Kill Doctor Lucky by Paizo Games was my latest adventure. Picture this: a quirky, reverse-clue adventure where the goal isn’t to solve a mystery, but to create one. That’s right, we’re all competing to be the one who does away with the oddly fortunate Doctor Lucky. Why? Just for the wicked fun of it, of course!

Setting up is like stepping into an old-timey mansion full of secrets and potential misdeeds. The game board unfolds to reveal Doctor Lucky’s sprawling house, with rooms waiting to witness our sneaky attempts. Each player navigates their character through the mansion, trying to find that perfect moment and place to strike where no one else can see.

Here’s how the mischief unfolds: on your turn, you move through the mansion, following simple movement rules. Doctor Lucky wanders too, following a predictable path that’s anything but lucky for him. The twist? You want to attempt your dastardly deed out of sight of the other players, in a room where they can’t see you and Doctor Lucky together. The basic idea is to be alone with him without any witnesses to your foul play. Here are what the game pieces look like.

I played the Armory location card on my turn, which is pretty much like sending out a VIP invite to Doctor Lucky, getting him to come right to where I was waiting. Now, here’s where it gets awesome: I had this attack card, the Civil War Cannon, which is usually kind of meh with a Murder Value of 3. But in the Armory it has a Murder Value of 5. I laid down that card, imagining the cannon going off with a bang, aiming straight for Doctor Lucky. It was such a power move, blending the perfect spot with the perfect weapon.

Attacking Doctor Lucky isn’t as straightforward as you’d hope. Every player has a chance to thwart your attack by playing Failure cards. These represent Doctor Lucky’s uncanny ability to escape harm, making him a frustratingly elusive target. The attacks and defenses add a delightful layer of strategy and bluffing, as you try to deduce when to strike and when to hold back, saving your cards for the perfect moment. Doctor Lucky dodged my epic cannon attack and in this case, there were enough Failure points to thwart the attack.

In the twist and turns of our game, there comes a time when the well of Failure cards are used. This is a moment tinged with a hint of inevitability. It’s as if the stars align just so, and an attack, unstoppable, breaches through the defenses we’ve so carefully built.

Kill Doctor Lucky is a game that flips the classic murder mystery on its head and invites you into a hilariously dark comedy of errors. The simplicity of the rules, combined with the depth of strategy and sheer unpredictability, makes it a hit for gamers of all ages, especially teens looking for something different and a bit cheeky. So, if you’re in the mood for a game that’s part strategy, part luck, and all parts entertaining, gather your most mischievous friends and see if you have what it takes to Kill Doctor Lucky.