Now on Kickstarter from Ryan Cowler and Green Couch Games, OutLawed! pits players against each other for the role of Deputy of Bandit Bluff.
New to Kickstarter? Check out our crowdfunding primer here!
The last deputy from Bandit Bluff took off in a hurry and Sheriff Croc Holliday needs help! To win, players must capture enough bandits and earn Sheriff Holliday’s favor. Players take turns choosing a bandit from their eleven card deck, place it face down, and announce the name of any bandit in their deck. The subsequent players must decide if they think the players before them are telling the truth or bluffing and choose their own cards accordingly.
Players simulataneously reveal their chosen bandit and determine if the “Apprehend If:” conditions on that bandit have been met. If so, the player that played the card places it in their “Jail” directly in front of them on the table. The player whose jail contains bandits with the highest total bounty once the target number of bandits have been caught wins!
While relatively simple to learn, the “Apprehend If:” mechanics add a distinct layer of complexity to OutLawed! over other bluffing games like Liars’ Dice. Some bandits require that all players lied about their chosen target. Others require a certain number of similar cards be played. There’s even a Croc Holliday card that punishes liars and rewards you if anyone else lied.
After several playthroughs, the biggest learning curve came from knowing and remembering each bandit’s “Apprehend If:” condition without blatantly looking at the cards. Each player also randomly hides one of their bandits before each game, meaning each player’s deck will be slightly different. Knowing what each card required without referencing the card directly makes it far easier to bluff while making eye contact.
I’m particularly fond of the art on the bandit cards, and the designers really nailed the whole “Wild West with Animals” theme of the game. The bandits have enough variety and detail that I really want more backstory for all of them. I really hope we see other properties in this game universe that flesh out these characters.
For players that aren’t too keen on luck or bluffing, this game might not be for you, but for everyone else, head over to Kickstarter and support OutLawed! from Green Couch Games.
OutLawed!
2 to 4 players
15 minutes
Ages 10+ (GeekDad Age 8+ for complex bluffing mechanic)
