Published on: February 5, 2026
February 2026
written by Kiomye Thompson
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One of my favorite games growing up was Clue. I’m sure many others feel the same way, as it was a first board game for a lot of people, including myself. As I’ve gotten deeper into the board game hobby, I’ve found myself drifting away from those classic titles I once loved. Still, I often find myself reminiscing about them and wishing there were modern games that captured that same feeling, just with a bit more depth. For me, Mysterium is exactly that game.
Mysterium is perfect for introducing someone who may only be familiar with games like Monopoly or The Game of Life, or for players like me who want a return to classic board game sensibilities, only with more flavor, atmosphere, and depth.
If that sounds like your kind of game, I’ll be demoing Mysterium by Libellud Studio at Gabi’s Olympic Cards & Comics on March 3rd from 6pm to 8pm. I’ll also be giving away free demo copies of Unlock! for people to try. The theme is mystery, and I hope to see you there.
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As I mentioned earlier, Mysterium often reminds me of Clue. The biggest similarity is the core objective: identifying a suspect, a location, and a weapon. Over the course of the game, players must correctly determine all three.
Where Mysterium truly shines, though, is in how it reimagines that formula. One player takes on the role of the ghost who has been murdered. Their job is to communicate clues to the other players psychics attempting to solve the crime by sending them “dreams.” The catch is that the ghost cannot speak and can only communicate through abstract, surreal image cards.
If you’re playing as a psychic, your goal is to interpret these dreamlike visions to uncover your own combination of killer, weapon, and location. The ghost’s memories are hazy, so each psychic is working on a different version of the crime. Once everyone has gathered their clues, the ghost finally remembers the true events and sends one final shared vision. The group must then decide which psychic’s solution is correct. If the majority chooses correctly, everyone wins. If not, the murder remains unsolved.
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If you’ve read my previous reviews, you’ll know I’ve talked about Libellud Studio before. Some of their other notable titles include Harmonies, Dice Forge, and Dixit. As with their other games, Mysterium features incredibly strong art direction, leaning heavily into dreamlike and surreal imagery that perfectly complements the theme.
Recently, Mysterium received a refreshed edition. This version introduces more modular, color-coded characters, locations, and objects, along with two new additions to each category. The object cards have also been resized to match the others, a small but welcome improvement, as their size discrepancy was one of my minor complaints with the original. The artwork has been refreshed as well, while still maintaining the same surreal, dreamlike style fans will recognize.
Mysterium is an excellent choice for groups that enjoy cooperative games or want something that isn’t overly complex. It’s approachable, rules-light, and works well as a gateway game for those looking to dive deeper into the board game hobby. At the same time, it offers enough engagement to keep veteran players interested. Combined with its reasonable price point and strong theme, it’s easy to see why Mysterium has become a staple on so many shelves. And while Halloween may still be a ways off, I say there’s always room for a little mystery and a few ghouls.
The game’s structure does shift slightly toward the end. In the first half, each psychic focuses on solving their own individual case using personal visions. The final phase begins once time runs out or all players have completed their investigations. At this point, the ghost reveals a final shared vision, and the group must determine which solution represents the true crime. If the majority chooses incorrectly, the case goes cold.
While Mysterium is undeniably a fantastic game, I do have one small concern with this finale. The second half can feel a bit clunky, especially for first-time players. This issue lessens with experience, but it’s worth mentioning as my biggest criticism. Aside from that, most of my earlier complaints were addressed in the refreshed edition.
Lastly, I strongly recommend having the most experienced player take on the role of the ghost. Even though the ghost never speaks, they effectively guide the entire game, acting as a silent host for the experience. This isn’t required, but it can make for a much smoother first play, especially given how differently the final phase of the game unfolds, which can be a bit jarring for newer players.
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