Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Mantis Falls is a "sometimes cooperative" game of hidden roles, strategy and deduction for 2-3 players. As witness to something not meant to be seen, you must escape the dark mob-ruled town of Mantis Falls alive.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Action Queue
Place actions into an ordered queue that resolves now or on later turns.
Cooperative Game
Players coordinate their actions toward a shared objective and win or lose together.
Hand Management
Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Hidden Roles
Players conceal team, loyalty, or identity information from one another.
Events
Triggered events alter the shared state, rules, or available choices.
Read the full game description
Mantis Falls is a "sometimes cooperative" game of hidden roles, strategy and deduction for 2-3 players. As witness to something not meant to be seen, you must escape the dark mob-ruled town of Mantis Falls alive. You are told another witness will join you, and together you must use cooperation to survive the increasingly dangerous roads of the night. Your ability to work with another could be your greatest strength, but what if they are not who they claim to be? By the deal of hidden roles, each game could have only witnesses, meaning you must all survive together to win. Or there could secretly be an assassin hidden among you, subtly manipulating the situation and waiting for the right moment to strike. Inspired by shadowy film noir worlds, Mantis Falls is a thematic journey that requires players to continually weigh the value of cooperation against the implicit perils of trust. Hand management and facedown card play combine with opportunities for betrayal to create a detailed blend of strategy, player interaction and suspicion. At every turn, players make concealed moves and develop hidden plans, but will also have thorough conversations as they discuss tactics, defend choices and bluff to protect carefully guarded secrets. Mantis Falls is sometimes a game of competition balanced with indecision and sacrifice, and sometimes it is a game of cooperation challenged by doubts and distrust. With care, you may figure out which one you are playing before it's too late.