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Return of the Obra Dinn is the best next game if you want harder, evidence-driven deduction. Choose Black Sonata for a compact hidden-movement puzzle, The Search for Planet X for formal logic, or Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective for narrative case files. Each preserves a different part of Dupery’s appeal instead of copying its procedural noir roguelite formula.
Dupery is unusual because it combines solo social deduction with repeatable runs: you investigate suspects, decide whom to arrest, protect a reputation meter, and work through procedurally generated cases across three regions while selecting roles and modifiers. The alternatives below are organized by the kind of deduction you want to practice next.
At a glance: which game should you choose?
| Game | Core deduction structure | Replayability profile | Narrative and session shape | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return of the Obra Dinn | Reconstructing events from evidence | Finite, authored investigation | Dense story; longer investigation sessions | Players who want rigorous logical reconstruction |
| Black Sonata | Hidden movement and uncertainty | Repeatable puzzle structures | Light narrative; roughly 30-minute community-reported sessions | A compact, strictly solo puzzle |
| The Search for Planet X | Formal constraints and deduction sheets | Varies with setup and scenarios | Abstract, system-driven play | Players who prefer clean logic over noir framing |
| Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective | Reading, interviewing and case-file synthesis | Authored cases | Very narrative; best with an extended reading session | Players who want a story-led mystery |
| Dupery | Procedural role inference in a noir roguelite | Procedurally generated runs | Systemic noir; run-based sessions | A baseline for deciding which element to keep |
The table is a practical way to identify your priority: evidence, hidden movement, formal constraints or narrative investigation. The detailed sections explain what changes when you move away from Dupery’s specific loop.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat Dupery establishes as your baseline
Dupery is a solo deduction roguelite set in a noir city controlled by a criminal syndicate. Its central loop asks you to investigate suspects, make arrests and preserve a reputation meter while cases change from run to run. Procedural generation is supported by three regions, role and modifier choices, and an in-game notation toolkit for recording conclusions.
#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.
Steam lists more than 175 individual roles divided across four categories. That breadth matters because the game’s replayability comes from inferring what a role means in the current case rather than memorizing one fixed solution. Dupery’s full release date was October 15, 2026; the Steam listing showed 84% positive from 229 reviews when checked in 2026.
Use that baseline to decide what you are replacing. None of the four recommendations reproduces every part of Dupery: authored mysteries generally give you deeper deliberate construction, while repeatable systems usually provide less story or a smaller cast of suspects.
Return of the Obra Dinn: the closest match for rigorous deduction
Why it follows Dupery well
Return of the Obra Dinn is the strongest choice when the satisfying part of Dupery is proving what happened rather than simply reaching the end of a run. You play an insurance investigator examining a ship that returned without a visible crew. Progress comes from exploring the vessel, collecting observations and logically reconstructing the fate of its people.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe official Steam description calls it “a first-person mystery adventure based on exploration and logical deduction.” That wording accurately signals the difference from a procedural roguelite: the investigation is authored, and the challenge is to assemble a coherent explanation from a fixed body of evidence.
What the deduction feels like
The game rewards explicit hypotheses. You are not primarily ranking suspects by a changing role table; you are matching identities, actions and consequences across connected scenes. A conclusion is valuable because several pieces of evidence support it, not because a random event happened to make it likely.
That structure makes it a good follow-up for players who take notes in Dupery’s toolkit and enjoy checking a theory against every available clue. It also means that a wrong assumption can affect later reasoning, so slow, documented progress is more useful than guessing.
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.
Trade-offs
Obra Dinn does not offer Dupery’s endless case generation. Its investigation has a finite authored depth, so its replay value comes from revisiting the logic, discussing interpretations and trying to complete a cleaner reconstruction rather than starting an entirely new procedural case.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →It is single-player and suits a longer, concentrated session. Pick it when you want the most demanding evidence chain and a strong narrative frame; do not pick it if your main requirement is an infinite stream of fresh runs. The Steam listing showed 96% positive from 18,824 English reviews when checked in 2026, and the game originally released on October 18, 2018.
Black Sonata: a compact hidden-movement alternative
Why it fits a different part of Dupery
Black Sonata is the recommendation for players who like uncertainty and tracking an unseen target but do not want a large campaign or a long case file. Solo-gaming discussions commonly describe it as a quick deduction game built around hidden movement. The appeal is the tension of narrowing down where something is and what it is doing from incomplete information.
Session length and table commitment
Community guidance often places a session at about 30 minutes. Treat that as player experience rather than a publisher guarantee: setup, learning time and your pace can change the total. The small footprint makes it practical when you want one focused puzzle after work or between longer games.
Because the hidden-movement puzzle structure can be reset, Black Sonata supports repeat play more naturally than a one-time case narrative. You are practicing observation and probability management rather than reconstructing a large chronology.
Who should choose it
- Choose Black Sonata when the unknown location of a target is more exciting to you than a detailed cast of characters.
- Choose it when you want a strictly solo design rather than a multiplayer game with an optional solo mode.
- Choose it when a compact, repeatable puzzle is more useful than a multi-hour investigation.
It is lighter on narrative than Dupery’s noir framing and does not attempt to simulate a criminal city, but it preserves the feeling that every observation can reduce uncertainty.
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.
The Search for Planet X: the cleanest formal-logic option
What changes from social deduction
The Search for Planet X is best for readers who enjoy deduction sheets, binary constraints and the satisfaction of eliminating possibilities one by one. Recommendation discussions describe it as a deduction game for one to four players and frequently point to solo play as a strong use case.
Instead of inferring a rotating cast of roles, you work with a formal problem: statements and observations constrain where the hidden object can be. The experience is closer to solving an abstract logic puzzle than inhabiting a noir investigation.
Why it is replayable
Its variability comes from different logical setups and scenarios. That gives you new constraint relationships to analyze without relying on Dupery’s procedural character roles. A familiar solving method remains useful, but the arrangement of information changes the path to the answer.
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Best fit and limitations
Select Planet X if you want the rules of deduction to be visible and auditable. It is a particularly good match for players who enjoy writing candidates, crossing out impossibilities and checking whether a conclusion follows from the available statements.
Choose another game if your priority is character drama or free-form interviewing. Planet X is intentionally more abstract and system-driven; its narrative density is lower than that of Obra Dinn or Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective.
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: the narrative case-file choice
How it differs from a roguelite
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is for readers who want to spend an evening with documents, interviews and a case file. A solo mystery-game discussion identifies it as a worthwhile mystery and deduction option, especially for players who value reading and synthesizing testimony over manipulating a repeatable puzzle system.
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
The core skill is deciding which information matters, which leads are worth pursuing and how separate statements fit into one explanation. You are effectively building a case from written material rather than controlling a run with modifiers and a reputation meter.
Replayability and edition checks
The cases are authored, so replayability is primarily the value of solving new case files, comparing interpretations or returning after you have forgotten details. It is not designed to generate an endless supply of procedural mysteries in the way Dupery does.
“Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective” refers to a line with multiple editions and case sets. Confirm the exact edition, included cases and current availability before buying; contents and listings can differ by region and release. That check matters more here than with a single, clearly identified digital title.
Who should choose it
Pick it when narrative density is your deciding factor and you enjoy reading aloud, taking notes and following or abandoning leads. It is less suitable if you want a quick puzzle or a highly repeatable solo loop.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose by the deduction you want next
If you want stronger evidence chains
Start with Return of the Obra Dinn. Its fixed investigation lets you examine how multiple observations support one conclusion, making it the clearest step up in logical reconstruction.
If you want short, repeatable uncertainty
Choose Black Sonata. Its hidden-movement focus keeps the information problem tight and its community-reported session length makes it easy to play in a single sitting.
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.
If you want pure constraint solving
Choose The Search for Planet X. It strips away most story so you can concentrate on formal deductions, candidate elimination and scenario-dependent logic.
If you want to read and investigate
Choose Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective. The reward is assembling a narrative explanation from case materials, not optimizing a procedural run.
Replayability: what “more” means in each game
Replayability is not one scale. Dupery generates new cases and combines them with role and modifier choices, so its repeat value is systemic. Black Sonata also supports repeated puzzle structures, but its sessions are much more compact.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Obra Dinn and Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective rely on authored content. Their replay value is concentrated in the quality and number of cases, the satisfaction of a complete solution and the possibility of revisiting your reasoning. Once you know a case, the uncertainty that powered the first play is reduced.
Planet X sits between those models. Its logical setups and scenarios can vary the constraint problem, while the underlying method remains recognizable. It is a good choice when you want fresh configurations without requiring a new story every time.
A practical play order after Dupery
- Play Return of the Obra Dinn first if you want the most direct change from procedural suspicion to evidence-based proof.
- Move to Black Sonata when you want a shorter session that still asks you to reason from incomplete information.
- Try The Search for Planet X when you want to formalize your note-taking into explicit constraints and elimination.
- Finish with Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective when you are ready for a reading-heavy, story-led investigation rather than another compact puzzle.
This order is optional. If session length is your first constraint, start with Black Sonata; if narrative is non-negotiable, begin with Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective instead.
Buying and setup checks
- Digital versus tabletop: Obra Dinn and Dupery are digital investigations, while Black Sonata, The Search for Planet X and Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective are tabletop-oriented choices. Confirm the format before ordering.
- Solo support: Verify whether the listing describes a dedicated solo design or a multiplayer title with a solo recommendation. The discussions around Planet X specifically recommend solo play, while Black Sonata is routinely discussed as strictly solo.
- Edition contents: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective requires the closest edition check because case sets and regional listings can differ.
- Time available: Allow a longer, uninterrupted block for Obra Dinn or a case-file session. Black Sonata is the compact option; Planet X depends on the scenario and your solving pace.
- Note-taking: Keep a notebook or digital document ready for every choice. Dupery includes an in-game notation toolkit, but the tabletop titles depend more on your own recording system.
Bottom line
Return of the Obra Dinn is the best overall follow-up for a Dupery player who wants deeper logic and a strong mystery. Black Sonata preserves repeatable solo uncertainty in a small package, The Search for Planet X delivers the most formal deduction, and Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective offers the richest reading-led investigation. Choose according to the part of Dupery you want to keep—not merely the setting you want to imitate.
Quick Recap
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