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Deal with the Devil is a deeply thematic competitive Eurogame set in a fantasy medieval era. Each of the four players takes on a secret role of a mortal, a cultist, or even the Devil. Due to the asymmetrical roles, players experience the same game but with different game goals every play.
During the blind trading phase, players can offer their resources in exchange for money from another player. The Devil will tempt mortals with goods for a piece of their soul, while the cultist's nature is to sell their soul easily. Only the accompanying app knows who is trading with whom.
But beware! Showing off how well you are doing can attract unwelcome attention and the suspicion of other players. It also may pique the interest of the Inquisition, which is eager to punish those who cannot prove their souls remain intact.
There are many dynamic strategies to experiment with across each playing. Will you sell pieces of your soul early on to boost your city-building prowess at the risk of future punishment from the Inquisition? Or will you carefully manage loan and debt repayment while waiting for others to inadvertently reveal their nefarious nature? Every choice has a consequence, and each role has its own unique strategic approach to explore.
—description from the publisher
- unique/delicate teaching challenge
- thematic intrigue with a party vibe
- rules and setup can be complex to teach
- hidden roles and deception
- Demonic negotiation/deduction
- darkly thematic, deduction-focused
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- hidden roles/deduction — one player acts as the devil while others deduce information
- social deduction — players infer information from limited clues
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- 1,198 games it's too many
- 768 that's I don't care what people say that's really good
- we have 394
- we're still playing games and taking names
References (from this video)
- ingenious physical gimmicks (boxes that open and reveal contents)
- thematic, negotiation-heavy play
- overwhelming complexity and lots of components
- four-player requirement may limit groups
- negotiation-driven bargaining and chest-treaty mechanics
- mythic/occult negotiation with devil and cultists
- cardboard chests and layered cardboard mechanisms evoke a treasure negotiation feel
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- hand-off and box-open reveal — players pass chests with surprises, hidden content revealed via app/scan
- hidden roles with QR app elements — one player plays the devil; others are humans; app-based chests reveal contents
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the matrix mechanic changes how you buy and when you fight—adds tension
- it's cool that you must exit the matrix to buy and upgrade—adds tension
- the Goooddies minis look great on the table
- hourglass mechanic in kite game is a tension-builder
- the art and components feel premium in Gutenberg
References (from this video)
- Strong thematic concept
- App integration potential
- Co-design pedigree
- Requires exactly four players
- Two-hour playtime could be long
- Hidden roles, temptation, and soul-trading
- App-driven, 4-player social deduction/resource management
- Dark, thematic, with app integration
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- App-assisted trading — In-app blind trading between players
- hidden roles — Devil vs bystander with secret agendas
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this could be his twist on something like the quax equivalent bug
- I'm definitely I'm gonna give this game a look
- the app integration the four player strict Play account and the idea that this is going to take probably at least two hours to play
- going into the more traditional European Renaissance theme
- the dice only has two meanings so if you're drafting say a dice of the value five on it the five is going to represent the number of resources you'll take of that type but the higher the number of resources you take it means the weaker action you'll have in association with that
References (from this video)
- Aiming for grand scale with robust player choice
- Requires four players; heavier on rules and setup
- City-building with grand schemes and rival factions
- Civilization-building with mythic and demonic elements.
- Strategic, big-game scope with multiple paths to victory
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- City-building / resource engine — Develop districts and manage a production network.
- Worker-placement / action selection — Players assign actions to develop their city and resources.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- let's buckle up, get you some coffee, stay tuned
- we're going to share 20 games from 2022 we missed
- Black History Month—five authors you should know
- we love you family