Almost Innocent
I am going to get some negative feedback for this. Almost Innocent is almost the worst game I have played. Yikes!
So what is good about it? Let us start there.
If you would like to skip to… “The Bad”
“The Good”…
I was backer #1,221 of the deluxe edition on Kickstarter. The artwork and colors immediately caught my eye. It reminded me of another game I backed on Kickstarter, Hidden Leaders (which I love playing with my best friend, Dustin). Sure enough, the artist for both games was Satoshi Matsuura.
I continued to explore. This game has:
Screen-painted wooden tokens.
Full color dry erase pads.
Markers for every player.
Unique player screens to hide your answers.
Visually, I was sold. Trying to hold back from hitting the backer button, I told myself to review the gameplay.
"Almost Innocent is a cooperative deduction game with a progressive story where you and your teammates must work together across different scenarios to prove your innocence." -Kolossal Games
Here is a description of the gameplay. If you are familiar with the game, skip a few inches to see what I dislike.
You and your crew have each been accused of a different crime. You must collaborate with your fellow players to provide the evidence that will clear the player to your left of any wrongdoing. You can not just tell them. If all players have discovered the evidence to free them, then all of you win. If one or more fail at this, then you all lose. It is an all-for-one-and-one-for-all situation!
The player to your right has the solution to clear you in the form of cards in the following categories: Crime, Victim, Offender, Scene, and Evidence. These cards match the pictures on the scenario boards. The player to your left (whose solutions you hold) asks you one of two questions about one of the rows on the scenario board: "How many clues relate to my case in this row/column?" or "Is my Victim (or Offender, Evidence, Scene, Crime) in this row/column.
Depending on the difficulty level you choose to play determines how many questions you get to ask. After you receive an answer to the question you pose, you take notes on your dry-erase board.
“The Bad” or What I Think is Bad…
It is up to chance that you pick the correct row/column and ask the right question. No plan or strategy is involved. Only random chance and checking off boxes can keep you and your crew from prison.
This puts the game on the level of Candy Land. You roll randomly to get from one side of the board to another. It has been dressed up and visually pleasing, but the game's core could be better. My family and I played three rounds and placed it on the shelf to never play again.
If you enjoy games of chance, such as Monopoly, Yahtzee, or Uno, then you might enjoy this one. Yet, the above games offer some choices that can help you win. Almost Innocent gives you 24 choices of row /column and question. You lose if you do not make the right choices within the allotted number of guesses. Everyone loses, and that is sad!
In the comments below, tell me if you have had a different experience with this game.
Disclaimer:
"Hey there! Just so that you know, most of the reviews you'll find on Bricklebrit Games Review come from copies generously provided by the game's publishers. But fear not! Despite the freebies, our opinions remain as untamed as a toddler in a toy store. Shiny boxes or fancy miniatures do not sway us.
Oh, and guess what? Bricklebrit Games is in cahoots with the Amazon Influencer Program. Yep, we're part of that circus, too! If you click on some links and make a purchase on Amazon.com, we might earn a few shiny coins to keep the hamsters running in our review wheel. Thanks for supporting our caffeine addiction!"
Follow Us On Instagram @bricklebritgames
