Tag Archives: Bluffing Games

Bluffing games encourage players to use deception to achieve their aims. All Bluffing games have an element of hidden information in them. (source: BGG)

Vault Wars Game Review (prepublished version)

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There are two ways to make your fortune in this world. The first is to go bravely forth into a forsaken dungeon, battle whatever unspeakable evil may live there, and return with a hoard of treasure. The second way is to wait until those foolish enough to venture into the darkness don’t come back and then claim their treasure for your own. You elected for the safer path to earn your fortune, but instead of dragons, you’ll be battling against greedy bidders. In this game, a sword won’t win the day, but a sharp mind most certainly will. Continue reading →

Green Deal Game Review

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American political satirist, Stephen Colbert, said “Facts matter not at all. Perception is everything. It’s certainty.” This strongly suggests that obtainable and measurable factual information can be trumped by a well constructed PR campaign. Which, sadly, we know to be true. In this game, how your company is perceived by the world is very important to you and your stockholders as you attempt to cut costs, reduce overhead, neglect to follow some laws, and do all you can (within reason) to be profitable. Continue reading →

Village in a Box Game Review

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Congratulations! Your selfless service to the Crown and to the Kingdom have not gone unnoticed! You are hear by given a noble title a, a small castle (with a lovely view of the surrounding countryside), and several miles of land. With much excitement, you quickly bow to the King and travel to your new home only to find it in a state of total disrepair. The peasants are unhappy, the castle is leaning, and winter is soon approaching. If you want to keep your new home and make a name for yourself, you best clean up your lands, feed your people, and do it quickly. Continue reading →

Exploit! Game Review

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There has been no wind for almost 3 weeks and the pirate crew is becoming more wrestles and unruly by the day. Fights are breaking out and friends are turning into enemies. Supplies are low and there is talk of mutiny. If you want to survive this voyage you’ll need to make certain you remove anyone who might get in your way before they remove you. Continue reading →

Conquest of Orion Game Review

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Mankind can finally travel to distant stars. It was the hope of many that this would be the dawning of a new age of enlightenment and peace. But this dream was not meant to be. War and greed have followed mankind on their journey into the heavens and now distant galaxies are the new battleground. To protect your way of life and further your ambitions, you and a fellow comrade lead your people into war. Continue reading →

Tattletale! Game Review

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The playground is not the happy place you think it is. Slides are owned, swings are fought over, and don’t even think about jumping on the monkey bars without permission. Adults only see kids playing and running. What they fail to understand is that behind every child’s smile, laugh, and skip lurks an agenda. The playground is a war zone and the kids who play in it are the soldiers. Time for you to get into the fight! Continue reading →

Council of Verona: The Poison Expansion Game Review

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Long have the heads of family yelled and threatened each other over the council table. All for not. The bitter rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues runs too deep to be easily fixed by words. Diplomacy has failed and poison is being used to permanently silence the opposition. Exile, it would seem, is now desirable since the alternative is an early grave. Continue reading →

Council of Verona Game Review

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The feud between the Capulets and Montagues has now spilled into the streets and blood has been shed. While the feuding families are both powerful and influential, Prince Escalus cannot allow their civil conflict to disrupt the peace of his realm. He calls a council to end the feud once and for all, but there is a snag. The council is made up almost entirely of Capulets and Montagues! Instead of swords in the streets, the battle is now being fought across the council table with words and political intrigue. The new weapon is influence. Wield it wisely! Continue reading →

Where Art Thou, Romeo? Game Review

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William Shakespeare wrote in his play All’s Well That Ends Well, “Love all, trust a few.” Which, honestly, is a bit of a contradiction. Love, supposedly, includes trusting an individual completely. But as many of us know, either through personal experiences or hours of watching soap operas, love tends to be a very slippery slope. In this game, lies and manipulation make finding true love a game of luck, observation, and persuasion. Continue reading →

Mixed Motives Game Review

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President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” This is exactly what Mixed Motives is about. You and your opponents are all attempting to complete different hidden motivations. There is no set path to victory and you might have to get others to unwittingly help you win the game. It’s all about subtle manipulation, bluffing, and misdirection. Be careful who you trust and don’t let anyone know your true motives! Continue reading →

Get Bit! Dolphin Die Game Expansion Review

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As you swim through the ocean to the rescue ship, your heart is full of dread as you see the shark fins circling closer and closer. Fear pushes you as you know an attack could come at any moment. Suddenly, a shark charges and you can see its teeth below the waves! Seconds before the shark reaches you, a dolphin smashes into it! The dolphin saved you this time, but it’s best not to rely on luck or tempt fate. SWIM! Continue reading →

Get Bit! Squid Die Game Expansion Review

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You can hear the splashing of water and the screams of your fellow castaways as you swim like mad to the rescue boat. You have already been bitten by one of the sharks, but your will to survive and fear drives you on. Ahead of you is the ship and its crew who shout words of encouragement. You pause a moment to catch your breath and scream in terror as you see a giant squid come to the surface. Becoming a pirate was a poor life choice… Continue reading →