Murder of Crows Review
Murder of Crows is a card game for 2-to-5 players with an approximately 20-minute play time. There are two editions available, and this review will cover the 2nd edition. Overall, our feelings about this game are broadly positive and play is fairly easy for the target audience (players 13 and up) to learn. We recommend playing it at the local coffee shop/bird sanctuary. See, because it’s about crows? Wait . . . where are you going?
KeeganKing: Beaks, prose, and a murder most . . . fowl? For the record, I am fairly certain that crows are not considered fowl, but if the pun is good enough for the front of the box, then it is good enough for us. Introducing: Murder of Crows (2012, 2017) published by Atlas Games and designed by Thomas Denmark and Eduardo Baraf.
Murder of Crows comes to us from the same great minds who brought us Gloom, Dungeoneer, and Lunch Money (just to name a few). While I am an old and snarky man with the first edition, there is a more updated version, as well. The differences are actually fairly impressive, as the original came in a small cardboard box with a single sheet for instructions and poker-sized playing cards. The newest edition comes in a tin (fancy!) with multipage instructions (handy!), tarot-sized cards (witch-y!?), and something that was desperately needed: a two-player variant (candy? I dunno. This bit has sort of flopped). Thomas Denmark, Dungeoneer creator, also updated some of the art.
So, what should you expect to get when you buy the second edition of Murder of Crows? Well, I just told you. But if you’re still confused the game comes with the following:
61 tarot-sized playing cards
An instructions booklet
A handsome tin to keep everything in
Incidentally, you could also use this tin to store shiny trinkets, though the cards may not fit anymore. Despite the thematic consistency around crows, this is not recommended and you should probably just use the tin to carry the cards.
All of this sounds great, right? But you might be asking yourself, “how do I even play this game?” Well, first you should remove the reference cards and pass them around (there are five in total as this is the max number of players for the game), then shuffle the remaining cards into a single deck. Decide who the first player will be and deal that player four cards face down. Deal all the other players five cards face down. The remaining cards become your draw deck. That’s it! You’re ready to play!
Each turn consists of each player deciding to either play one card and then draw another, or skip their turn and draw two cards. Each card represents a letter (e.g., M, E, R) and the goal is to be the first player to play all six letters of the word “MURDER” in front of them. Seems easy enough, right? WRONG! Remember those reference cards? Well, each letter has a special ability that is triggered when you play a card. These abilities affect everyone else’s cards, which is hilarious, but then the turn passes and you might get your comeuppance. Overall, the game takes about twenty minutes to play and at the end, your cards will spell out a story of a murder most foul (no, I will not be doing the pun again).
Both the silly-jerk-who-likes-dark-stuff and the pragmatist in me think this game is great for a coffee shop or pub. On the pragmatic side, the game is easy to carry, has very few components, and has a fairly quick playtime (even with less experienced players, thanks to the reference cards). Easy set-up and easy clean-up are a must when you’re sitting around in a coffee shop, and it is easier to convince non-gamers to get involved with something that will only take about 20 minutes. In my experience, players are hooked fairly quickly, but the big reveal of the murder stories at the end tends to seal the deal. This plays into my dark humor nicely and the stories shy away from anything too gruesome, so playing it in public won’t have people complaining.
If pressed, I would say that the best way to engage people with this game would be to start with the fact that it is easy to learn and that there is a surprise at the end. In addition, the production value is high, and the art is really cool. Sort of an Edward Gorey vibe, which is consistent with Atlas Games’ other games (Gloom, specifically). In addition, the rulebook is extremely short and very simple to follow, which, coupled with the reference cards, can help engage people who might be wary of learning a new game. As I mentioned earlier, you can also play a specific two-person variant if you don’t have three to five players handy, which can make it more engaging for second or third playthroughs.
But enough of the preamble, time for big questions: Is it a good value? Do you recommend it? What is your favorite scary movie? What is that smell? Why are you in my house?
Sorry, that all got away from me.
The Murdered Third—an option for 2 player games.
The MSRP of this game is $14.95 USD for the second edition, and, at the time of purchase (the cold, dark before-times of 2014), the first edition was around $12.95 USD. Truthfully, I think this is a great value for the game. It is simple to teach, it has a fast playtime, it has a lot of replay value, and it can fit easily in a purse or backpack. One of the biggest issues with small games is that they often lack the replay value of larger, more intricate games. However, Atlas Games has really nailed down building games that are fun and simple and Murder of Crows hangs out with the best of them.
I would say that this game receives a Seal of Distinction, and it is Cafe Approved! While I think this is a solid two-player or group game, and I would definitely pick it up again, it does not set forth any new precedents for future game design.
If you are a fan of Atlas Games (as I am), Murder of Crows might interest you if you liked Gloom (2005; designed by Keith Baker), more than Dork (2003; designed by Noah Sax) or Dungeoneer (2003; designed by Thomas Denmark), both in style and theme.
Murder of Crows: Second Edition (2017) receives the Seal of Distinction and is Cafe Approved!