The game I played was Secret Hitler. My team absolutely loves this game and plays it once or twice a week, whereas I’ve only played it a few times. This put me in an interesting spot where I was playing with people who not only knew the strategy but also how each other played in each of the three roles. I found out very quickly that this was an advantage and a disadvantage.
During our 2+ hour play session, I was lucky enough to play all three roles and found that my reaction and play style drastically differed for each one. The first game I played was by far the most interesting and reveling about both myself and the mechanics of the game. I drew the liberal card and immediately found myself naturally being quiet and observing the other players. However, I quickly learned that a passive playstyle was not only boring but also a disadvantage to my fellow liberals because I was withholding important information. So I decided to start being more engaged and vocal halfway through the game. I immediately began having more fun, but ultimately, my naive self got completely gaslit into killing a teammate and electing Hitler, thus losing the game.
Eventually, when I drew the fascist card, I felt my play style completely change the moment I saw my role. I wanted to be more vocal, control the game, and convince others that I was a liberal. I felt like I had something to fight for, and I wanted to fight. Of course, my non-fascist competitors picked up on my behavior change and developed doubts about my loyalties very early in the game. I learned the lesson that playing consistently throughout every round, despite my role, was the best way to win the current round.
While playing with veteran players had a very steep learning curve, I felt like I understood the core mechanics of the game from only a few rounds and embarrassing mistakes. At the start of our session, I felt naturally more excited and engaged when I had the information that others didn’t, and less bought in when I was a liberal. But as our session continued, I started to find the liberal role more and more exciting.
I’ve always really enjoyed bluffing games and find the flow of information to be incredibly interesting for each game. For Secret Hitler in particular, the mechanics of the way that information is revealed to the players might be my favorite that I’ve ever played. In particular, the perks from the game board itself.
Ethics:
Lying as a game mechanic is both my favorite and least favorite mechanic that a game can have. Take Among Us, for example. Pulling off a clean kill, watching everyone throw out accusation after accusation, then nonchalantly dropping a piece of false information to induce even more chaos is a peak gaming experience. On the flip side, everyone ganging up on you at the drop of a hat, and the feeling of powerlessness that comes when you know nothing you can say will save you despite your innocence, might be the worst experience in all of gaming.
The reason lying is so fun in games is because of this duality. For every incredible lie you pull off, there’s going to be a lie that you’re the victim of. It’s self-balancing and equal. Especially when you’re playing with people you know and who know you. Every lie is that much harder to pull off and that much more rewarding.
