Dead Men Tell No Tales
- Players
- 2-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 75 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 13+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.6 / 5
- Year
- 2015
About the game
Dead Men Tell No Tales sends 2-5 pirates aboard the captured ship Skelit's Revenge to grab as much treasure as possible before the ship goes down. Using an action-point system with the twist of passing actions to teammates, players battle a skeleton crew, dodge spreading fire, and manage their own fatigue while exploring a board they build as they go. Unique systems track fire spread, enemy movement, and fatigue to keep every playthrough different. Escape with the loot, or go down with the ship.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli appreciates the tense push-your-luck escape feel here: passing actions between teammates creates real cooperative decision-making, and the fire mechanic adds a satisfying ticking clock.
What we like
- Exciting modular pirate ship exploration.
- Cooperative action-passing rewards real teamwork.
- Thematic fire and enemy-tracking systems add tension.
- High replayability thanks to a randomly built board each game.
Keep in mind
- Can be quite punishing and difficult to win.
- Action-point sharing can lead to quarterbacking by experienced players.
- Some rules and tracking systems feel fiddly in play.
Who it's for
Great for cooperative gaming groups of 2-5 aged 13+ who enjoy pirate adventure themes and tense, escalating difficulty.
