The crimes are back, in another era
Anyone who has finished the first Murdoku book usually asks the same question: what next? The answer is Murdoku, 80 Crimes Para Resolver (Vol 2), Regresso ao Passado (Portuguese edition), the second volume in Manuel Garand's series, whose subtitle means “Back to the Past”. It keeps what made the first one a success, 80 puzzles that combine sudoku logic with illustrated crime scenes, and changes the key element of the setting: the crimes leave the present day and travel through time.
What stays the same from volume 1
The mechanics are exactly the same, which is good news if you have already mastered the method. Each puzzle presents a full-color scene in which rooms, furniture, plants and animals are all part of the logic. The suspects have to be placed according to rules, and the final rule reveals the murderer. If you made it to the expert-level cases in the first volume, there is nothing to relearn; if you have never played, you can start with volume 2 without any problem, because the rules for each puzzle are explained in the book itself.
The format, the 80 crimes per book and the audience also stay the same: adults and young people ages 12 and up.
What changes: the settings
The Middle Ages
Castles, great halls and medieval workshops replace contemporary spaces. Period furniture and objects give the placement rules a different flavor and make you look at the illustration with fresh eyes.
Pirates
Decks, ship holds and seaports. The pirate settings bring tighter spaces and elements that did not exist in the first book, which changes the way the constraints apply.
The Wild West
Saloons, stables and dirt roads. This is perhaps the setting closest to classic crime fiction, with suspects who look like they stepped out of a western.
Ancient Egypt
Temples, chambers and the banks of the Nile. The Egyptian puzzles are visually different from anything in volume 1 and show how the same logic adapts to any era.
Why the change of era matters
In a visual puzzle, familiarity with the setting is a quiet advantage. In volume 1, a bakery or a chess tournament are spaces we recognize instantly. In volume 2, an Egyptian chamber or a ship's hold require more initial observation, because the objects and layout are not the everyday ones. That does not make the rules harder, but it does make reading the scene more demanding and, for many readers, more interesting.
The variety also keeps motivation high. Eighty crimes in a single setting would get tiring; four distinct eras make each block of puzzles feel like a book within the book.
There is also a practical effect if you have already solved the first volume. After 80 cases, your eye gets used to certain patterns: where the animals usually are, which objects tend to be decisive. When the era changes, those habits no longer work as shortcuts and the deduction goes back to being done rule by rule, just like in the first puzzles. It is an elegant way to refresh the challenge without changing the game system.
Where to start: volume 1, volume 2 or the pack
If you have never played, volume 1 is the most natural entry point, because the difficulty rises clearly from easy to expert. If you have already solved the first one, volume 2 is the obvious next step. If you want to give it as a gift or start with plenty to do, the two-volume pack (Portuguese edition) costs 32.80 euros, compared with 17.07 euros per book, and gives you 160 crimes with no repeated settings.
If you like switching styles between cases, you can also alternate with the sister series Murdle, based on text clues, also available at Loja dos Puzzles.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need volume 1 to play volume 2?
No. The two books are independent. Volume 2 explains the rules of each puzzle and can be your first contact with the series.
Is volume 2 harder than the first one?
The logic is the same. The main difference lies in the historical settings, which call for closer attention to the illustration because the objects are less familiar.
Do the historical settings require any knowledge of history?
No. Everything you need to solve each crime is on the page, in the rules and in the illustration. The era sets the atmosphere; it is not a general knowledge test.
Ready to travel back in time? Check out Murdoku Volume 2, Regresso ao Passado (Portuguese edition) or explore the full Murdoku collection at Loja dos Puzzles.
