Mea Culpa

About this board game

Mea Culpa is a 90-minute game for 2–4 players about sin, generosity, and the perilous journey from Hell toward heaven. Players compete to finish with their poor souls closer to heaven’s gate than their opponents.

Throughout most of the game, poor souls move toward Hell rather than heaven. Players must therefore balance their ambitions with their growing tally of sins, choosing when to pursue useful perks and when to protect their final position. At the end, collected letters of indulgence may allow a last climb toward salvation.

Each round, players take on different roles in turn, including the Pope, Emperor, Merchant, and Little Sinner. These roles provide access to different special actions, while players decide how best to advance their plans.

• Buy and sell goods at the market.
• Visit the brothel to benefit from personal connections.
• Secretly donate money and goods to the church.
• Manage sins tracked with a tally stick.

Meanwhile, three cathedrals are under construction. When a cathedral is completed, the church distributes valuable letters of indulgence, but only the players who donated the most in each of three categories receive them. Timing, role selection, and careful donations are essential for anyone hoping to claim the best rewards.

Mea Culpa challenges players to find the right balance between greed, lust, pious generosity, and ambition. Sin too little and you may miss useful opportunities; sin too much and your eventual efforts may achieve nothing. The winner is the player who gathers the right indulgences, reaches the best final position, and gets away with it while others take the fall.