This is one of the classic games from Steve Jackson's company that can be found being played at most any gaming convention. Friends of mine once even reprinted the game onto aluminum cards to increase the ambiance and look of the game, it's that popular.The update includes new art for all of the cards and the addition of many groups from the CCG version I:NWO. There is an expansion to follow soon with even more cards.
For those of you new to the game, the setting is thus: You are one of the mysterious 'illuminantis' who wish to rule the world. You have a goal all your own in addition to the generic 'take over the world' goal as well. For example, the Discordians wish to control five 'wierd' groups. To this end each of the players struggles to control any of the hundred or so groups that are available to take over. Everything from the 'Boy Sprouts' to 'Empty Vee' and 'Moral Minority' are in there to use as puppets.
Take over the world if you can... "The UFO's, with assistance from Texas will attack to destroy the Congressional Wives..."
I, frankly, will soon be adding this gem to my game collection! While there is currently an absence of Magic: the Gathering players, you can play this with a few buddies. And there aren't $300 cards to add on, either. I recently finished up a 5 hour game with three buddies, and the satirical humor was the only thing keeping us up other than the sheer manipulation, deceit, and crazy power struggles it evolved into. I found myself performing twists and turns that I could never imagine myself doing in any strategy game.
This is a game about conquest, plain and simple. Manipultions, wheeling and dealing, and all of that come attached. By amassing a horde of money to stock your Illuminati faction's treasury, and by building a structure of carefully organized power, you must aim to accomplish one of two goals: gain control of groups in proportion to the number of people playing, or complete your faction's "secret goal"; be it summoning Cuthulu to destroy the Earth, amass the world's greatest treasury, build the biggest power base, etc.
I will tell you right now that this game is not "nice and friendly", and there are some imbalances. I feel that the imbalances were meant to be there, in order to force the other players to wield strange politics, and work together to keep each other from getting too powerful while chasing their own goals at the same time! It gets very crazy, and can keep you up until 3AM playing.
My only slight beef is that the instructions were written a bit obscure, in like, two places. However, through game play, we did sort out misunderstandings. There were no errors or inconsistencies... they even have rules on "cheating", written in a rather sardonic and humorous fashion. :)
I also like the blurbs on Illuminati trivia and history, about the Gnomes of Zurich, the Society of Illuminated Seers from Bavaria (or something), and others. A bibliography has also been included for additional Illuminati referencing and amusement.
I would love to write some more, but alas, it is 3:45 AM, and my forehead is about to bang into my keyboard. :)I've played both the new and the old versions of Illuminati, and I can say that this version is an improvement over the old one.My main problem with the game, though, is that, when I've played, it devolves into long sessions of slap-around-the-leader. ( I'd use stronger language, but this is an Amazon review. )
Every time one player gets near winning, all the other players procede to, more or less, destroy his power structure and his chance at winning.While a strong Illumanati will fend off two or three attacks, after eight or nine, you just don't have anything left to resist with.So, you're back to nearly square one and, while you're trying to rebuild, you're helping everyone else do the same thing to whomever else might be nearing the win.Games can last three or four hours until someone manages to squeak out a victory.
Now, if you like that kind of game, that's fine, but that gets a little long for me.
Also, and this is another minor issue, I have never seen any player manage to win by the standard victory conditions.For those who've never played, a standard victory is controlling a certain number of groups, with the number depending on the number of players.For a five player game, for example, I think it's somewhere around a dozen groups.
Each Illuminati, though, also has its own victory condition:The Gnomes of Zurich need to collect a certain amount of money, The Assassins need a certain number of Violent groups, The Discordian Society need a certain number of Weird groups, and so on.
Since I've never seen a standard victory, everything can depend on the right groups becoming available for each group.If you're the Discordians, and no Weird groups come up, you've got no chance at winning, in my experience.
Don't let me discourage you from buying this game, I'm not trying to.I am saying, though, that it can be so irritating that you'll throw it on the shelf and never look at it again.
Read Best Reviews of Deluxe Illuminati Here
Deluxe Illuminati came in a sturdy cardboard box with insert that had space for half the deck on each side with a small space for the dice.It fit together nicely and allowed the game and rule books to be stored safely.The instructions are easy to understand, but the game play is of the advanced variety.Children are smart.They'll pick it up just fine... it's the adults who will be slow on the draw. ;)Illustrations, examples, and detailed explanations of special situations and abilities are included.Basic strategy advice is given to help players get the game rolling.
Materials for the game were well made glossy cards, a simple paper instruction booklet (pages were correct dimensions and was stapled neatly, nothing sloppy), some thin cardboard money tokens (very durable and printed correctly), and two standard dice.As noted, all materials for the game were of high quality.1 blank Group card, and several blank Special cards allow the players (owner of the set of cards, really) to create their own cards with their own special abilities.Expansion sets and follow-up games are also available but were not included with this set.
Game play was fun and exciting.Often fast, sometimes slow, but never boring the game was a wild ride of fun times and wicked jokes about society and its many evils.The game supports 2 players, but feelings can be hurt by many crushing defeats... some would-be rulers of the world cannot win through direct force.A game of 3 or more players provides weaker strategists the opportunity to allow better generals to destroy each other, or to sow the seeds of distrust and forge alliances later to be broken in a bid for total victory.Each Illuminati group has a special goal and special ability to help them on their way to victory.Sub-groups give income, special abilities, or victory conditions varying on the situation.I love this game and everyone I show it to thinks it's comical, fun, and addictive.A great way to introduce kids to a world that is often ugly and cruel in a way that allows them to understand, but without the terror of boogeymen and fear mongering.Critical thinking and long-term planning skills are tested to the limit in games of 4 to 6 players.
Never a bad gift.Always fun.Great way to break the ice with just about anyone smart enough to be worth knowing anyway. :)
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Takes a while to understand the complicated 16 page rule book, but can be done.Only problem is finding 2 to 6 other players willing to play!
Bit disappointing that it's watered down from the original 1995 edition, by omitting the twin towers (terrorist attack) and Centers for disease control, etc.Obviously an Illuminati conspiracy to re write history! Ha ha ha.
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