WEREWOLVES WITHIN
We’re lycan this multiplayer monster bash
Sometimes the simplest ideas make the most entertaining experiences. Werewolves Within is an almost perfect example of this, when you consider that on paper it’s nothing more than a bunch of people sitting in a circle and talking to each other. It’s an online multiplayer-only affair for five to eight players in which some of the members of your group are secretly dog people. And not in the “I just think they’re more loyal than cats” way. Naturally, the designated doggies have to keep their identity secret and try to divert suspicion onto other players. Meanwhile, it’s up to the villagers to expose these lycanthropic liars to win the game. When time runs out, everyone in the group nominates someone to die.
What makes things interesting is the 11 roles players can be assigned, all with their own special abilities. Along with the werewolves and villagers there are turncloaks (who are humans but win if the werewolves do), houndsmen (who can find out the role of a player sat next to them) and deviants (suicidal types who win if they’re killed). Each role, then, comes with its own strategies. If you’re a deviant, you have to play a double-bluff game where you’re trying to act honest in such an unconvincing way that it results in people distrusting you and voting for you.
It also makes for all manner of double-crossing opportunities where you can pretend to be a different role to mess with heads. If you’re a werewolf, you might want to pretend to be a houndsman and claim the completely innocent person next to you is lying about their role to make them look dodgy. Find yourself placed with eager participants and it’s one of the funniest games you’ll ever play, one where no two rounds are the same.
FUR THE PLAYERS
That’s the problem, though. While it’s relatively easy to connect to a game (it’s got cross-platform support with Oculus and Vive players), since it lives or dies by its voice chat, you’re taking a gamble every time you play in the hope that you end up with decent folk. On my very first game my group is ‘treated’ to an idiot shouting racist abuse at the black avatar in the game. Later I have to endure people who don’t speak at all, people who haven’t read the rules and just downright numpties before I eventually stumble on a great bunch, with whom a fun night is eventually had.
As a result the game is inconsistent, usually through no fault of its own – but sometimes very much so. An odd glitch means that occasionally your guide book, summoned with w, completely disappears. But over time, as you form a pack of new friends who are up for regular games, this could transform into a regular party night classic – albeit one where your party guests are in different houses. And might need worming.
VERDICT
“GET A GOOD GROUP AND IT’S ONE OF THE FUNNIEST GAMES YOU’LL EVER PLAY.”
Easy to pick up after only a couple of rounds, this is one of the best social virtual reality experiences you’ll have – but only if you find the right people to bark at. Chris Scullion