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It's always interesting, to me at least, to see what kind of game you can create with just a few cards. Mistruth takes that to even a higher level: What can you create with a set collection game with only one odd man/card out, The Mistruth card.
The premise is simple: Put a set of four matching cards in for each player and then add the Mistruth card. Shuffle and deal cards to the players until everyone has four cards and, of course, one player will have five cards. Beginning with the player holding five cards, they have a discussion with the player to their left. They then offer that player one card, and that player can take it or refuse. If they refuse, a second card is offered. Again, that player can take it or refuse. Finally, a third card will be offered and the other player must take this card if they refused the other two. The game ends when a player ends up with a matching set of four cards and nothing else in their hand. Is that player the winner? Nope, there are no winners, just one loser: Whoever is left holding the Mistruth card. This is a rule that I love and that Mistruth shares with other light card game offerings like Cockroach Poker.
You may be thinking “Is there more to it?” The simple answer is No. But the simple answer is deceiving. When you think of Social Deduction games, lying always seems to be at the core of it succeeding. Mistruth has this weird meta where you almost always want to tell the truth...unless it involves the Mistruth card.
Every turn can play out like the Battle of Wits scene from The Princess Bride. “What card are you trying to collect?” “Knowledge.” “Ok.” *Passes over a card.* “Oh, you would like me to believe that is actually a Knowledge card, wouldn't you? Now, a clever player would leave the mistruth card in his hand, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for the first card he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the second card you offer me. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the first card in front of me.”
It's a game where players will come up with more and more convoluted reasons NOT to take a card that is on offer. And, the majority of time, the player passing you a card doesn't even have the Mistruth card. They want, just as much as you, to end the game before they end up with it in their hand. So, helping you get a set of Knowledge card helps them.
I like to call this a filler-with-a-chaser because the game can be so short, you'll likely play at least a couple of games back to back. When you do, Make sure you alternate which direction cards are passed. This mixes up who each player will be interacting with. I would say “Make sure you have everyone switch seating positions for each game” but, yea, that's probably not going to happen. But since there is only one loser and no winner, the person who is “best” at Mistruth won't be the one who lays down a complete set to end the game but, instead, one of the player's next to them.
The gaming group you play with will, of course, impact how this title hits. Baiting out cards, telling when someone is just a little too eager to give you the card you want, and trying to read the tells of other players is all part of the experience. The art on the cards would feel right at home in a tarot deck or maybe a civilization building game from the early 90s. All are unique enough that you never have trouble picking them out in your hand, which is good because you will always be shuffling them around when you hold them...just in case other player's are trying to track what you are holding.
The whole “Once, Twice, Three times...maybe.” offering of a card to another player is one of the most tantalizing parts of the game. It's length and depth synergize to give a great filler-with-a-chaser experience.
A review copy of this release was provided by the publisher. Therewillbe.games would like to thank them for their support. If you would like more information on Mistruth, you can find it here.
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