Tabletop Spotlight: Mountains of Madness
Can your party of explorers make it to the top of the Mountains of Madness…or will you lose yourself in the journey?
One of the games that caught our eye at GenCon 50 was Mountains of Madness. We told our buddies at Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy to bring it over as soon as it’s out – well it’s out now! Check out Mountains of Madness:
Mountains of Madness is a game set in the Lovecraftian Mythos. You play as party of explorers who have landed near one of these mysterious mountains. You goal is simple, get relics, get to the top of the mountain and escape on your airplane. You’ve got to work with your team to communicate on what supplies to take and what path to travel. To go up the mountain, you’ll need to have the correct supplies to press forward – or you’re going to have to scavenge for more. Sounds pretty easy right? One problem – as you go up the mountain you start to gain more and more “Madness” which inhibits your ability to communicate.
At first it might just be little things like restricting certain words you can’t say. But it can get much worse – like only being allowed to shout at a player you’re next to physically. The game can go from pretty standard to hilarious and insano in a few turns. If you’re of legal adult beverage drinking age then it’s even better…
You’re not going mad – that’s just German…or IS IT!?
Turns are also timed – just add that extra level of pressure. Really, this game does one thing that a lot of the games set in the Lovecraftian setting don’t quite capture; they don’t capture the sense of impending dread and madness. This game, because of the rules and restrictions it places on you the player, really does get into your head and mess with you. But in a fun way and from the comfort of your living room! Plus, it’s only a game, right?!
Mountains of Madness also looks fantastic in terms of production value. The board is really well done and the art on the cards is fantastic. I particularly loved the color palette in the game – the blues and overall cold tones really add to the atmosphere of the game. It’s just a really well done game from artwork to mechanics. If you’re looking for a game with a fun theme that will play different every time then check out Mountains of Madness. You’ll love it or go crazy climbing to the top!
Mountains of Madness
Inspired by the popular novel At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft, Mountains of Madness is a new crazy creation from Rob Daviau, with illustrations from the great Miguel Coimbra (Sea of Clouds).
Imagine yourself sitting on a plane. Players have to cooperate to reach the top of the Mountain and then escape safely, but the Mountain has more than one trick up its ghastly sleeve. In horror, you realize that the higher you fly, the crazier your teammates become! Each step you take, the leader must gather the necessary equipment from all other players to keep on flying.
Quick and clear communication is the key – but how will you stick together when your team starts developing weirder and weirder behavior? Play to find out!
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Trek up the path, through the snow, the way of madness calls.
