Overview
We hosted our first murder mystery party using an 80s-themed download from MyMysteryParty.com. This is a no-spoilers review covering the purchase experience, document quality, and how the night played out.
Featured on: Best Murder Mystery Party Companies
Ryan’s Review
Likes
- Well-organised game packet with a clear table of contents
- Great interaction among guests throughout the night
- Strong characters and theme — 80s costumes were excellent
- Good flow with bonus games and name tags included
- Option to add extra guests
Dislikes
- Some character storylines went unused
- Host who sets it up themselves can inadvertently learn which characters are extras
- Cutting out clues without seeing solutions is tricky
First Impressions
This was our first murder mystery party — only one of six Hexagamers had done one before. I approached it as host and player simultaneously, which affects the experience in ways I’ll note below.
We chose the 80s theme for the costume potential. It delivered.
The Documents
We bought the digital PDF download — highly recommended over physical delivery. Instant, cheaper, and easier to work with.
The main document (68 pages) is well organised with a table of contents. Critically, it flags which sections the host should skip if they want to play along without knowing everything. That’s a thoughtful design choice.
The document includes: round clues, character descriptions and backgrounds, bonus party games, name tags, and even menu suggestions. It’s genuinely comprehensive — close to everything you’d need.
How the Night Went
The character-to-guest matching required some thought. Once we sorted that, the flow was smooth. Each round revealed new information that advanced the investigation, and characters interacted naturally with each other’s storylines.
The 80s theme helped enormously — everyone committed to their costumes and that energy carried into how people played their roles. The more your group commits, the better this type of event works.
Conclusion
A solid first murder mystery party experience. The documents are polished, the structure is clear, and the theme added real entertainment value. Some storylines went unused and the host-player dynamic is a bit awkward to navigate, but neither significantly hurt the evening. Would host again.
