Boxed or Download? A Straight Answer
Same story, same characters, same clues. The difference is time, and whether your printer is trustworthy.
Every mystery here is sold two ways, and the story inside is identical. Same characters, same clues, same reveal. What differs is what you do between buying it and playing it.
The download
It arrives the moment you pay. You print it, cut where indicated, and put it in piles.
Take it if your party is soon, if you are comfortable at a printer, or if you would rather put the difference toward the food. Realistically it is an hour or so of printing and cutting, best done a couple of evenings before rather than on the day.
The other quiet advantage: if you spill wine on a character sheet, you print another one.
The box
It turns up with everything printed properly and sorted into what goes where. You open it and run the night.
Take it if your party is far enough out for post, if you would rather not touch a printer, or if the party is the sort where the materials being nice actually matters — an anniversary, a milestone birthday, anything you are charging for.
How to decide in one question
How many days until the party?
Under a week, take the download; you will not enjoy waiting on a courier. More than that, and if you would rather spend the evening before the party doing anything other than cutting card, take the box.
One thing worth knowing either way
If you are charging admission, selling tickets or running it to raise money, that needs a commercial licence — which you can add to either format at checkout. Playing it at home with friends never does.
