Mysterium

     In light that a week from tomorrow is Halloween, I figured now is a good s time as any to review an other worldly board game. Have you played Clue? Have you watched the TV series Medium? Mysterium is where their paths cross.
   
     Gameplay:  Mysterium takes place on Halloween night in the 1920's. In your role as psychics, you have been invited to a night time Seance. This time of year is the best time to connect to the other side and your ultimate goal is to allow the ghost to cross over peacefully by figuring out who killed them. However, the ghost is exhausted from roaming the astral plane: where a persons spirit goes between dying and the spirit world. The ghost is too weak to speak, so they communicate with visions. Each player is given their own vision. The psychics job is to collectively interpret and connect the visions to a number of suspects and narrow down the possibilities. You then can vote on each players decisions. If you agree with a player's interpretation and they are right, you gain clairvoyance points. The more clairvoyant you are, the more clues you get at the end to determine who has done it, where it happened and how they killed, the now ghost. However, if your own interpretation of a vision is wrong, you do not go onto the next stage and must try again. You also need to decide which room it took place and what weapon was used. You basically get seven turns which is kept track by a most excellent grandfather clock (an hour strikes per turn) to reach the fourth stage. If all of the players cannot make it pass the third stage in seven turns, the ghost is again, for another year, trapped on the astral plane. However, if all players reach the end within the allotted seven hours (seven turns) the ghost summons a final vision which everyone votes on to hopefully identify the suspect and free the ghost to allow them to crossover to eternal peace.

     There is a timer that limits how long you can discuss the visions before making a decision. This added pressure can sometimes make you make a rash decision. Also, you can ask the ghost questions, but they return confirmation or lack thereof by knocks on the table; one knock for yes and two knocks for no. Alternatively, there is a atmospheric soundtrack you can download while playing. Sadly, I was disappointed in that piece and we played without it.

     I should also mention that there are three different levels, each one a bit more difficult allowing for replay ability.

     The cover makes me think of Sherlock Holmes and the Haunted Mansion from Disney World. It was enough intrigue to purchase it and I was not disappointed.

     I rate this game 3.5 out of 5 stars.