BlankMediaGames took the IRL game Mafia and made a masterpiece online version known around the world as Town of Salem.
Like Mafia, Town of Salem is a game that challenges players to lie, deceive, and find the truth. Games range in sizes from seven to fifteen players who are split into three groups – Town, Mafia, and Neutrals.
The big catch is that no one knows who is who! This makes for a lot of scheming and finger-pointing when people in the town start dropping like flies as the mafia kills innocents and the executioner ends up killing innocents too.
You can never be too careful about whos who in this mystery detective game! If you like playing mystery/detective games, here are 13 more games like Town of Salem. They are in no particular order since they are all games we highly recommend!
13. Throne of Lies
Just like Town of Salem, Throne of Lies is an online multiplayer game of deception.
8-16 players use their combined deduction and social skills to root out the traitors at the table in this 3D online game. There are over 100 abilities to use in your path to keeping the kingdom safe.
At the start, you are assigned one of 40+ classes ranging from the King to his jester. There are also cult members and a mysterious Unseen faction as well as neutral characters.
All in all, this game has some serious replay value due to the huge number of abilities and classes!
12. The Ship: Murder Party
The Ship: Murder Party is for people who enjoy hunting their quarry – and being hunted at the same time! Join a number of players aboard Mr. X’s luxury cruise liner for a night to remember.
Once on the ship, you are given a target and must find them and murder them. But be careful, because you are also someone else’s target! The Ship combines stealthy multiplayer action with a 1920’s cruise ship to create a game worth playing.
11. EpicMafia
Coming in at #11 for games like Town of Salem is EpicMafia. EpicMafia is the present-day “expansion pack” to the age-old game of Mafia.
For those of you who don’t know the original game Town of Salem is based on is Mafia. EpicMafia has 220 unique roles, thousands of table setups, the ability to play with a webcam for those feeling brave, and much more!
This is a jampacked mystery detective game you should definitely check out.
10. Trouble in Terrorist Town
Trouble in Terrorist Town, or TTT, is a user-made game mode in Garry’s Mod. TTT is centered around a group of terrorists on a map.
Within this group of terrorists are traitors who are tasked with eliminating all terrorists. There is also a detective role.
Detectives get access to cool and unique gadgets that help them hunt down the traitors before it’s too late! Traitors have a huge arsenal at their disposal from a 1-hit knife to a suicide bomb.
The map is scattered with weapons that everyone can use to defend themselves or kill others… It’s always fun in Terrorist Town!
9. The Resistance
Unlike the others on our list of games like Town of Salem, The Resistance is a board game. That’s right, you need to get some IRL friends together for this one!
In The Resistance, there are two teams randomly assigned at the start, spies and resistance members. The goal of the spies is to foil 3 out of the 5 missions the resistance is carrying out.
The goal of the resistance is to win 3 of the 5 missions and overthrow the tyrannous government. Let’s be real people, The Resistance and the Town of Salem seem to be worlds apart but that’s only on for the cover. Why? Well because in both you’ve got to put on your best poker face.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a spy trying to be the sabotage or a town member who’s in hopes of blowing the lid off the secrets of the mafia, you’re mentally challenged in both circumstances. It’s, without a doubt, a game of secret identities, deception, and finger-pointing it’s sure to be a blast at your next party!
8. Camp Cadaver
Camp Cadaver is another role-based murder game like Town of Salem. In this game, players must find the truth about Camp Cadaver or be adept at lying.
It all depends on which team you get assigned, the killers or the poor residents of the small town they’re targeting.
Everyone is a suspect and anyone can be a victim! Use the abilities assigned to your role to gather information, help your team, or kill your next victim!
7. Deceit
Deceit drops you right into the middle of a twisted Game Master’s hunting grounds with five others.
2 of you have been infected with a virus he created that causes them to want to kill the other noninfected players.
Fight your way through three zones to the safety hatch as your group is silently picked off one by one. The uninfected must work together using items they find in the zones to make it to safety.
The infected have a chance at the end of each round to become… something else… and kill the innocents. Fast-paced combat mixed with strategic gameplay makes Deceit an excellent pickup.
6. Status Report
Status Report is another board game like The Resistance. 3-7 players partake in a social deduction game where 1 player is the Captain of a starship and the others are parts of the ships onboard AI.
Only one of the AI programs is operational, the others have been infected by a virus causing them to kill crew members on board while also fooling the Captain into thinking they are the operational system.
The Captain needs to hurry if he is going to save the crew… and himself! As far as how well it goes in line with the Town of Salem we have no doubt that both require the same set of skills and those skills are Persuasion and Observation.
Both games push your cognitive muscles to the limit and allow you to demonstrate your ability to bluff to its fullest. Status Report is a game that permits you to satisfy your deepest darkest desires without the need to cause any harm. It is a game of the highbrows and only one of the two opposites can survive. The captain and the crew or perhaps the corrupted ones… Who knows?
5. One Night Werewolf
Another fun board game, One Night Werewolf is for 3-10 players looking for a fast-paced game. Each player gets a role from the werewolf to one of the other dozen playable roles.
Each role comes with a special ability with the end goal being for the village people to find and lynch a werewolf! This means that the two games correspond with each other much better than we had originally thought.
Both of these games force the player to be lost in the essence of social deduction and entitle them to be in power/control of what plays out despite their current standing within the social construct.
With over a dozen roles and different abilities, One Night Werewolf has a high replayability factor and should be part of your next game night!
4. Mafia Mystery (iOS)
Mafia Mystery is an app for iOS that brings the classic mafia game right to your phone and the best part is that it’s free! This app supports up to 16 players, private lobbies, and 15 unique roles.
What makes this game so special and like Town of Salem is that each player has a role to play. However, The role you play is selected at random meaning that it is impossible to choose a specific role. There are two parties, the mafia members, and the village members.
Now, the Mafia members have to work together to kill the village members and village members work towards finding out the killers and eliminating them. This concept just reminds us of the Town of Salem aspect of deception and critical thinking. And that too on a MOBILE PHONE!? Now that’s something you wouldn’t wanna miss out on.
3. SpyParty
SpyParty is a game about espionage and human behavior. Play as either the Spy or the Sniper.
The goal is simple – as the spy, you must infiltrate a lavish cocktail party, trick your opponent, and not get shot before completing your mission.
As the sniper, you must watch over the party and find the spy before it’s too late! Use your knowledge of human behavior and a keen sense of perception to figure out who the spy is at the party.
Be careful! You don’t want to accidentally shoot one of the guests!
2. Detective Grimoire
The only single-player murder mystery game on our list, Detective Grimoire will not disappoint. You play as the man himself investigating the murder of the owner of a small tourist attraction.
Deep within the flooded marshes, the owner was killed by the very mythical creature his business is founded on.
Search for clues, interrogate the suspects, solve puzzles, and uncover the secret in this amazing adventure game!
1. Velvet Sundown
The last game on our list of games like Town of Salem, Velvet Sundown is a game filled with conspiracies, tricks, and secrets.
Play as one of eleven characters on a luxury yacht attempting to complete a randomized goal. You will soon find that achieving your goal may not be as easy as it first seemed.
Every other player is trying to achieve their own goal as well! Use your social skills and talk to other players to get what you need without letting your big secrets out.