Game: Sì, Oscuro Signore

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Surya — 2008-08-05T15:05:40+00:00

The FFG edition cover

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jsper — 2008-07-28T00:29:22+00:00

Promotional in spanish

Thread: Re: Wasn't me, Dark Overlord!

gamer in japan — 2008-07-22T06:58:01+00:00

but that isn't the way it has to be played. like the op said... play with roleplayers and you are going to have a fabulously funny time. play with strategy gamers and you are going to wish you never played.

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matteo310 — 2008-02-22T14:02:02+00:00

Cards from the french edition

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matteo310 — 2008-02-22T14:01:21+00:00

Cards from the french edition

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Gabbi — 2008-01-07T15:03:13+00:00

"Goblin Lord" promo card - art by John Kovalic

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Capitaine Grappin — 2007-12-11T03:49:26+00:00

Box contents (french)

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Capitaine Grappin — 2007-12-11T03:48:14+00:00

Box front (french)

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Capitaine Grappin — 2007-12-11T03:46:46+00:00

Rulebook (french)

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Capitaine Grappin — 2007-12-11T03:45:13+00:00

Box back (french)

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Kodeir — 2007-10-17T15:28:49+00:00

Spanish edition box back

Thread: Re: Wasn't me, Dark Overlord!

Surya — 2007-05-21T13:53:13+00:00

Yeah, we found that the game evolved into a simple "yes, but it's his fault because of (insert card reference here)" after about 20 or 30 minutes.

Thread: Wasn't me, Dark Overlord!

Randall Silver — 2007-05-18T19:06:36+00:00

"Aye, Dark Overlord" is a fun little cardgame for 4 - 10 players. Game time varies greatly depending on the players, and how many there are.

Artwork

The artwork on the cards is quite good, and funny in a cute kind of way. There are many different cards, most of them downright silly.
I especially like the Overlord cards. You can just feel his frustration.

Well, not much more to tell. It's a cardgame. Get a look at the pics section if you like, but there aren't that many pics there, I think. Still, it gives you some idea.

What's it about, and how does it work?

One player is the Dark Overlord, and all the others are his goblins. The Dark Overlord gave them a mission, which they completely failed to complete, of course. Now, it's a time of grovelling, begging, and most of all: blame the other goblin.

The game is about roleplay, and nothing else, actually. The Overlord selects one player as the first one to start explaining why the latest mission failed. (Also, it should now become clear what the latest mission was, which is also up to the Dark Overlord)

The player now selects one of his cards to explain why it failed. He/she can use the title of the card, the picture, or the description for the explanation. A "pointed finger" card can also be used in conjunction with such a card, to blame another goblin for the failure. Now it's that one's turn to start babbling

You can also use a "stop" card to interrupt somebody, also in conjunction with a normal card. This can be a very mean thing to pull, as the explanation is now interrupted, and the goblin must now find a way to talk himself out of yet another accusation!

When an explanation is not sufficient, or the Overlord gets annoyed with a particular goblin, he can frown upon that goblin. At the third frown, there is a very small chance to beg for the Overlord's mercy. If this fails as well, you lose and the game is over.

The good and bad points

You can only play this game with roleplayers, as there are very few rules, and everything depends on roleplaying. Although it seems the game is lost or won on the whim of the Overlord, that is not exactly so. Sure, the Overlord holds all the power, can interrupt a goblin at will, and decides who gets frowned upon. But he will be too curious to find out how a certain explanation is going.

A big plus is the amount of laughs this game will get. The mission can be plain absurd, and the various goblins will be as well, trying to shift the blame in the most illogical ways. This will make sure the game will be played again in the near future.

And that brings us to the last downside. There are only a limited number of cards, so after a few plays, placing the blame or explaining your own actions will start to sound the same. An expansion pack with new cards would not be a bad idea. Or you can make your own, of course.

So, in the end, this is a fun game to play with a group of people who don't mind roleplaying and using wit and humour instead of strategy.
Don't play it often, and it will remain a fun game to play.

Thread: Re: Sì, Oscuro Signore!

Llanirev — 2006-11-20T07:46:49+00:00

Unexpected Party wrote:
The game is based on comics and novels of Rigor Mortis, it's pretty popular in italy but I think you cannot expect translations in english or french, not soon anyway.

Well actually...
Yesterday played an English version of Dark Overlord which a friend had. He has it for quite some time now, so I guess the English version has been published for quite some time.

Thread: Re: Sì, Oscuro Signore!

Luke the Flaming — 2006-05-14T00:15:39+00:00

martin wrote:
Do you know if we can we expect an english/french translation?
Stratelibri itself is publishing the English edition (title: "Aye, Dark Overlord!") that is already available in the UK and should become available soon in the US.

Thread: Re: Sì, Oscuro Signore!

Unexpected Party — 2006-05-13T10:19:40+00:00

The game is based on comics and novels of Rigor Mortis, it's pretty popular in italy but I think you cannot expect translations in english or french, not soon anyway.

It's a storytelling game without "end" cards like once upon a time, on the cards there is only a small description of what you can see in the figure so it's not really important. All you need to play it's a translation of the rules.

Thread: Re: Sì, Oscuro Signore!

martin — 2006-04-24T00:48:50+00:00

Can it be play by non german/italian speaking players? Do you know if we can we expect an english/french translation?

Thread: Sì, Oscuro Signore!

Unexpected Party — 2005-06-28T21:22:59+00:00

NOTE: English is not my first language. If you find any error, please send me a message.

Sì, Oscuro Signore! is a storytelling game, like Once upon a time.

One player is the "Oscuro Signore" (lit. Dark Overlord) while the others are his bungler, completely submitted.
The Oscuro Signore remember to the player one of his evil plots and ask them if they achieved his goal.
Obviously the bungler could not realize the plan and here the game begins.
The players try to justify themselves blaming each other or the bad luck for the failure, but establishing your own innocence is not easy while opponents use cards to pass the "hot stuff" or disagree with your defence.
The players keep chatting until the Dark Overlord grows bored or find the guilty for the failure and then casts an evil glance to the unlucky bungler. Three evil glances and you are over .

Simple and Funny, almost no rules.
Great illustrations and humorism.

Everybody could and should play this game.

Thumbs Up!