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Mind MGMT works from the shadows using its psychically enhanced agents to keep world order and prevent global crises. With this power comes the lure of corruption and now Mind MGMT is crumbling from within and is intent on global domination. Operatives are not deployed across the world, in secret, to recruit other psychically-abled individuals to their organisation. All is not lost, a few rogue agents have figured out that the organisation has been compromised. They now use their powers to prevent Mind MGMT from recruiting other individuals and preventing the organisation from achieving its underhanded goals.
In Mind MGMT, one player controls Mind MGMT and is on the hunt for new recruits. They move around a gridded map, in secret, visiting locations that match one of their three feature cards. If the player collects all 12 recruits or surviving a set number of rounds, they win.
All other players control the rogue agents who are trying to put a stop to the Mind MGMT player. They will ask the recruiter questions and through deduction and various actions (Ask, Reveal, Capture), hopefully, pin point their whereabouts. The other players win of they can find the Mind MGMT player.
There are more rules to the game but hopefully the above gives you a good indication as to how it plays.
Final Thoughts
Mind MGMT is a one vs many deduction game based on a popular titular comic book. In classic deduction games you have the "one" moving around a location/board in secret trying to achieve the various goals/objectives. The "many" are moving around a shared board trying to find the "one". There is also an app that goes along side Mind MGMT to allow solo play. So, how does the game play? Lets find out.
The presentation/graphic design of Mind MGMT is truly amazing. I love the illustrations and the whole psychic espionage premise is littered throughout the whole game. Even the box cover and the rulebook are thematic with some lovely touches dotted around. The setting really draws you into the world and the theme of the game. The easter eggs dotted around are wonderful.
The game itself plays in a relatively short time. However, I did find it, initially, hard to learn. Once I had got my head around the rules I felt more confident with the game and the ruleset and easier than I had originally thought. I don't play many one vs many style games so this may have come into play. Having said that once I had a few plays under my belt the game flows really nicely and works very well. The app integration is a great addition and gives player the opportunity to play a one vs many game solo which is not a common thing (as far as I am aware). I have played this a few times now multiplayer but more so solo. Despite being very poor at the game I have enjoyed all my plays. There is something satisfying about trying to track down your opponent and out think their movements. There is a real tension in the cat and mouse style hunting. As I had more plays of the game I started to see the nuances of the game and getting in to the heads of my opponent.
On the flip side there is often a feeling of always being on the back foot and narrowly avoiding detection as the hunted. It offers tension and it offers hold your breath moments.
The components are fantastic, there are dry erase tokens and boards which you can use to track and note down progress. These can be used to provide visual clues to aid in your investigations and as reminders for where your opponent has been. There is also a mechanism in the game called the "shift" system. This system introduces new rules for players as the game progresses to give them a boost. They add new rules and mechanisms which can act as a catch up mechanism. I will not go into the specifics here as I don't want to spoil the reveal, but suffice to say they are a neat addition which elevates the gameplay.
Overall, Mind MGMT is a fantastic deduction, hidden movement game. Everything from the components to the smooth elegant gameplay to the easter eggs that are dotted throughout the rulebook and box cover make me want to come back to this game time and time again. Solo or multiplayer it works well. Rulebook aside, this is a fabulous game.
