Deal with the Devil is a board game released in 2022 by Czech Games Edition. Designed by Matúš Kotry, this game falls under the categories of City Building, Deduction, Fantasy, and Medieval. With a runtime of 120–150 minutes and suitable for players aged 14 and above, Deal with the Devil offers a unique gaming experience that combines elements of deduction, events, income, loans, trading, and voting.
Game Components of Deal with the Devil
Player Boards: Each player has a castle player screen that doubles as a player board.Chests: Players use chests with sliding lids and QR codes to make and exchange offers.Building Cards: These cards represent various buildings that players can construct using resources.Resources: Money, goods, and other resources necessary for building and trading.Soul Pieces: Representing the players’ immortal souls, these are crucial for surviving the Inquisition phases.Inquisitor Tokens: Used during the Inquisition phases to penalize players.Indulgences: Can be used as alternatives to showing soul pieces during the Inquisition.App: Required for shuffling and distributing the chests during the Deal phase.Loan and Debt Mechanic: Includes a track for managing loans and interest.
How To Setup Deal with the Devil
To set up the game, each player receives a chest with a QR code indicating their role: two players are **Mortals** with three pieces of soul but no resources, one player is the **Cultist** with two pieces of soul and some resources, and one player is the **Devil** with no soul pieces but abundant resources. Players organize their player boards and prepare for the five rounds of gameplay.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
Production Phase: Players gain resources and draft building cards.Building Phase: Players construct buildings using their resources.Deal Phase: Players make offers using their chests, which are shuffled and distributed via an app, allowing for secret trading.Mortals: Trade resources or coins for more coins.Cultist: Trade resources or coins for more coins or soul pieces.Devil: Trade resources or coins for soul pieces.Inquisition Phase: Occurs in rounds 3 and 5, where the Devil reveals gathered soul pieces, triggering inquisitors that players must fend off with soul pieces or indulgences.Witch Hunt Phase: Players can accuse others of not owning their entire soul in rounds 2 and 3.Loan and Debt Mechanic: Players can take loans, paying interest and risking demon wing tokens that can summon personal inquisitors.Achievements and Milestones: Players earn points for building sets of buildings and achieving other milestones.
Player Experience
Playing **Deal with the Devil** is a complex and engaging experience. The game requires a delicate balance between economic management, strategic trading, and deduction. Players must navigate the risks of trading their soul pieces for resources while trying to uncover the identity of the Devil. The game’s mechanic of using an app to shuffle and distribute offers adds a layer of unpredictability, making each deal phase exciting and nerve-wracking.
Pros
Unique Blend of Mechanics: Combines hidden roles, trading, and engine-building in a cohesive manner.High Replayability: Each role offers a different perspective, and the app-driven deal phase ensures varied experiences.Thematic Depth: The game’s theme of temptation and negotiation is well-integrated into the mechanics.Engaging Deduction: Players must deduce who the Devil is, adding a social deduction element.
Cons
Lengthy Gameplay: Games can last 2-3 hours, which may be daunting for some players.Complex Rules: The game has multiple phases and mechanics, which can be overwhelming for new players.Scoring Issues: Some players may end with negative scores despite significant achievements, which can be frustrating.App Dependency: The game requires an app to manage the deal phase, which some players might find inconvenient.
Personal Thoughts on Deal with the Devil
**Deal with the Devil** is ideal for experienced board game enthusiasts who enjoy complex, strategic games with a strong thematic focus. It is particularly suited for groups that appreciate hidden roles and social deduction, as well as those who are willing to invest time in understanding the intricate mechanics. While it may not be the best fit for casual players due to its complexity and length, it offers a rich and engaging experience for those who dive in.
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