The Phantom Society (2013) Board Game

The Phantom Society is a board game designed by Xavier Gueniffey Durin and Vincent Dutrait, released in in 2013. The game falls under the categories of Abstract Strategy and Deduction, offering players a unique gameplay experience with elements of grid movement, secret unit deployment, and team-based gameplay.

Game Components of The Phantom Society

A 6×6 grid game board representing a manor hotel with each square as a room

Tiles for each room with spaces beneath for hiding ghosts

Ghost tokens of four different colors

Ghost-hunting tools

Room value tokens (1-6 points)

Artwork by renowned artists Naïade and Vincent Dutrait

How To Setup The Phantom Society

To set up the game, one player or team hides the ghost tokens under the room tiles of the same color. For example, a blue ghost must be hidden under a blue room. The ghost hunters then close their eyes while the ghosts are placed. Once the ghosts are hidden, the game begins with the ghosts’ turn.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics

Asymmetric gameplay: One side plays as ghosts, the other as ghost hunters.

Deduction and deception: Ghosts need to remain concealed, while hunters use observation and deduction to locate them.

Tile placement: Players alternate placing tiles on the board.

Game Objective

Ghosts: Destroy rooms to accumulate a total value of 45 or more points by haunting rooms adjacent or diagonal to their hidden locations.

Hunters: Locate and uncover all four ghosts before the ghosts achieve their damage goal.

Player Experience

The Phantom Society offers a suspenseful and engaging experience with simple rules but challenging deduction. Players take turns, with ghosts trying to maximize damage and hunters trying to uncover the ghosts. Each game is relatively short, lasting about 15-20 minutes, making it an excellent filler game. The game also includes a bidding variant for more experienced players, adding an extra layer of strategy.

Pros

Easy to learn

Great for kids

Nice component quality

Innovative 2-level board

Impressive artwork

Cons

Slight component issue: Ghost tokens need to be placed flush to avoid giving away their position

Requires careful memory and deduction skills

Personal Thoughts on The Phantom Society

The Phantom Society is perfect for those who enjoy deduction games with a twist of deception. It’s a great game for families, as it is easy to learn and fun for kids. Experienced players will also appreciate the depth of strategy and the bidding variant. If you’re looking for a game that combines clever gameplay with beautiful artwork, The Phantom Society is definitely worth a try.

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