Court of the Dead: Mourners Call
- Players
- 2-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.9 / 5
- Year
- 2019
About the game
Court of the Dead: Mourners Call brings Sideshow's dark fantasy Underworld universe to the table, casting two to five players as Mourners maneuvering the factions of Bone, Flesh, and Spirit toward a shared goal while secretly pursuing their own hidden objectives. Turns combine area majority, auction bidding, drafting, and worker placement as players build influence, gather Etherea, and complete contracts across the Underworld's guilds and strongholds. The semi-cooperative structure means players must balance collective survival against personal ambition, since only one Mourner can ultimately win Death's favor. Detailed faction miniatures and a moody afterlife setting reinforce the game's heavier fantasy atmosphere.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli's team finds the semi-cooperative hidden-agenda structure the most interesting part of this design - it forces some genuinely tense decisions about when to cooperate and when to defect. The mash-up of auction, drafting, and worker placement systems is ambitious, though it does mean a fairly involved rules teach. This is a game for a group that already enjoys licensed miniature-heavy fantasy titles and wants something with more political texture.
What we like
- Semi-cooperative structure creates tension between shared and hidden goals.
- Combines auction, drafting, and worker placement for varied turn-to-turn decisions.
- Detailed miniatures and lore bring the Court of the Dead universe to life.
- Multiple paths to influence give players flexibility in strategy.
Keep in mind
- The combination of several distinct systems adds real rules overhead.
- Licensed theme may hold less appeal outside existing fans of the setting.
- Ninety-minute playtime can stretch longer while players learn the systems.
Who it's for
Fans of licensed dark-fantasy miniature games and semi-cooperative hidden-agenda play; best for two to five hobby gamers willing to learn several combined systems.
