Halloween with Asmodee – Mysterium

Do you like ghosts, murder mysteries, and psychics? Than Mysterium might be the cooperative, fun to play experience you are looking for. No, we aren’t talking about a video game here, but instead a fun game to play this Halloween with friends and family. Let’s take a look at Mysterium!

In Mysterium, one player will handle the roll of the ghost, while the other players work together using thought to solve a mystery. While the game might feel and sound like Clue when you read the box, it is very different. Mysterium is based on how you think through a situation, as opposed to Clue which is about deductive reasoning. So think Clue, but don’t think Clue. We good? OK.

The player who is the ghost cannot speak, but can only provide ‘clues’ by giving visions, or large tarot sized cards that feature settings and more. Like Clue, those solving the murder are looking for a suspect, murder weapon, and a location, But it’s all about using the artsy clues from the Ghost to determine what is what. And it’s not easy.

Clue takes a very reasonable route to obtaining the solution, and it is an individual, competitive game. Here, you are working together which is great, but you may have competing ideas about how to interpret the clues provided by the ghost, and this has tripped us up more often than not!

In fact, the more I played Mysterium, the more I thought about Code Names. Giving clues that you THINK the other players will understand is much harder than you might think. Add the inability for the ghost to talk, and things can get crazy, quickly. Especially when your obvious clue is grossly misinterpreted by the other players!

Thing is, there is a bit of a competitive spirit here, as each player will decide which three clues they hope to take to the final stage after playing through seven rounds, where, using a final set of clues, players will determine who’s clues are the correct ones before requiring a majority vote to win the game. If anyone is not able to find the three cards they need to make it to the final round, the game is over and the players lose!

But in terms of fun, and generating a ton of legit laughs, Mysterium will make an excellent addition to your board game collection, and has that spooky feel that makes it a great Halloween night experience. If you’ve enjoyed mystery games in the past, and clue giving games like Code Names, you’ll probably find something to love here as well.