I’ve played games like Ultimate Werewolf before, I’ve even logged an embarrassing amount of time in the quicker single night version (aptly named, “1 Night Ultimate Werewolf”). I am not a fan of these kinds of games. I’m sure it has something to do with my social abilities, skills at reading people, and ability to make a decisive decision but I don’t feel the need to go super into it. Still, though, I know enough people who are really into social deduction games that I am basically required to play one serious game every few months.
I think the way we played Ultimate Werewolf was incredibly compelling. This was the first class, no one really knew each other, and we were forced to argue, vote people out of the game, and really understand each other. The number of people in the game made that process very difficult. A big part of the game’s balancing is that the Villagers outnumber the Werewolves by a wide margin, but the Werewolves actually know who’s on their team when the Villagers don’t. Having so many people meant that it was incredibly easy for someone to fly under the radar, and even easier for mob mentality to take over when voting someone out. I remember very explicitly that one of the Werewolves took early note and began “leading” a mob of villagers to vote someone out as they pleased. As the Seer, my job was also difficult for this reason. So many people to pick from meant that it was very difficult to point to someone and have that person happen to be a Werewolf. But, conversely, I was able to fly under the radar very easily while I looked around, the only reason I died when I did was because my in-game lover was voted out, and my in-game self couldn’t handle that and decided to end it all.
Despite all of this, I think the game went really well. It was a surprisingly immersive experience being in a room with so many people I didn’t know playing this game, and it really allowed for deep paranoia to set in. I don’t think anyone was taking the game too seriously, but everyone was serious enough that the final few rounds were genuinely nail-biting.
The idea of leadership comes into play in a much more subtle way in this game, but an incredibly influential one. The entire game is about talking, learning, and exchanging information. Those who “take the lead” are able to take advantage of the mob mentality and become a sort of authority figure that the Village can rally behind. This person doesn’t even necessarily have to be on the good side, as a Werewolf can just as easily, if not more easily, take the lead and pit Villagers against each other.
All in all, Ultimate Werewolf is more fun to reflect on than to play, in my opinion. It’s really fun to see this “story” play out and then, when it’s finished, be able to go back through and understand why things played out the way they did, what motivations people had, choices that were made, and why, etc. I am not really excited for the next time I’m roped into a game like this, but I can’t say I don’t appreciate the experience I get out of it.