Awkward Guests: The Walton Case

2016

Jump into a world of intrigues with Awkward Guests! Use your detective skills to solve Mr. Walton's murder mystery. Will you outwit your opponents?

75
minutes

1 - 8
player(s)

12+

Medium

About the game

Awkward Guests: The Walton Case is a captivating game of deduction, strategy, and mystery. Set within the sumptuous confines of a grand mansion, players are drawn into a thrilling world of intrigue, deception, and cunning.

The game revolves around the unfortunate demise of Mr. Walton, the wealthy owner of the mansion, under suspicious circumstances. Players must step into the shoes of a detective, using their logic, deduction, and intuition to solve the mystery of Mr. Walton’s untimely end.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

1. Game Board: The game board is a map of the Walton Mansion. It is used by players to visualize the layout of the mansion and determine the path of their investigations.

How it interacts with the game: Players move their investigator tokens around the mansion, entering different rooms to gather information.

2. Investigator Tokens: These are individual game pieces that represent each player on the game board.

How it interacts with the game: Players move these tokens around the game board to investigate different rooms in the mansion.

3. Clue Cards: These cards contain critical information about the murder. There are several types of clue cards, including character cards, object cards, and room cards.

How it interacts with the game: Players acquire these cards throughout the game by investigating rooms. The information on these cards helps players piece together the events of the murder.

4. Investigation Sheets: These are individual sheets that players use to track the clues they have gathered.

How it interacts with the game: Players record the information they gain from clue cards on their investigation sheets. This helps them keep track of the information they have and the information they still need.

5. Solution Envelope: This envelope contains the actual solution to the murder mystery.

How it interacts with the game: At the end of the game, the solution envelope is opened, and the players compare their hypotheses with the actual solution to see who has solved the murder.

6. Complexity Cards: These cards vary the difficulty of the game. They can be added or removed to adjust the game’s complexity.

How it interacts with the game: Depending on the players’ preference, complexity cards can be included or excluded at the start of the game to adjust the difficulty level.

7. Intrigue Cards: These cards add unexpected twists and challenges to the game.

How it interacts with the game: Intrigue cards can be drawn at certain points in the game, and they can change the course of the investigation by introducing new information or obstacles.

8. Deduction Tokens: These tokens represent the players’ deductive powers.

How it interacts with the game: Players use these tokens to acquire clue cards. The more tokens a player has, the more clue cards they can acquire.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Awkward Guests: The Walton Case is a fascinating deduction board game where players take the role of detectives trying to solve a murder mystery. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Firstly, ensure all the game components are present:

70 Basic Clue Cards
58 Advanced Clue Cards
6 Player Dashboards
1 Game Board
1 Case Book
6 Player Tokens
6 Reminder Tokens
1 Investigation Notebook

Once you have confirmed all the components, follow these steps:

Place the Game Board: Lay the game board in the center of the table where all players can reach it. This board represents the Walton Mansion where the murder has taken place.
Choose Player Roles: Each player chooses a detective character and takes the corresponding player dashboard and player token. Place the player tokens on the starting space of the game board.
Initial Resources: Give each player a reminder token and an investigation notebook. The notebook is used to record clues and deductions, while the reminder token is used to track players’ turns.
Select a Case: Choose a case from the case book. Each case has a unique setup of clues and suspects. Do not reveal the solution at this stage.
Prepare the Clue Cards: Based on the case you chose, prepare the clue cards by finding the numbered cards indicated in the case book. Shuffle these cards and divide them evenly among the players. These cards represent the clues players will use to solve the case.
Random Elements: The random element in this game comes from the clue cards. Each game will be different because the distribution of clues changes every time you play.

After following these steps, you’ll be ready to play Awkward Guests: The Walton Case. Happy investigating!

Game flow Round and round we go

Awkward Guests: The Walton Case is a thrilling deduction board game where players must solve a mysterious murder case at the Walton Mansion. Each player takes on the role of a detective, aiming to solve the mystery faster than their competitors. The game is played over a series of rounds until one player correctly deduces the murderer, the weapon used, and the motive behind the murder.

Game Setup:

Each player chooses a detective card and places it in front of them.
The case card is chosen and the corresponding clue cards are sorted into the deck. The deck is shuffled and several cards are dealt to each player.
The rest of the clue cards are placed in the middle of the table to form the draw pile.

Gameplay:

Each round in Awkward Guests: The Walton Case consists of three phases:

1. Information Exchange Phase:

Players propose exchanges of information (clue cards) with other players.
Each player can propose, accept, or reject an exchange based on their current information and deductions.
Exchanges can be done simultaneously or in turn order, depending on player preference.

2. Investigation Phase:

Players who have not exchanged any cards during the Information Exchange Phase draw two clue cards from the draw pile.
These cards should be added to their hand and can be used in future Information Exchange Phases.

3. Deduction Phase:

Players check the information on their clue cards and try to deduce who the murderer is, which weapon was used, and what the motive was.
No player is required to share their deductions with the other players, although they can choose to do so.

Game End:

The game ends when a player believes they have solved the case. They announce this at the start of their turn, before the Information Exchange Phase. They then check the solution in the case envelope. If they are correct, they reveal the solution and win the game. If they are incorrect, they are out of the game, and play continues with the remaining players.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In ‘Awkward Guests: The Walton Case’, a player’s turn consists of four main phases: The Investigation Phase, The Exchange Phase, The Deduction Phase, and The Accusation Phase. Each of these phases provide strategic opportunities and actions that can affect the outcome of the game.

During the Investigation Phase, players have the opportunity to gather information. They can do this by:

Asking for Information: Players can ask one of their opponents for a specific type of information about a particular character, room, or object. However, the player must offer an equal or higher amount of information in return.
Drawing a Card: Players can also choose to draw a card from the deck, which can provide them with additional information or special abilities.

The Exchange Phase follows, where players have the ability to exchange information cards with one another. This phase is critical for gaining new insights and potentially misleading other players. The exchange must be of equal value, and each player can decide whether to accept or reject an offer.

Next is the Deduction Phase. Here, players use the information they have gathered to make deductions about the crime. This can involve piecing together clues, identifying potential suspects, and determining possible motives. The player’s ability to accurately interpret and use the information they have is crucial in this phase.

Finally, there is the Accusation Phase. A player can make an accusation if they believe they have solved the case. This involves stating who they think the murderer is, the murder weapon, and the motive. If they are correct, they win the game. However, if they are wrong, they are out of the game, and play continues with the remaining players.

The actions and strategic choices made during a player’s turn greatly affect the gameplay in ‘Awkward Guests: The Walton Case’. Collecting and interpreting information effectively, making wise exchanges, and timing your accusation correctly are all key to success.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Awkward Guests: The Walton Case’ ends when a player correctly solves the murder mystery. This mystery comprises of three components: the murderer, the weapon used, and the motive behind the crime. The game concludes once a player has accurately identified all three elements and announced their findings.

Victory Conditions:

Accurate Theory: The player wins if their theory correctly identifies the murderer, the murder weapon, and the motive. This theory should be based on the clues collected during the game.

First to Solve: The player who first correctly solves the murder mystery wins. If multiple players solve the mystery at the same time, the player who used the least clues is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player who first announced their solution wins.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Announce Theory: When a player believes they have solved the mystery, they must first announce that they have a theory. However, they should not reveal their theory at this time.
End the Round: The current round of the game continues until it reaches the player who announced their theory. They are the last to play in this round.
Reveal Theory: At the end of the round, the player reveals their theory by stating the murderer, the weapon, and the motive.
Check Theory: The theory is then checked against the solution in the solution envelope. Only the player who proposed the theory should look at the solution.
Announce Result: The player then announces whether their theory was correct or not. If it was correct, they win the game. If it was incorrect, they are out of the game and play continues with the remaining players.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

‘Awkward Guests: The Walton Case’ is a thrilling deduction game where players aim to solve a mysterious murder case. The scoring system is based on the efficiency of your investigation and your ability to precisely pinpoint the details of the crime. Here is a detailed explanation of the scoring system:

You receive points in the following ways:

Accurate Deduction: If you correctly deduce the murderer, the weapon, and the motive, you receive 6 points.
Efficient Investigation: For every clue card you have left after making a correct accusation, you receive 1 point. This reflects the efficiency of your investigation – the fewer clues you needed, the more points you score.

At the end of the game, your total score is the sum of these two categories.

In the event of a tie, the game has specific tie-breaking rules:

The player who made the correct accusation first is the winner.
If players made the accusation in the same round, the player with the most remaining clue cards wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who started the game later (i.e., was later in the turn order) is the winner. This accounts for the slight advantage that earlier players may have had.

Through this scoring system, ‘Awkward Guests: The Walton Case’ rewards both accurate deduction and efficient investigation, creating a dynamic and exciting gameplay experience.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Awkward Guests: The Walton Case is a deductive murder mystery game where players use clues to solve a crime. Although the game rules are generally straightforward, there are some rare and special rules, exceptions and clarifications that players should be aware of.

1. Limited Clue Exchange: Each player can only ask for clues from the player on their left or right during their turn. This rule is emphatic and no exceptions are allowed.

2. Clue Cards: When a player receives a clue card, they must not reveal the content of the card to other players. The card should be kept secret until the player decides to make an accusation. Note that clue cards are not to be discarded at any point in the game.

3. Making an Accusation: A player can decide to make an accusation at any point during their turn. However, once an accusation is made, the player cannot take it back. If the accusation is wrong, the player is out of the game.

4. The ‘No Repeat’ Rule: Players are not allowed to ask for the same clue from the same player in consecutive turns. This is to prevent players from stagnating the game by repeating their actions.

5. The ‘Four Clue’ Exception: Normally, players can only ask for clues from the player on their left or right. However, if a player has four or more clues, they can ask any player for a clue. This is the only exception to the ‘Limited Clue Exchange’ rule.

6. Rule Clarifications: There are some points that may need further clarification:

End Game: The game ends immediately when a player makes a correct accusation. If the accusation is incorrect, the game continues with the remaining players.
Multiple Accusations: More than one player can make an accusation in the same round, but each player can only make one accusation per round.
Clue Exchange: When asking for clues, a player can ask for any number of clues but they must give an equal number of clues in return.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

As you’re playing Awkward Guests: The Walton Case, it’s crucial to organize your clues and information effectively. A common strategy is to use a note-taking system, either on paper or digitally, to keep track of all the clues you’ve gathered.
Another strategy is to focus on the guests who have the most evidence against them. This helps narrow down the list of potential suspects and makes it easier to solve the mystery.
Try to trade information with other players as much as possible. The more information you have, the easier it will be to solve the mystery. However, be cautious not to give away too much information that might help others more than it helps you.

Beginner Tips:

Start by familiarizing yourself with the characters and the mechanics of the game. Understanding how the game works will make it easier to strategize and win.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from more experienced players. They can provide you with valuable tips and strategies that can help improve your gameplay.
Remember, the goal of the game is not just to solve the mystery, but also to have fun. Don’t get too caught up in winning that you forget to enjoy the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

One common mistake is not keeping track of the clues you’ve gathered. This can make it difficult to solve the mystery and can lead to confusion.
Another common mistake is not trading information with other players. While it’s important to be strategic about what information you give away, keeping all your information to yourself can hinder your progress.
Lastly, many players make the mistake of focusing too much on one suspect. While it’s important to narrow down the list of potential suspects, focusing too much on one person can lead to missed clues and opportunities.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

One way to optimize gameplay is to keep track of the clues you’ve gathered. This will help you solve the mystery more efficiently.
Another way is to communicate effectively with other players. By sharing information and working together, you can solve the mystery faster.
Lastly, try to stay focused and not get too caught up in the game. Remember, it’s just a game and the goal is to have fun.