Hamlet

Description

Hamlet is an asymmetric card game for 2–4 players, with a playtime of 40–60 minutes, inspired by the inner conflict of Shakespeare’s tragic hero. During the game, players embody the emotions that tear Hamlet’s mind apart: Fear, Despair, Doubt, Envy, Pride, and Anger. The game is played over two acts, each representing a key stage of the tragedy. In every act, players use character cards to compete for dominance across four different scenes. Winning a scene grants Influence points, strengthening that emotion’s hold over Hamlet’s thoughts. The more influence an emotion accumulates, the closer it comes to fully consuming Hamlet’s mind - and winning the game. One role stands apart: Harmony. The player who takes on this special emotion also plays character cards, but instead of competing for dominance, their goal is to balance the conflicting emotions. By carefully steering the game toward balance, Harmony seeks to end the tragedy in a draw, denying all other players a clear victory. —description from the publisher

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