Tortuga 1667 Review: Become a pirate and doubt your allies! The ultimate psychological warfare created by hidden factions
Who do you believe?
Tortuga 1667 lets you experience the betrayal and tactics of pirates in the Caribbean Sea in 1667. With a unique system where you don't even know who your allies are, it's a masterpiece party game where players' suspicion and cooperation are exquisitely intertwined.
In this article, we'll provide a thorough explanation of everything from the appeal of the game to things to watch out for, based on actual player feedback and detailed reviews. By the time you've finished reading, you'll want to board a pirate ship yourself.
Game Basics
Tortuga 1667 is a social duction game in which each player has a secret allegiance to either England or France and tries to load more treasure into their team's ship's hold before the Spanish Armada arrives.
- Players: 2-9 (5 or more recommended)
- Playtime: 20-40 minutes
- Ages: 12 and up
The core mechanics are:
Hidden Faction System : At the start of the game, all players are secretly dealt loyalty cards. They decide whether to pledge allegiance to Britain or France. This secrecy lasts until the end of the game, so players start without knowing who their allies are.
Area Movement with Positions : There are five positions on board: Captain, First Mate, and Cabin Boy. The first three positions each have their own unique actions: Captain can launch attacks on galleons, First Mate can start mutinies, and Crew can move loot from one hold to another.
Voting System : When a captain calls for an attack, other players on that captain's ship must vote on whether the attack will succeed. In votes involving multiple players, additional voting cards are cast from a reserve voting card pile. Voting cards are shuffled before the results are revealed, making voting anonymous in nature.
The appeal of Tortuga 1667
The reason this game attracts so many players is because of its unique system that is not found in traditional board games.
A unique gaming experience where you don't know who your allies are
One final twist is that if there is an odd number of players, the odd player acts for themselves, the Dutch, and wins if the other two sides tie. I love this mechanic.
In fact, it's fair to say that this is where the game really shines, as it adds an air of uncertainty to the whole affair, making it all that much more fun.
This unique system allows you to understand who is on your team and who is fighting for your enemy as the game progresses. If you start colluding with fellow British or French citizens, you might start thinking about Event cards.
The number of players dramatically changes the gaming experience
Tortuga 1667 is better with more players. Four players works, but it's not enough. Six or more players is where the fun begins.
With so many actions you can take each turn, planning with your team can set up actions several turns ahead, making you feel like a bunch of evil geniuses —and then, when the opposing team thwarts your plans, like a bunch of fools.
Luxurious components and stunning beauty
Your first reaction to Tortuga 1667 is that it's gorgeous. From the faux books you're kept in to the expansive maps you play on, it's a beautiful game that's hard not to fall in love with from the get-go.
First of all, the box itself is really cool. It's an antique-style faux book with a magnetic lock on the cover, which gives it a very classy feel and look. I love how it can be stored on a bookshelf without looking like a board game.
The game board is actually printed on neoprene material and can be rolled up when you're finished. We used good materials so you don't have to worry about wrinkles while playing.
A perfect balance of strategy and chaos
The captain is the only one who can announce an attack on a ship, but all players on the ship must work together to make the attack successful. Each ship's crew member (the lowest-ranked player) is the only one who can transfer treasure from one nation's hold to another on the ship.
In this way, each player usually has something that only they can do, and it is an important part of the game.
Concerns and solutions
Every game has room for improvement. We'll explain Tortuga 1667's weaknesses and how to fix them.
Problem 1: Lack of appeal when playing with a small number of people
To be honest, I think it's too easy to figure out team loyalties, which hinders the game a bit. It would be nice if there were more ways to keep loyalties a mystery.
Tips : In my opinion, this game is best played with at least 5 players. Anything less and you lose a lot of the teamwork that makes this game special. I highly recommend playing with 5 or more players.
Problem 2: High Randomness
Event cards have a variety of effects, such as instantly exiling a player to an island or allowing a player to move more quickly from one ship to another. Effects can be positive or negative, so there is a lot of strategy involved in selecting cards for yourself and having other players (both friend and foe) select cards for you.
Tip : This randomness is what makes the game fun. It's important to be a clever Pirate who keeps a close eye on the state of your deck of Event cards. Having a rough idea of when the game will end is important if you want to lead your team to victory.
Problem 3: High learning costs
The game has several different rules running at the same time, so it can take some time to learn. Some players may find themselves overwhelmed and simply relegated to looking at the cards and taking the actions suggested by their teammates.
Strategy : The rules and mechanics of the game are not immediately obvious, but are grasped very quickly. It is important that everyone playing stays focused for the first one or two rounds. Referencing the rules in the early rounds should not be frowned upon by anyone at the table.
Recommended for these people and occasions
We will introduce the types of players and situations in which Tortuga 1667 shines the most.
The ideal player
The publisher positions the Tortuga 1667 board game as suitable for players aged 12 and over, which we think is a very good benchmark. It's especially recommended for:
- Groups of 5 or more friends : Groups of 6 or more are the best for fun
- Party Game Lover : When it launched in 2017, it won the Golden Geek Runner-Up Award for Best Party Game.
- People who enjoy mind games : Mistrust and betrayal are what drive this game with its dark heart, and the potential for devious schemes amplifies with more players in the game.
Recommended play scenes
Tortuga 1667 is a great family game and a great game to play with friends around the dining table. The portability of the box makes it easy to take with you on trips and I've had some great nights playing it with mates at the pub or with colleagues on the train.
Expected effects
Planning with your team sets up actions several turns ahead and makes you feel like a pack of evil geniuses.I also love playing Tortuga 1667 with new players.
Most people start out playing honestly, then one individual realizes they can start to get crafty, then another player eventually realizes they're being tricked and starts playing dirty, quickly degenerating into mass disbelief... and that's glorious.
Start your pirate adventure today and engage in an unforgettable psychological battle with your friends in Tortuga 1667, a masterpiece from Façade Games, creators of amazing Kickstarter and board game experiences.
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