Tabletop Game Review: Mantis Falls

Mantis Falls

Distant Rabbit Games

2-3 Players

60-90 Minutes

I enjoy both cooperative and competitive games. I especially enjoy games that successfully combine cooperation and competition. Games like Battlestar Galactica, Dead of Winter, and The Resistance are all games that thrive due to their traitor mechanics. All of these games are full of tension and lead to players often defeating themselves because they can’t work together. Mantis Falls is the latest game that uses the traitor mechanic stands out as one of the best games in the genre.

Mantis Falls is a “cooperative game that’s only really cooperative sometimes.” In this game, players act as characters that live in a mob-ruled town in the 1940s. After witnessing something that they shouldn’t have, they need to leave town and survive while doing so. Players will work together to traverse a windy road while surviving various incidents and encounters. Of course, there is the possibility that one of the players is actually an assassin with the objective of killing the other player.

The game is typically played between two players, and it is an incredibly intimate game. There are only three Role Cards: Two witnesses and an assassin. Knowing this, players will need to either trust or deceive each other. Players each have a unique hand of seven action cards at all times that contain various items that serve as tools, weapons, and medicine. Players can either share information or keep secrets. Whether you are a witness or an assassin, there is always a bit of reason to hide your information in order to either kill the other player or give yourself the best way to survive. Players will need to work together because if either player dies, they both lose unless one is the assassin.

A turn plays out pretty simply, and once players understand the flow of the game it is a blast to play. On a turn, a player will decide if they will proceed further on the road, with the objective of getting to the end. Every time a player moves forward, the next chunk of the road is revealed, almost as if it is revealed by their car’s headlights. After moving (Or not moving), an event card will be drawn which contains either an incident or an encounter. After the stakes are established, players will take turns playing their action cards face down, possibly communicating what they are playing and working together to overcome the obstacle. Players will alternate and reveal their cards, then resolve the event. Finally, players will draw more cards and the next turn will begin.

I’m obviously simplifying the game quite a bit, as there are many factors for players to consider while playing. For example, instead of playing actions to overcome the obstacle, they can stash away cards for both players to use later. Some action cards remain face-up throughout the game and are activated by certain conditions. The incidents and encounters are also all classified as either seen or unseen, giving only one player full knowledge of what is on it. This allows players to manipulate each other if they like. For example, one unseen card might say that failing to overcome an obstacle will lead to the players taking three points of damage, distributed however the turn player chooses. If a player is an assassin, they can lie and say the card says to give all the damage to their opponent. There are also ally cards that players can collect to help them throughout the game.

The presence of seen and unseen cards really make the game. It’s really hard to trust your partner sometimes. My partner and I lost many times because we just didn’t trust each other. Mantis Falls is already a difficult game made harder by dynamic roles. Traversing the road can lead to ambushes, and there are tons of difficult trials to overcome. Players who are looking for a challenging yet awarding experience will find that Mantis Falls is an incredible experience. Getting both players to the end of the road is a joyous event, especially because it will likely take a few games for players to get comfortable and gain enough experience to handle everything that is thrown at them.

Of course, if players aren’t working together, the build-up to the betrayal is grueling. Players need to find the right time to reveal that they are the assassin and finish the job. If the witness catches on they can play the “Call in a Hit” card which can instantly kill the opposing player. The presence of these cards leads to players needing to time their plays just right since killing another witness will lead to both players losing. The first time my partner successfully betrayed me was shocking since I was completely convinced that she was on my side. On the other hand, my heart was pounding as I was preparing to make my move as the assassin in another game. I’ve never played a game that does this mechanic so well, and most of that is due to the fine balance that the game possesses.

Assassins are encouraged to wait before going for the kill due to the “Last Gasp” mechanic. This mechanic allows players that run out of health to bounce back, with or without the help of their partner. Assassins will need to help their prey until they know that the witness can’t survive their Last Gasp. Players also can only Call in Hits against each other if they are the Witness, ensuring that the Assassin can’t overpower the Witness early on.

For those who want to mix it up, the game includes a few modules to diversify the game a bit. The most welcome addition is “Triad,” which allows for the game to be played by three players. A three-player variant is played mostly the same as the main game with a few minor differences. In addition to new cards added to the decks, players won’t be able to work together quite as much. The active player has much more control of the game, while the non-turn players (Bystanders) can’t interact quite as much. All three players can be witnesses or one can be an assassin. The assassin doesn’t need to have both witnesses die, as only one needs to die for the assassin to win.

While I enjoy Mantis Falls with three players, it doesn’t shine quite as much as the two-player version. This is a game that really shines because of the intimacy between two players. Some of that is lost when a third player is introduced. I do like that the game becomes a bit more of a social deduction game with three players. Players will work together more to determine if there is an assassin. It’s almost easier to identify an assassin since there are two players that can read the signs. This isn’t a bad thing though, and it encourages better play from the assassin. It also leads to some interesting moments. In one game two players ganging up on the third leading to a witch hunt. All three players were actually witnesses and everyone lost. This was a tragic but amusing end to our game. The need to trust each other is amplified in the three-player game. If the Triad module suffers from anything, its that the game feels much slower with three players, and the pacing isn’t quite as smooth. Still, it’s a fine experience.

As if the stellar gameplay isn’t enough, the game fully embraces its theme, completing the experience. The simplistic art gives the game plenty of noir and horror vibes. The cards are full of flavor with interesting ways of interacting with each other. The names of the cards and allies all welcome the theme as well. The game is gorgeous, compact, and full of imagination.

Mantis Falls is one of the most well-made tabletop experiences for two players I have ever played. It’s incredibly balanced, full of charm, and most importantly, it’s just fun. Win or lose, we always had a great time with this game. Be sure to add this one to your collection as soon as possible.

Mantis Falls will be available soon on Kickstarter

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