Detective: City of Angels

Setting up Detective: City of Angels involves placing the main board in the center of the table and organizing the currency, scratch pads, search cards, and response envelopes. One player takes on the role of the Chisel, receiving the casebook containing all secrets and solutions. The remaining players choose detective miniatures, player boards, action cubes, leverage markers, and secret envelopes. The introductory case 'Blood on the Pier' places specific case cards on the board according to the briefing, sets the starting day marker, and provides each detective with an investigation sheet to track clues.

The game centers on a competitive deduction puzzle where detectives strive to be the first to correctly identify the perpetrator, murder weapon, and motive. The Chisel acts as an adversarial game master who attempts to mislead detectives, block inquiries, and feed false leads using deception and manipulation, ultimately winning if the detectives fail to solve the crime before time runs out.

On a detective's turn, they spend four action cubes to perform various investigative tasks. Players can move around Los Angeles districts, search locations for hidden evidence or archive cards, question suspects at their current location, analyze information for scratch, or use leverage and bribes to gather secrets from informants, goons, or police officers.

Scoring and progression revolve around accumulating knowledge and leverage. Detectives gain scratch currency through analysis and kickbacks, which they use to bribe snitches for accurate responses or hire goons when blocked by the Chisel. Correctly challenging misleading responses rewards the detective with leverage over suspects, granting advantages in future questioning.

The game ends either when a detective successfully uses their solve token at a police station to name the correct suspect, weapon, and motive, or when the day marker reaches the final space. If all days expire without a correct solution, the Chisel wins the game.