Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game by Z-Man Games
Price: ~$15.00
Players: 2 to 6
Playtime: ~15 minutes
Perfect for: Groups that enjoy one vs many deduction games with an affinity for all things Marvel
Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game pits iconic Marvel heroes against the villainous Thanos and his quest to obtain the Infinity Stones and balance the universe with a snap! In a race against time, the Avengers must drain Thanos’ power before he collects the stones and enacts his plan.
To begin Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game, 2 to 6 four players choose their role. One individual will play as Thanos, while the others are on a team of Marvel heroes. The hero deck and villain deck are shuffled separately, then each Avenger begins with one card and Thanos gets two.
On a turn, with Thanos going first, a player draws a card from their deck and decides which to play from their hand. Most cards have the player performing a specific action which hinders their opponent. For example, some cards allow a player to guess what their adversary is holding. Others allow the two sides to “fight,” which results in a comparison of secretly comparing the values of two cards. In each case of these conflicts, one side may potentially lose health. The game concludes when either the heroes or Thanos runs out of health. Alternatively, when the Mad Titan successfully collects and/or plays all six Infinity Stone cards.
What Works?
What works in Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game is the engaging team dynamic coupled with a base deduction mechanic, quick gameplay, and grafting of the Marvel theme. The one versus many facet is a clever way to make this iteration of Love Letter interactive, especially since some of the cards on the hero side impact what teammates can do (i.e. enabling a fellow player on your team to fight). Furthermore, Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game is asymmetrical, so there is some fun replay value in switching up who plays Thanos to give that person a new experience (this is also easy since games are relatively quick). And finally, for Marvel fans, Infinity Gauntlet has just enough thematic components to give it an Avengers look and feel. The fact that Thanos player signals a win by snapping their fingers is an especially fun touch.
Players who do not enjoy direct competition, or games that rely heavily on luck, may not enjoy Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game as much as others. Individuals involved in a 6-players game and assuming the role of Thanos could feel a little overwhelmed. Especially with five Avengers barraging them. Furthermore, while there is certainly a deductive element to the gameplay which becomes more prominent over time, ultimately at least some of the proceedings are random given the card-drawing mechanic and guesswork.
RELATED: Tabletop Game Review – Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power
Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game is great pocket game for people looking for something quick and light to play with their group. It’ll particularly bring joy to Marvel fans young and old because the gameplay is simple to pick up. The cards basically speak for themselves with all directions already on them. And finally, it has enough variation from Love Letter to count it as a fine addition to your collection even if you own the original game.
Recommended if you like: Love Letter, Werewolf
Final Grade: A
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