Mom@Play: 8 Reasons to Play Machine of Death

Machine of Death: The Game of Creative Assassination. Image: Cathe Post — *Machine of Death: The Game of Creative Assassination*. Image: Cathe Post.

Planning an assassination with your friends is fun. Following through with an assassination plan while making sure the Machine of Death prediction comes through is beyond hilarious. Here are eight reasons you should plan an assassination at your next game night:

1. This card game already has its roots in geek culture, since it is based on a series of short stories which is based on a web comic. The general idea being that there is a machine that takes a little bit of your blood and then predicts with 100-percent certainty how you will die.

The tools we have available for the assassination. The dice represent the number we have to roll in order for the tool to succeed in its part of the master plan. Image: Cathe Post.

2. This is a game of imagination. You are given three tools to form a plan, so that your intended victim dies in the manner they are supposed to. It’s sort of like an invisible Rube Goldberg role-playing event. These tools are unique and can range from imaginary childhood friend to heavy furniture.

This person is going to die by “free samples.” Image: Cathe Post.

3. A sense of irony is not lost in the predicted death methods. Your card might say “old age,” but that could mean you are hit 5 minutes later by some old geezer driving a car.

4. Your assassination team comes up with the details of your target. Take this chance to warm up your brain to be imaginative and silly.

5. As a team of assassins, you are given strange tools to kill your target.

Specialists are earned by completing your assassination and covering up your tracks before time is up. Image: Cathe Post.

6. The planning stage is not timed, but once you put your plan in motion, you have a time limit to succeed at killing your target. If you succeed and still have time left, you can cover your tracks and earn bonus Specialists that you can save for another assassination.

7. This is a great alternative to other party games, if you are looking for something adult to play other than Cards Against Humanity.

8. The box says it is for ages 14+, but I have played it with kids as young as 7. Parental guidance is advised.

Our team has succeeded on several missions. Image: Cathe Post.

Do you want a reason not to play Machine of Death? The only negative I have found so far is the cards aren’t very sturdy. They can’t be shuffled traditionally without bending them.

If this game sounds like something that would interest you, check it out. Machine of Death has a website and is available for around $40 from Amazon and some other sites.

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