These Virtual Murder Mystery Parties Are Spine-Chillingly Fun

If you've already watched every Halloween movie, strewn ghostly decorations throughout the house, and hit your nearby spooky festivals, but you still haven't settled on a socially distant Halloween soirée theme, look no further than a virtual murder mystery party. This interactive online game night isn't your typical Zoom happy hour. These fun digital party games not only offer the camaraderie (and costumes!) you're looking for, but they also encourage you to think outside the box and lean into your best problem-solving skills.

Sound intriguing, but worry your (or Aunt Susan's) technological skills aren't up to snuff? Virtual murder mystery parties are actually fairly easy to organize, thanks to an emergence of live hosted services and downloadable games. If you're hosting, all you have to do is pick your theme—from 80s prom gone wrong to intercontinental assassins—buy a kit, get a group together, set a date and time, and make sure you all have access to the internet and a singular streaming platform like Zoom or Google Hangouts. Then, you'll send out the instructions provided for you.

Of course, you can also go the free route, crafting the entire virtual murder mystery yourself, including everyone's character descriptions. Though totally doable, there is a downside: It takes a lot more leg work, since you'll have to dig deep into your imagination to create your own story line, then assign the cast, and guide participants through the puzzle.

To make the experience as easy (and therefore fun) as possible, we've gathered more than two dozen fully fleshed out games. All you have to do is download and play.