Critical Play: Secret Hitler – Tara Jones

I played Secret Hitler with my munger apartment and some friends who live down the hall. Luckily, they had the board game version of the game.

Creator: Max Temkin

Platform: Board game with cards and envelopes.

Target audience: Secret Hitler (from the theming) seems like it is for high schoolers to adults who enjoy games that include deduction.

Notable elements of the game:

• Players are divided into two teams: liberals and fascists. One player is secretly designated as “Hitler” and is on the fascist team.
• Players have to convince others of their innocence, which creates a fun social experience with large groups. This game promoters a-lot of laughter.
• Liberals win by enacting five liberal policies or by killing Hitler. Fascists win by enacting six fascist policies or by electing Hitler as chancellor after three fascist policies have been enacted.
• Players can use special powers, such as investigating another player’s allegiance or forcing someone to reveal their party membership.

Compared to other games in its genre, Secret Hitler stands out for its unique theme and the way it incorporates player powers and the ability to shoot other players. It also has a higher level of complexity than some other social deduction games, which may appeal to more experienced players. However, it may be less accessible to newcomers. I had a lot of friends who got confused on how the game worked, and people who had played before STRONGLY dominated the gameplay. This differs from mafia or among us where more people can have an active role. 

In my opinion, Secret Hitler is a very fun game. It requires a lot of strategic thinking and social skills, and the hidden roles and powers keep the game fresh and interesting. However, it may not be enjoyable for players who do not enjoy deception or who are uncomfortable with the game’s fascist theme. If I could change one thing about Secret Hitler, it would be to make it more accessible to new players. The game’s rules and mechanics can be a bit overwhelming at first, which may turn off some players. I am honestly not sure how I would go about this, but maybe a simpler version could help people understand the deception part.

One epic fail for me in this game was trying to lie without laughing too hard. Playing with my roommates was hard because they truly know how to read me, and it was hard not to die laughing when they looked me in the eyes. I think I am better at games where I do not have to be around people directly when I lie. Because of this, I am much better at games like among us.