Review – Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion
Website Link – https://a.co/d/j9mun9M
Price – $16.99 (currently on sale for $10.99 on Amazon as of 1/15/23)
Disclaimer: we were given this game by family, this review is not sponsored. All thoughts are our own.
Product:
Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion is a reimagining of the classic board game into an escape and solve mystery. The evening’s host, Mr. Boddy has been murdered and now it’s up to the players to figure out the who, how, and where. They also hope to find an exit to the mysterious mansion.
Many of the classic elements of Clue are present in this game, but instead of competing head-to-head, players will work together to discover clues and information. Players will take turns exploring different objects and locations present on the board. Their investigation will grant them access to numbered cards in a communal deck. They may find new areas, clues, information, or puzzles to solve. In time, answers will begin to take shape on what exactly went down during this murderous evening.
Everything needed to play will be found in the box.
Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion is marketed for 1-6 players, aged 10+. The game is advertised for 90 minutes. As a duo, we completed the experience in about 60 minutes.
Our Thoughts:
Like many, we are very familiar with the classic game of Clue but haven’t played it in years. Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion seemed like a great way to try rediscovering the magic of Clue.
We liked that even though this offered a very different experience than classic Clue it retained many traditional elements in order to create a game that captures a familiar spirit and feeling. The game’s turn system, mixed with suggestions of passing along reading responsibility, allows each player to take part in the action and mystery solving. We’re not sure there is really enough meat to satisfy a full six players, but the game does its best to make everyone feel involved. It even occasionally gives silly instructions in order to help the immersive feel.
The game’s narrative follows the broad strokes of classic Clue: a murder has occurred and clues need to be collected. The narrative cards do create more of a story, but they still follow the laid out template, slowly doling out information to players. It’s a simple story, but presented with a fresh coat of paint that should keep the game interesting. There is still the challenge of actually solving the murder which means players will want to actually pay attention to the details they uncover.
Throughout the game, players will need to solve quite a few puzzles. These puzzles range from simply needing to combine clues (discovered cards) to actually needing to work through a challenge. None of these puzzles are very difficult, but their variety keeps them engaging. The game also provides a few red herrings and timed challenges to add a bit more excitement. These easier puzzles should be appropriate for a younger audience or for adults who are looking for less of a challenge.
Overall, we enjoyed Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion. While we did get to choose what we explored and in what order, the game itself is a mostly linear story, but the decisions and small challenges upped the entertainment factor. We’d love to see these mechanics applied to a higher difficulty level experience. There are two other Clue: Solve and Escape games and we are definitely interested in checking those out, especially since the museum one is meant to be slightly more difficult.
We recommend Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion to lovers of classic Clue, play groups with younger players, or anyone looking for a simple but enjoyable challenge.
Official C&C Rating:
Narrative: 3.5/5
Puzzles: 2.5/5
Overall Fun: 3/5
Total Averaged Rating: 3/5 Stars
Chaos & Confetti 