The Resistance: Avalon

The Resistance: Avalon Review: Lies, Wizards and Loud Accusations

Why the Game Works

Avalon is a hidden-role game. Good knights of King Arthur try to complete quests. Evil minions hide among them and try to sabotage. Everyone talks. Everyone lies (a bit). Somebody always gets accused unfairly.

A round is simple. The leader picks a team for a quest. Everybody votes yes or no. If the team is approved, its members secretly play a Success or Fail card. Good players can only play Success. Evil players may play Fail. Then the results are revealed. Was there a traitor? Time to argue.

I once played Merlin and tried to be subtle. I was not subtle. My friend stared at me for ten seconds and said “You know too much.” I wanted to disappear into the floor. Great fun.

Gameplay & Rules in a Nutshell

Teaching tip: start with the roles. Keep it short.

• Setup: Each player gets a secret role card. Evil players learn who their teammates are. Merlin knows who is evil (careful, one evil character can hide from him).
• Quest team: The leader proposes a team of a set size. Everyone votes at once to approve or reject.
• Quest: An approved team secretly plays Success or Fail cards. One Fail usually fails the quest.
• Leader token: It passes clockwise. If five teams in a row are rejected, Evil wins.
• Winning: Three successful quests for Good. Three failed quests for Evil.
• Twist: If Good wins, the Assassin gets one guess to name Merlin. Guess right and Evil steals the win.

That final twist keeps Good players honest. Merlin has to help without being too obvious. It is a lovely balancing act.

Who Is This Game For?

• Players: 5–10 (best with 7–8)
• Playing time: about 30 minutes
• Complexity: light-medium, around 1.7 out of 5 on BGG weight
• Age: 13+

It is best with a chatty group that enjoys bluffing. Shy players can struggle. Give them a role like Percival to ease in.

Why Is This Game Good?

Reviews are very positive about the “no player elimination” design. Nobody sits out. Fans love the special roles, which add layers without making the rules heavy. Many say it beats Werewolf-style games, because the deduction is stronger and the game is shorter. It is also portable and comes in a small box.

The common criticism is about group dynamics. If one loud player dominates, the fun drains. It also needs at least five players, which can be tough to gather.

Our Verdict

Avalon is a social deduction masterpiece in a tiny box. Bring the right group and you will get shouting, gasps and stories for weeks. If you enjoy talking and teasing, this is a top pick.