
- BGG rank
- BGG #951
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Black Sonata
- 1 player
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2017

2020
Rules assistance for Razorhurst
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 1 player
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Razorhurst is a board game released in 2020 for 1 player, 90–180 minutes per game, and ages 16 and up. It was designed by John Kean and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Deduction, and Solo / Solitaire Game.
Sydney, Australia in the 1920s is a hotbed of crime and vice. The inner city suburbs of Darlinghurst and Surrey Hills are a battleground between warring gangs led by prostitute Tilly Devine and sly grog queen Kate Leigh. And in the middle of it all is you, a detective for the New South Wales Police, just trying to solve the crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. Razorhurst is a story-driven detective game similar to Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective. You will interview suspects, follow leads, and use your abilities for observation, persuasion and force. Razorhurst introduces a unique clock mechanic for affecting the player's abilities. But the main difference with other detective games is that in Razorhurst everything is real. You will be investigating actual crimes, tracking down historical evidence, and bringing actual killers to justice. Based on exhaustive research, Razorhurst allows the player to step back in time to one of the most heady and deadly places in history. —description from the designer
Razorhurst supports 1 player according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Razorhurst is 90–180 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 Razorhurst for ages 16 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.
Razorhurst has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Razorhurst belongs to these categories: Print & Play, Deduction, and Murder / Mystery. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Deduction, and Solo / Solitaire Game. 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 Razorhurst are: John Kean. 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 Razorhurst 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.