left behind. The central pleasure is not optimizing a run; it is making a chain of claims that must fit the available observations.
That makes it the clearest choice when Dupery’s suspect work is the part you value most, but you want less procedural noise. Dupery repeatedly asks whether a role or behavior is suspicious in the current case. Obra Dinn asks you to reconstruct a past event and account for the people involved. The reasoning is more forensic and less about managing a live reputation meter.
What the deduction feels like
- Evidence first: exploration supplies the observations from which your conclusions follow.
- Consistency matters: a proposed identity or fate has to agree with the rest of the reconstructed sequence.
- Attention is the resource: careful observation and note-taking replace the build and modifier decisions that shape a Dupery run.
Because the investigation is authored, clues can support a tightly connected explanation rather than an endlessly variable one. Expect a case with a designed arc and a finite endpoint, not an infinite stream of procedurally generated mysteries.
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Steam lists the game as single-player and records its release date as October 18, 2018. The current listing checked in 2026 showed 96% positive from 18,824 English reviews. Its depth comes from the density of the one investigation, not from starting over with a new random cast after every completion.
Pick Obra Dinn when you would rather spend an evening proving a reconstruction than experimenting with a new role combination. Avoid it if your main reason for playing Dupery is the surprise of a fresh procedural case every run.
Rank #2
- TEN FRESH MYSTERIES: Immerse yourself in ten brand-new mysteries, each expertly crafted by a specialist of Sherlock Holmes, offering a fresh challenge for even the most seasoned detectives.
- COOPERATIVE INVESTIGATION: Work together as a team to solve intricate cases by interviewing suspects, scouring newspapers, and exploring the streets of London for vital clues.
- IMMERSIVE NARRATIVE: Experience an enhanced narrative with new mechanics that provide a deeper level of immersion and track your progress throughout the investigations.
- PLAY AS THE IRREGULARS: Step into the shoes of the Baker Street Irregulars, the resourceful group of young helpers who aid Sherlock Holmes in his investigations.
- NEW STORY ARC: Embark on a captivating new storyline arc centered around the young Baker Street Irregulars, adding a fresh dimension to the Sherlock Holmes universe.
2. Black Sonata: a compact hidden-movement puzzle
Why it suits short sessions
Solo-gaming discussions commonly identify Black Sonata as a quick solo deduction game. Community guidance puts a session at roughly 30 minutes; that is player guidance rather than a publisher specification, so treat it as an expectation, not a guarantee.
The game’s appeal is hidden movement and uncertainty. You are trying to infer where an unseen target has gone and use limited information to narrow the possibilities. That creates a different mental rhythm from Dupery’s role inference: instead of judging a table of suspects, you maintain a moving map of possibilities.
What to expect at the table
- Small footprint: it is suited to players who want a compact solo puzzle rather than a large campaign setup.
- Uncertainty is deliberate: incomplete information is the puzzle, so early guesses should be treated as hypotheses.
- Repeatable structure: the hidden-movement format supports replaying the deduction challenge instead of consuming one fixed story.
Black Sonata is the practical pick for a lunch break, a weeknight reset, or a second game after a longer investigation. Its lighter narrative emphasis means you will spend more time reading positions and probabilities than absorbing a noir plot.
How it compares with Dupery
Dupery rewards managing a run: investigate, decide when an arrest is safe, and protect your reputation while the case unfolds. Black Sonata removes that campaign-like pressure and concentrates the experience on locating an unseen presence. Choose it when you want the deduction itself in a portable, repeatable form; stay with Dupery when character roles, modifiers, and the risk of a bad arrest are the attraction.
3. The Search for Planet X: the cleanest formal-logic option
A puzzle built from constraints
The Search for Planet X is described in solo-game recommendation discussions as a deduction game for one to four players and is frequently recommended for solo play. Its strongest match for Dupery players is the formal structure: deduction sheets, binary constraints, and the gradual elimination of impossible positions.
Rank #3
- A THRILLING MYSTERY GAME SET IN THE CTHULU MYTHOS: Take a trip to the US in the 1920s and tear the veil concealing the unspeakable threats from Elsewhere. As agents working for the Bureau of Investigation, you’re tasked with investigating paranormal cases inspired by H.P Lovecraft’s writings.
- COOPERATIVE DETECTIVE GAME: Players take on the roles of agents of the Bureau of Investigation and work together to investigate troubling cases and mysterious affairs in five very peculiar cases. If the facts prove to be true, it will take you more than a strong stomach to solve them.
- PERFECT FOR FANS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES CONSULTING DETECTIVE: The game is based on the rules of Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, with a few added new investigative mechanics. It's a perfect fit for experienced SHCD fans looking for a new challenge and a change of setting but is also great for beginners!
- HIGHLY VARIABLE: Explore Boston, Arkham and exotic lands! Follow leads, question witnesses, find clues and take action to solve these five brand new and strange cases. With five different cases to solve and a combination of twists and new game mechanics, players will find hours of excitement.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This thrilling mystery game is designed for 1 to 8 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately 120 to 240 minutes.
Think of it as an abstract logic problem presented through an astronomical search. You record what a rule permits or forbids, combine those statements, and identify the only arrangement that satisfies the full set. The satisfaction comes from reducing a large possibility space to a forced answer.
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Who will enjoy it
- Sheet-oriented thinkers: choose it if you like marking possibilities and watching a grid collapse.
- Players who prefer rules to character drama: the deductions are about constraints, not reading personalities or reconstructing a dramatic scene.
- Solo puzzlers who want variation: logical setups and scenarios can change the path to the solution without requiring a new narrative campaign.
The game is a better follow-up than a conventional detective story if what you liked in Dupery was the act of eliminating roles one by one. It is a weaker match if the noir city, suspect personalities, and arrest decisions are essential to your enjoyment.
Managing difficulty
Start by writing every confirmed fact before making a speculative deduction. Mark “must be,” “cannot be,” and “still possible” states separately; collapsing those categories too early is the most common way to create a false conclusion. When a chain stalls, revisit the rules that affect several positions at once instead of guessing the remaining location.
4. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: the narrative case-file choice
Investigation through reading and interviews
A solo mystery-game discussion recommends Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective for players who want a substantial mystery and deduction experience. Its method is case-file synthesis: read the supplied material, decide which leads deserve attention, follow interviews, and assemble an explanation from scattered statements.
This is the opposite of a run-based roguelite loop. The challenge is deciding what to investigate and recognizing which details connect, rather than learning a repeatable rules engine. The narrative is therefore much denser than in a system-first puzzle, and your progress depends on reading carefully.
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Rank #4
- MORE, MORE, MORE: First introduced in the 1980's, this super-sized version of Clue has more weapons, more rooms, more suspects, and more mayhem
- THE SET UP: Just about everyone knows how to play Clue. Sort the cards by Weapons, Rooms, and Suspects. Take 1 of each and put it in the Confidential Case File, deal out the rest - and off you go
- THE PLAY: Game play is just like regular Clue - but there's also 1 big addition: SNOOP Spaces! There are 9 of them on the board and they allow you to look at 1 of your opponents' cards. Pretty dastardly
- TIME TO PLAY: The game of Clue lasts as long as the players want it to. With careful Suggestions and clever deduction, you can expect the game to be about 45 - 60 minutes
- LARGE GROUP GAMEPLAY: Since up to 10 players can play all at once, this works well for a large gathering of friends to figure out WHODUNNIT
Why choose it after Dupery
- For story-driven deduction: choose it when suspects, motives, and testimony matter as much as the final answer.
- For open-ended lead selection: you decide which interviews and documents are worth your time instead of following a fixed turn-by-turn puzzle procedure.
- For shared reading habits: even when played alone, the format rewards organized notes and a clear timeline of claims.
Cases are authored, so replayability comes from revisiting your reasoning or tackling another case rather than generating a new mystery from the same system. Session length depends on how deeply you pursue leads; plan for a longer reading-focused investigation rather than a quick puzzle.
Edition caution
The title has appeared in multiple editions and case collections. Check the exact edition, included cases, language, and current availability before buying, because those details determine what content you actually receive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the four alternatives differ from Dupery
Deduction structure
Dupery’s signature is procedural role inference: you interpret suspects inside a changing ruleset and decide whether the evidence justifies an arrest. Obra Dinn asks for a reconstruction from observed evidence. Black Sonata tracks hidden movement. Planet X turns clues into formal constraints. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective asks you to synthesize a case file from reading and interviews.
Replayability
Dupery is designed around repeatable runs, while Black Sonata supports replayable puzzle structures. Planet X can vary through its logical setup and scenarios. Obra Dinn and Sherlock Holmes rely more heavily on authored investigations, so their replay value is concentrated in the quality and density of the cases rather than procedural generation.
Narrative density
Obra Dinn and Sherlock Holmes carry the most narrative weight. Black Sonata and Planet X are lighter and more system-driven. Dupery sits between those poles: its noir framing gives the runs an identity, but its replay loop and role system remain the focus.
Best Value
- Step back in time to help Watson find out who murdered Ignatius Loyde and clear Sherlock's name!
- Solve escape room style puzzles and use several mysterious objects found in the box to unravel the mystery
- Immerses you in the classic Arthur Conan Doyle novels as you battle with Moriarty and try to help Scotland Yard solve the case.
- This game can only be played once as you must rip tear, and destroy components to complete it.
Session shape
Black Sonata is the compact option. Dupery divides play into runs. Obra Dinn and Sherlock Holmes are better suited to uninterrupted investigation time, while Planet X favors a focused logic session in which you can keep your deduction sheet visible.
Choose by the feeling you want next
If you want the hardest evidence chain
Pick Return of the Obra Dinn. It is the most direct move from suspect deduction to rigorous reconstruction, with a finite authored case that rewards careful observation.
If you want a 30-minute solo puzzle
Pick Black Sonata. Its hidden-movement structure and small footprint make it the easiest alternative to fit around a busy schedule, while still giving you uncertainty to resolve.
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Pick The Search for Planet X. Its deduction sheets and binary constraints keep the focus on eliminating possibilities until one arrangement remains.
If you want to read, interview, and explain
Pick Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective. The case-file format gives you the richest narrative process, but it also asks for more reading time and accepts less procedural replay.
If you want another repeatable run
Keep playing Dupery or choose a game that preserves replayable structures, especially Black Sonata or Planet X. Obra Dinn and Sherlock Holmes are better treated as authored investigations than as endless-run replacements.
A practical decision checklist
- Do you want a solved story or an endlessly changing puzzle? Choose Obra Dinn or Sherlock Holmes for authored cases; choose Dupery, Black Sonata, or Planet X for repeatable structures.
- Do you want characters or constraints? Characters and testimony point toward Obra Dinn or Sherlock Holmes. Constraints and positional logic point toward Black Sonata or Planet X.
- How much time can you protect? Black Sonata is the compact choice; Dupery is organized around runs; Obra Dinn and Sherlock Holmes reward longer uninterrupted sessions.
- How much note-taking do you enjoy? Planet X makes the deduction sheet central, Obra Dinn rewards detailed reconstruction notes, and Sherlock Holmes benefits from a timeline of leads. Dupery includes its own notation toolkit.
- Is replayability your deciding factor? Favor Dupery or Black Sonata for repeatable play, Planet X for variable logical setups, and choose Obra Dinn or Sherlock Holmes for the depth of a crafted case.
Bottom line
Return of the Obra Dinn is the best overall follow-up to Dupery when “deduction” means building a defensible explanation from evidence. Black Sonata is the short-session alternative, The Search for Planet X is the purest formal-logic exercise, and Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is the narrative case-file experience. The right choice depends on whether you want Dupery’s replayable uncertainty, a finite reconstruction, a compact hidden-movement puzzle, an abstract constraint problem, or a story you can investigate document by document.
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