Witness*

Witness is a unique cooperative board game designed for exactly four players, based on the intriguing universe of the Belgian comic series Blake and Mortimer by Edgar P. Jacobs. The game revolves around solving mysteries through a clever yet challenging communication system where players can only share information in a very restricted manner.

Gameplay Overview

• Role and Setup: Each player takes on the role of one of the four main characters from the series. The game begins with an introduction to the case, either through a narrative or an image that sets the scene for the mystery.
• Information Sharing: Players receive distinct pieces of information in their personal casebooks, which they must share with each other through whispered conversations. The order of sharing is determined randomly and involves players sequentially passing on their knowledge along with any information they have received from others.

Strategic Elements

• Memory and Deduction: Players must rely heavily on their memory and deduction skills, as the information they can share and receive is limited to brief whispering sessions. This makes piecing together the full story behind each case a significant challenge.
• Collaboration: Effective teamwork and strategic information relay are crucial. Players need to remember what they’ve heard, synthesize this information, and plan how best to relay it to the next player.

Game Dynamics

• Sequential Communication: The game's unique communication mechanic, where information is whispered from one player to the next in a specific sequence, creates a complex web of shared knowledge that players must navigate carefully.
• Scoring and Replayability: After three rounds of information exchange, players individually answer questions about the case. The group's performance is scored based on the accuracy of these answers, with a potential score of 0 to 12 per case. With 64 different cases included in the game, Witness offers considerable replayability.

Conclusion

Witness stands out with its innovative use of controlled communication and its reliance on player cooperation and memory. The game captures the spirit of the classic Blake and Mortimer series by immersing players in a world of cryptic crime-solving and espionage. This game is perfect for groups looking for a deeply engaging cooperative experience that challenges their collective problem-solving and communication skills in a fun and thematic setting.