
- BGG rank
- BGG #298
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
- 4–12 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2014

2023
Rules assistance for Dying Message
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dying Message is a board game released in 2023 for 2–8 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Fumiko Shimizu and its main mechanics are Communication Limits.
You've been murdered! Well, almost, you're not dead yet, so you want to communicate the identity of who the killer is, but you have a limited number of tools to make that happen: a small number of cards with obscure marks on them and...yourself. Yes, your dying body. Maybe you can arrange the cards in some manner to convey information. Maybe your still fingers can point to — or obscure — parts of the cards to increase the clarity of your dying thought. If the clues are easy to understand, they will be destroyed by the culprit; if they are difficult, they will not be communicated to anyone, and your death will not be avenged, so leave an exquisite dying message. The other players in Dying Message are detectives, and they make inferences based on the limited information available. Detectives can co-operate or confront one another, and whether the deduction turns out to be good or bad will depend upon their discussion. Note: The designer states that this game is for 3-8 players, not 2-8.
Dying Message supports 2–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Dying Message is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Dying Message for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Dying Message has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Dying Message belongs to these categories: Deduction and Murder / Mystery. Its main mechanics are Communication Limits. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Dying Message are: Fumiko Shimizu. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Dying Message as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.