Chronicles of Crime Noir vs Welcome to Redview: Which Mystery?
By Asmodee – Asmodee USA | Published: 2026-10-30
Category: Comparisons
Compare Chronicles of Crime: Noir and Welcome to Redview to find the detective game that fits your group. We weigh setting, roles, and replay value.
Quick answer
Choose Chronicles of Crime: Noir if you want a gritty solo-style detective experience with a hard-boiled 1940s setting. Pick Welcome to Redview for a small-town mystery with a modern twist and more collaborative investigation.
Setting and tone shape the experience
Noir drops you into post-World War II California as a private eye named Sam Spader. You work alone, hired by clients, with no forensic team to lean on. That solo dynamic changes how you approach every clue and suspect.
Welcome to Redview moves to a small American town in 1985. The quiet setting hides strange happenings, and you investigate as a team. The cooperative feel suits groups that enjoy sharing theories and piecing evidence together.
How you play differs more than the theme
Noir emphasizes independent judgment. Without police support, you decide which leads to follow and who to trust. Each case feels personal, and mistakes carry weight.
Redview uses the same Scan & Play technology to blend digital and board play, but the structure encourages group discussion. The stories are designed for multiple investigations with the same components, so replay value comes from swapping cases, not from changing your role.
Tradeoffs at a glance
- Setting: Noir gives you a post-war California noir vibe with a lone private eye. Redview offers a 1980s small-town mystery with a more communal feel. Match the setting to your group's preferred mood: gritty and personal vs nostalgic and neighborly.
- Role and support: In Noir, you work alone without forensic help, so you must trust your own instincts. In Redview, you cooperate as a team from the start. If you enjoy debating clues with friends, Redview supports that; if you prefer a solo challenge, Noir fits better.
- Replay value: Both use Scan & Play to tell multiple stories with the same components. Redview emphasizes many investigations, while Noir focuses on a single detective's cases. Consider how often you replay: Redview offers more varied cases, Noir offers a deeper personal narrative.
Product facts
- Chronicles of Crime: Noir: In Chronicles of Crime: Noir you and your group are collectively working as a single private eye, Sam Spader, in post-World War II California. Unlike in the base game where you’re working for the police and have forensic scientists helping you out along the way, in Noir you’re usually working on your own. You get a more independent, self-reliant detective experience where every decision is yours alone.
Chronicles of Crime: Noir - Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview: Welcome to Redview is a cooperative game of crime investigation set in a small American town in 1985, using Scan & Play technology to mix digital and board games, allowing for many crime investigation stories to be told with the same components. The cooperative structure and 1985 setting make it a great pick for groups that want to solve mysteries together with varied cases.
Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview
Which mystery should you pick?
Best for
- Solo players or duos who want a gritty, independent detective story
- Fans of film noir and 1940s settings who enjoy making tough calls alone
Not for
- Groups that prefer a collaborative, team-based investigation with a lighter tone
- Players who want a modern setting and a variety of cases over a single character arc
