Is it true or is it an illusion? – review of the card game “Mascarade”

You constantly hear slogans about being yourself, accepting your own self, failing, being honest and open. I understand and applaud it, but there comes a time in life, it may be a moment or longer, when you want to hide. In these times showing your “real face” brings discomfort, even pain. Then you may have dreams of putting on a mask and be someone else. Be far away from who you are.

 

Time to change

A masquerade is a type of game in which participants wear disguises and masks. Their appearance is often deceiving and they are completely different than they seem. This is the concept behind the Mascarade game , which has been released in Poland. Participants hide behind selected outfits, use their powers, and at the right moment get goods, thanks to which they win with others. The task is simple, but the mask can be deceptive for others, but also for ourselves.

Who is behind it?

The author of the title is Bruno Faidutti, a French creator of board games, who, apart from the reviewed item, has also Citadels , Diamant and Raptor . The visual setting was taken care of by Things by Diana. The author has created wonderful graphics, perfectly matching the theme. Inside there are: 17 masks, 9 scenarios, 6 help cards, court board, bank molding, 105 coins and the necessary instructions.

Mascarade is the next installment of a well-known and well-liked party game in which being honest is not very desirable. Participants must discover who is telling the truth and who is missing it significantly. The main goal of the game is to collect thirteen points in coins. To achieve this you have to use the cards and what they give. The most important rule of the game is: lie! However, you have to do it so skillfully that no one will discover it, because when it does, you will lose your precious points.

Time to be a fake!

All the fun is based on the successive turns of all participants. During one, everyone can do the desired thing: see their mask card alone, exchange it without looking at another participant’s sheet, or name their property and use what they offer. The last variant is risky, because the people at the table may negate our words, claiming that they have the mentioned character. In this case, you must show the cards. The honest person uses his power, and the bluffers lose a coin. The game ends with a score of thirteen points or the bankruptcy of any participant, then the richest player wins.

Honesty isn’t worth it

The title is really interesting because it tests our squeezing skills and whether we are good at it. Exceptionally honest people can check if they have a chance to cheat others. Let’s face it, this behavior is not accepted by others, but is often tempting. It all depends on the situation. In Mascarade , this condemned act is treated more gently, because it results from the game’s assumptions, and the interesting mechanics overshadow the negative tone.

Time to go for victory!

The premise of the game is to play cards in such a way as to get rich as quickly as possible. To achieve this, we put on masks, and more specifically, we assume the role of someone else. Participants receive six coins, and as mentioned above, winning thirteen is a success. The flow of the desired currency is influenced by the masks, and each of them works differently, it is also important when it will be used, for example, the King is worth three pucks, the Beggar is one, and the desired Cheater allows you to win not with thirteen, but with ten points.

The quantity matters

The game assortment gives you a lot of possibilities, but the number of players is very important, there can be a maximum of twelve of them, and the more, the better the possibility of bluffing. The stairs start in the following turns, because at the beginning you know what your mask is, then this fact is not so obvious. It is influenced by the mechanics of the title, for example the stage before the game, when a second card is drawn from the hand and it is replaced without showing it or pretending to do so. The others do not know what the person is left with. Only four players do this.

And at the end

Mascarade is a really interesting position in which not entirely right instincts take the lead. The case becomes more interesting when we drink percentage-based drinks while having fun. It can be a hit of many events! If you like to lead someone by the nose or want to see if you can do it, grab the title, especially since one game lasts about thirty minutes. With fewer people you can try to remember who has what, with more people it is practically impossible and you have to be able to read others, and the matter is not always easy.

The title can be adjusted to your preferences, and the replayability is quite high. Interesting variants, the possibility of arranging various configurations or interesting graphics are definitely advantages of Mascarade . If you are looking for something different that will allow you to not be yourself sometimes, then be sure to take a look at Mascarade by Rebel.