Game Review: Love Letter

LoveLetter_lgLove Letter
Alderac Entertainment Group, 2012

Love Letter is a simple, quick, fun game. You are an eligible suitor, trying to get your love letter to the princess. In order to do this, you must end the game round with the courtier card with the closest number to the Princess, your card represents the courtier to whom you have given your letter. There are 8 courtier positions: Guard (1), Priest (2), Baron (3), Handmaid (4), Prince (5), King (6), Countess (7) and the Princess herself (8).  You begin with one card. On your turn you draw a card and play a card. Each courtier has a special power that you can use to guess other people’s cards and put them out of the round, discard their card, making them draw a new one, or looking at their cards. Through these means, you try to keep in your hand a high numbered card, survive to the end of the round, or knock other suitors out of the running.

The game is simple because all you have to do is draw and play, but deceptively difficult because of the cutthroat nature of the scramble to be nearest to the Princess. With only 16 cards, and a few wooden blocks, you wouldn’t think that there would be this much to this game. There Is a lot of luck involved, but an alert, focused player can really do well. A good poker face and a bit of deception can go far as well. All in all, a nice little fun game. Great for when you have a few minutes and 2-3 friends.