---
key: mechanic/detective--family-24
type: mechanic
id: detective--family-24
lang: en
title: Choosing an accusation
summary: >-
  The player decides whom to accuse of what, weighing the completeness of an
  explanation against the risk of error.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-24/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-24.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-24.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Detective games
  - 'Conclusions, argument and assistance'
sourceIds:
  - source-de967651def38651
  - source-b21a556417974437
  - source-7fcfb2fbe5cf06c7
sources:
  - id: source-de967651def38651
    title: 'Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments'
    url: >-
      https://store.steampowered.com/app/241260/Sherlock_Holmes_Crimes_and_Punishments/
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-b21a556417974437
    title: Paradise Killer
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/Paradise_Killer/'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-7fcfb2fbe5cf06c7
    title: Paradise Killer
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: detective
    id: family-24
    title: Detective games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/detective/#family-24'
    categoryIds:
      - conclusions
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Choosing an accusation
    description: >-
      The player decides whom to accuse of what, weighing the completeness of an
      explanation against the risk of error.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/narrative-paradise-killer-02.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Paradise Killer
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1160220/ss_0ee4deeaa33b45f96ac96499c4966577b3f2dd50.1920x1080.jpg?t=1776963586
      credit: Kaizen Game Works / Fellow Traveller
      rights: © Kaizen Game Works / Fellow Traveller. All rights reserved.
      caption: Case evidence before choosing an accusation
      alt: Case evidence before choosing an accusation
      markers:
        - x: 50
          'y': 60
          label: The case file connects a suspect to relevant evidence
    tips:
      - >-
        Distinguish choosing an accusation from automatically confirming its
        truth.
    examples:
      - title: Paradise Killer
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-19.
  Primary developer and publisher sources support specific released-game
  examples, not the whole classification; design examples are hypothetical.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/detective
---
# Choosing an accusation

id: detective--family-24
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/detective--family-24
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-24/

The player decides whom to accuse of what, weighing the completeness of an explanation against the risk of error.

## At a glance

![Case evidence before choosing an accusation](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/narrative-paradise-killer-02.webp)

[Paradise Killer](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/) · © Kaizen Game Works / Fellow Traveller. All rights reserved.

1. The case file connects a suspect to relevant evidence

- Distinguish choosing an accusation from automatically confirming its truth.

- [Paradise Killer](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/)

## How it works

The player decides whom to accuse of what, weighing the completeness of an explanation against the risk of error.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-24-branch-1"></a>

- Complete accusation: name the participant, action, means and supporting basis. <a id="family-24-variant-1"></a>
- Multiple incidents: assign responsibility to participants in different actions. <a id="family-24-variant-2"></a>
- Deferred conclusion: withhold a final answer until a significant alternative has been tested. <a id="family-24-variant-3"></a>

## Design example

A key transfer is established, but participation in a theft is not. The player chooses the accusation’s scope or keeps investigating.

## Context and limits

A working map of detective design: 32 families and 96 variants. The core loop is to find information, form a hypothesis, test it and explain a conclusion. Answer formats, hints and investigation structure are treated separately. Families overlap, design examples are hypothetical, and released-game examples cite primary sources without revealing case solutions.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-19. Primary developer and publisher sources support specific released-game examples, not the whole classification; design examples are hypothetical.

- [Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments](https://store.steampowered.com/app/241260/Sherlock_Holmes_Crimes_and_Punishments/) (id: source-de967651def38651)
- [Paradise Killer](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/Paradise_Killer/) (id: source-b21a556417974437)
- [Paradise Killer](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/) (id: source-7fcfb2fbe5cf06c7)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors