Suspense Studio (KMS Games) is an original English ‘Jubensha’ murder mystery social deduction game creator which started in 2021, based on the ‘Jubensha’ craze in East Asia. Designed in Singapore, our games involve players roleplaying as murder suspects and working together to analyse evidence and deduce the murderer hidden amongst them.

What is jubensha?

Jubensha 剧本杀 (literally translated to script murder), is the hottest entertainment and social activity for youths in East Asia. It is an adaptation of Western murder mystery dinner parties and popularised by the Korean show Crime Scene and Chinese show Who's the Murderer. It involves a group of players roleplaying as detectives and/or suspects in a crime scene to deduce who the murderer is amongst them.

Our Story

Suspense Studio designs worlds of intrigue, mystery and suspense. By immersing ordinary people into fictional stories of murder and deception, players step into the shoes of suspects and detectives, analysing evidence and uncovering the hidden murderer among them. Through immersive storytelling and collective sensemaking, we believe games can be fun and meaningful.

Ten years ago, a CSI activity at school brought two best friends together. Bonded by a love for crime fiction, murder mysteries, and TV shows like Crime Science (Korea) and Who's the Murderer (China), they lost themselves to a world of 剧本杀 (Jubensha). In 2021, KMS Games was founded to bring this Chinese gaming phenomenon to English-speaking players in Singapore.

When People Make Games featured our debut game, Laboratory of Death, it marked our entrance into the global gaming scene.

But it's our players who bring our stories to life. Your imagination and love for storytelling and puzzle-solving inspire us to build world that connect people, spark curiosity and turn play into something powerful.

At Suspense Studio, we don't just create games to entertain. We invite you to think, feel and, live the mystery.

play-at-home games

Laboratory of Death

Released 23 April 2022 as a play-at-home boxed game. New print coming December 2025!

Secret Tribe

Released 6 December 2024 at PAX UNPLUGGED.

Game-Mastered Experiences

Game Over

Sold out limited-run at PAX UNPLUGGED 2024 for 400 participants!

The Sandcastle (Game Over 2)

Brand new experience launched at GEN CON 2025!

video series

Melody of Waves

Released 22 February 2023 for a limited public run at Singapore Discovery Centre.

Released 28 July 2023 as a video series on YouTube in partnership with Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs. Watch it now!

Media