Like life... a cooperative game that's only really cooperative sometimes.
Mantis Falls is a "sometimes cooperative" hidden traitor strategy game for 2-3 players. It mixes hand-building and tactical card play with deduction and tenuous cooperation.
Mantis Falls is designed to be a suspenseful and emotional journey shared with friends.
Sometimes it is a game of cooperation balanced with secrets and doubts, and sometimes it is a game of competition balanced with indecision and sacrifice. With skill and craft, you may figure out which one you are playing before it's too late.
Players are set on the dark film-noir roads of Mantis Falls, a mob-ruled mountain town, in the 1940s. As witness to something not meant to be seen, they are now hunted for their information. Taking single steps down increasingly dark and dangerous roads, players must survive the night and make it out of town alive.
Together, they must frequently apply cooperation and trust to navigate the night together... but things may not all be as they seem...
Mantis Falls is a "sometimes cooperative" game. Each game may be entirely witnesses, in which case players only win if they all survive together - or there could secretly be an assassin hidden among them, subtly manipulating the situation and waiting for the right moment to strike.
Mantis Falls combines hand-building, risk management and social deduction in a detailed blend of strategy and player interaction. Players make concealed moves and develop hidden plans, but will also need to have thorough conversations throughout as they discuss tactics, defend their choices and bluff to protect carefully guarded secrets.
In their slow walk, players seek allies, acquire tools and become encumbered by grave afflictions. The steps forward present secret "unseen" events and double-edged action cards, which stir confusion and degrade trust. As the night wears, witnesses and assassins alike must both tread the line between the value of teamwork and a preparation to kill.
Reception
“Witness perfection.”
- Dicebreaker
“Unlike any other game I have played... Whether I win or lose, I want to try something new or different and play another game of Mantis Falls. I recommend Mantis Falls as an important addition to any game collection.”
- Michael Knight, GEEKDAD
“No other game has given me such uncertainty and the need for unconditional trust. Masterful game design and atmospheric artwork come together here and result in a first class game.”
- Patrick Gerk, GAME2GETHER
“My heart was pounding as I was preparing to make my move as the assassin... I’ve never played a game that does this mechanic so well. Mantis Falls is one of the most well-made tabletop experiences for two players I have ever played.”
- Marcus Orchard, SEQUENTIAL PLANET
“Distant Rabbit have put together a beautiful, beautiful game. I absolutely loved Mantis Falls.”
- Hairy Game Lords
“Mantis Falls is beautifully designed. The artwork, components and gameplay knit together to create atmosphere and challenge in equal measure. A massive hit at our game night. You really do feel this one.”
- Pete Douglas, ZATU GAMES
“Wow! I can’t believe how fun this game is.... it hits just the right spots for me. This game has mechanics that can help hide your role very well which makes this game so good.”
- Steph, MINIMUMPLAYERCOUNT
“Do you ever play a game for the first time and afterwards spend the rest of the day discussing how awesome it was? Mantis Falls by Distant Rabbit Games had exactly that effect on my husband and I, after we played it we couldn't stop discussing it!”
- SvsJBoardgames
“Loved it... High player interaction, great theme and story and highly strategical... Never played a social deduction game for only two or three players. It's really clever.”
- Boardgame Review Tanja
“The game offers great strategy and is interesting until the end. The game really immerses the players into the world the creators are trying to create and makes the playing experience amazing.”
- Friday Knight Games
“This game drips theme... There’s really never a dull moment... Surprises abound, as do the variety of ways to tackle dire and tricky situations. Mantis Falls is, in many ways, the game I've been waiting for somebody to design.”
- BOARD GAME LAYOUT
