Designers: Bruno Cathala, Serge Laget
This game is about nobility, about fire under pressure, about the ability to work together to solve problems, and of course, the ability to cry “TRAITOR!” and point to your neighbor at the slightest provocation.
Shadows over Camelot is a cooperative game — mostly. Each player is a Knight of the Round Table, criss-crossing the kingdom to fight wars, complete quests, seek out the holy grail, and otherwise combat the progression of evil, which advances at the start of each turn. Each victory results in a white sword on the table, whereas a defeat places a black one. The game ends when 12 swords are on the table – if more white ones are there than black ones, the table wins.
Interesting Mechanic: The Traitor. At the start of the game, each player is dealt a card which may be a traitor card or not (of 8 possible cards only one is a traitor). The traitor wins if the party fails, which means finding ways to sabotage your efforts and that of the group as a whole without drawing attention to yourself. The traitor mechanic quickly pushes the game into paranoia and suspicion. Traitors can be officially accused, but false accusations can be disastrous for the war effort.
Shadows over Camelot is not the only coop game to have a traitor mechanic, but it is the best. People who like sowing paranoia and distrust among their closest friends will find this one a classic.
(Photo Credit: Defective Yeti)
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