THE THING ABOUT HIDDEN ROLE GAMES
Hidden role games are some of my favorite games I own and play, and I am not alone in this. Hidden role games are one of the most popular types of games out there in both the board and card game roles. They are not a recent thing either and have been around for a while. They allow us to feel power and play to our less desirable side in a healthy and safe environment. In short hidden role games are not just incredibly fun, but they are good for our mind and well-being.
VARIOUS HIDDEN ROLE GAMES
There are so many fantastic hidden role games on the market right now. Some are brand new, some are long-time favorites, but the mechanics behind this type of game are ageless. While there have surely been deception games since early civilization, the first published and well-known game is Mafia. Mafia is a hidden role game at its most basic level. There are bad mafia guys and innocent bystanders. The mafia tries to kill the innocent, the innocent tries to kill the mafia. Since this early publication of this game, it has expanded into an empire of deceit and lies, but that’s a good thing.
Hidden role games allow us to experience and dabble in some of our worst human instincts. As kids, we are taught very early on not to lie. These types of games though allow us that release of deceit, because there is something incredibly powerful feeling to be able to best your friends. Subterfuge and dishonesty are thought to be evil but hidden role games allow us to use and experience those abilities we hold without putting us and our relationships at risk. Every kid imagines being a spy or secret agent as a kid; these games, in some way, let us live out those dreams.
With these types of games, there is something for everyone. There are cooperative, competitive, solo games, large group games, and every combination in between. The hidden roles game world is ever-expanding and has grown to include some amazing games. Here a just a few: Mafia, Secret Hitler, The Resistance, Coup, Sheriff of Nottingham, Dead of Winter, dead Last, One Night Ultimate Werewolf (and all its spinoffs), etc. And these are just a few off the top of my head. Each one with its own story, theme, and mechanics.
THE GIST
Hidden role games are going nowhere. They have become such a rooted and influential game in the gaming community that I think they will easily stand the test of time. They are not just a fun past time, but a chance to indulge in some of our more mischievous skills. They are fun, exciting and so vastly different from one to the next. There is something for everyone in the hidden role games side of things. They hold such an imaginative expanse of games that it doesn’t take much to see why they have become some of the most popular games of today.