Samos Self-Guided Sherlock Holmes Murder Mystery Game

The case in Samos begins on the central square of Vathy, the Pythagoras Square set back from the harbour, and stays within a short walk of the bay. The trail crosses the square, takes in the Archaeological Museum of Vathy and then turns back down towards the water. It is a self-guided murder mystery game, played on foot with your phone in hand.

Vathy is small and the front is level, with the older houses climbing gently behind it, so this suits families with children, groups of friends, couples and colleagues, and works for a single player as well. Four players at most share a single phone as a team; a larger group buys a ticket per team and plays in parallel. No guide comes along and no start time is set, so Samos can be played early or late in the day.

How to play

One app, one download, and the case is open.

1. Book the City Game
2. Check the instructions email
3. Download the Loquiz app
4. Start playing whenever you like

Balthasar has been killed, and the case falls to you. Codes turn up where you would not think to look for them, photo tasks ask you to record what you see, and digital characters give accounts that contradict each other. The rooms of the Archaeological Museum of Vathy and the streets running back from the harbour both carry part of the answer, and each solved task shortens the list of suspects.

When several teams play at once, Samos becomes a competition and the scores decide it, which makes this a practical teambuilding option as well as a day out. Break for lunch by the water, return to the case afterwards, and close it in Vathy on Samos.