We thank NSV for their kind donation to our charity scheme.
Open your mind. Clear it of all thought. Every little thing in there. Just let it go blank. Now tell me, what number am I thinking of? Is it higher than 1, lower then 100? Try hard to visualise it….Maybe focus harder and see 0000000000000000000000000007777777777700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000070000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000070000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000070000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000070000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000070000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000007000000000000000000000070000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
What number did you think of? If it was 7 then my experiment worked otherwise…well try again!
THE CONTENTS
THE MIND is describe as a thought experiment. One that thankfully needs very little to actually operate. You get in the box a pretty nice deck of cards. These are not lacquered and will perish under long-term use. A rule book that simply illustrated how to play. NSV are commended here as all their rules are set out clearly and ironed out of issues early on. The cards are split into a few decks. There is a number deck. This runs from 1 – 100. They will need to be used a lot. So Shuffle them with vigour! A series of chapter cards deck. 1 to 12. The later ones need more players than two! Trust us here, they need a group to complete! A Rabbit life deck set and a throwing star set.
SETUP AND GAMEPLAY
Shuffle all number cards again. These are essential! You will need to start the game with a number of lives equal to the number of players. Lose all your lives, and you lose the game. Simple enough! You start with one throwing star! Then start at chapter one. This card outlines the requirements of the round. Collectively you play cards into the centre of the table on a single discard pile in ascending order. You cant communicate with one another however. Not at all. No nods. No smiles. No nothing! You simply stare into the abyss or each others eyes. Read their mind. When you feel the time is right, you play your lowest card. If no one holds a card lower than what you played, winning! This means that the game continues! If however someone did have a lower valued card, all players discard face up all lower value cards. And you lose one life!
WHAT WE LIKED
As a collective game, THE MIND really excels in its random joys. You work as a team but in a very erratic and comedic way. The stonewalling is part and parcel of the core action/ reaction of the games thrust. Players face a dilemma every go. Play or stay. Lay or draw. Win and lose on a single move. Its crazy fun.
WHAT WE HATED
Well the only issues were the chapters. Ramping up difficulty is fun but from 8 onwards it is devilishly hard and strips fun from the core game. Though I understand the need to do this, but it robs the game of so much often.
OVERALL
A great group game for those long winter and summer nights. Everyone is involved, everyone is active. No passive plays. Silly fun with a sense of the chaotic nature of ESP and all that strange sensory elements, many of us have no idea of but could be so potent.
BUY IT NOW!!
