When I picked this game up, I knew I would enjoy it, but I had no idea how much my gaming group would love it. It took several get-togethers before I could convince enough of them to give this game a try, but it turned out to be a hit!
As others have said, this is basically an adaptation of the classic Werewolf or Mafia game, but WITHOUT player elimination. In academic terms, the concept is "Informed minority vs. Uninformed majority." In English, the bad guys all know each other, and the good guys are trying to figure out who they are.
In each round, a mission leader (This role goes around the table) selects a team of people to go on a mission, and everyone votes on whether or not to allow that mission to proceed. The good guys (Resistance) want a team with no spies on it, and the spies want to make sure at least one spy is along to sabotage it. Once a mission team is selected, those members secretly either support it or sabotage it, and it (usually) only takes one saboteur to ruin the mission and give that round to the Spies. First team to win three rounds (Best of five) wins the game.
Play time: Varies considerably (Depends on how much you debate between votes). Could be ten minutes, could be an hour.
Luck: Very little. There is some randomness (Who gets which role, plot cards, and early team choices), but only enough to keep it fresh. This is a game of skill.
Logic: Some, but not as much as you think. The beauty of Werewolf-type games are that as soon as you figure out a "rule" to describe it, someone will use that rule against you and render it invalid. Humans don't always behave logically, and sometimes the illogical move is the best one.
Balance: This is a little tricky, and varies depending on the number of players, the experience of the players, how well the players know each other, etc. Fortunately, it's very easy to tweak the balance for your particular gaming group, by adjusting the number of plot cards used (More cards = Easier for the resistance, and vice versa). Expect this balance to shift back and forth the more games you play, as you'll get better at lying, or better at detecting liars.
Number of Players: We've tried games ranging from 6 to 9 people. It might seem at first that having too many people wouldn't be as fun for everyone, but that's not the case... Since anyone not participating is usually accused of being a spy, and forced to join the debate. ("Hmm, he's been way too quiet... He must be a spy!")
Noise Level: Be a little careful playing this in a public space, as you WILL get loud.
Durability: The components are decent quality, and it's mostly just cards. Since there's very little shuffling (Or at least, you're usually only shuffling 3-5 cards, so no bending), the cards should last a good long time.
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Apostrophe Games Mafia The Party Game Deluxe Edition – A Game of Lying, Bluffing and Deceit– Card Game, Adults and Teens – Board Game$12.25 shippingGet it as soon as Wednesday, Oct 23
Top reviews from other countries
Alex
English only version with nice images on the plot cards.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2012
