Infernal Machine
From: Metaversal Studios
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Infernal Machineis a new Card Game from Metaversal Studios.
Contained in a plastic box are the cards to a rather creative and entertaining game. Infernal Machineis a game from Metaversal Studios that tests your memory and ability to read people. I played this game with a number of my family members who were not traditional gamers and they all really enjoyed this game.
From the website: “You are an assembly line inspector in a Gadget factory.”
Each player is given the role of an inspector in an assembly line and given an Inspector Card. The Inspector Card defines what particular aspect of a machine you reject, and this is kept secret from the other players. This could be for example “No Gears,” meaning in order for the machine to pass through your inspection it can not contain any gears. As said, this role is kept secret and throughout the game, and opponents will attempt to guess which inspector you are and vice-versa.
You have a hand of 5 Widget Cards that you use to build your machines with. Widgets can be Springs, Gears, Wheels, Levers, and Buttons. You place up to 3 cards together to form your machine and pass it to the first inspector. That player inspects it and if it passes his rule, then he passes the machine to the next inspector and so on. If it fails any inspection, that inspector keeps the machine for points. If it makes it all the way through each inspection, you as maker of the machine get to “ship” the machine and keep it as points.
During all this, you are trying to keep track of what was rejected and who rejectedit so that you can attempt to guess what type of inspector a player is. There is a variation where the player keeps their rejects hidden butthat is for advanced players. Even with playing with all rejects exposed,it was hard for me to keep track of who was rejecting what and to figure out what inspector each player was.
Once you figure out what a player is, you may make a guessinstead of building a Machine. If the guess is wrong, there is a penaltyand the game continues. If the guess is right, you gain points from that player. Play continues until the Widget Cards run out and the one with the most points wins.
From the website: “The problem is, management couldn’t agree on one set of standards, so each manager went out and hired his own inspector.”
In conclusion, the game is very challenging and fun. It also hassome very interesting variations to really try your memory and your poker face. It is a great family game but if you have serious memory problems, play with your scrap heaps (the piles of rejected machines) exposed.For advanced play, the group can agree to hide the scrap heaps. Brilliant little game!
For more details on Metaversal Studios and their new Card Game “Infernal Machine” check them out at their website http://www.metaversalstudios.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Infernal Machine
From:Metaversal Studios
Type of Game:Card Game
Game Design by:Jay Laird
Developed by:Mark Rosenstein
Number of Pages:1 folded page rules sheet
Game Components Included:16 Inspector cards, 90 Widget cards, 5 Quick Reference cards, and 1 instruction book, all contained in a nice little plastic box only slightly larger than a standard deck of cards.
Retail Price:$ 12.95 (US)
Number of Players:2-5
Player Ages:12+
Play Time:30-60 minutes
Item Number:Type Manufacture’s Item Number
Website:www.metaversalstudios.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung