Antidote Lab Alliance Preview

Antidote Lab Alliance Preview

Antidote Lab Alliance PreviewRecently we shared how much we enjoyed Antidote from Bellwether Games. This deduction game is one that has really connected with me personally and has been a lot of fun with our friends. This year, Bellwether Games is introducing a new dynamic to this great game with the “Lab Alliance” expansion.

Antidote Lab Alliance introduces 5 add-ons to the game and incorporates team play which is a lot of fun. We spent time with Lab Alliance, Double-Blind and Truth Serum mini expansion and here is what we thought.

Lab Alliance

At the core of this new release is the ability to add two new players to Antidote and bring 9 players to the table at once. I’m a big fan of party games so this was perfect for our family to check out. The game introduces two new antidotes and the game can be played with 8 players (4 teams of 2) or 9 players (3 teams of 3).

Players are given team cards and know who they are working with at the table at the beginning of the game. Together, you and your team are working to find the antidote and score the most points. I really liked the introduction of the “supply cabinet” which contains cards in the center of the table that players have access to. This adds some flexibility when you don’t feel like you’re getting the cards that you need.

The team aspect is great because you have two brains working on the same puzzle. You can pass your teammate a card that might be extremely helpful if you feel like you have the right antidote. We had a really good time with this team-based setup and people caught on quickly with 8 players.

Double-Blind

This addition to Antidote introduces the team dynamic in a lower player count game. The Double-Blind cards are shuffled and handed out to each player face down. These cards may match someone else’s card at the table which would mean you’re teammates. Unlike the Lab Alliance gameplay above, you never get to see the other players cards till the end of the round. You have to trust in what the player is sharing about their card!

This gameplay can offer a way for players to deceive others and make claims that aren’t true. At the end of the round, players that share the same symbol on their card score points as a team.

Truth Serum Mini Expansion

Truth Serum cards are mixed into your normal Antidote setup for up to 7 players. If a player is passed a Truth Serum card during this game, they must truthfully answer a yes or no question. This question can come from any player at the table.

Asking a question about a specific formula card can really change the course of the game when you’re not sure what antidote you should drink. I like that this brings a social aspect to it that requires players to ask the right questions at the right time.

Antidote Lab Alliance Kickstarter

Antidote Lab Alliance adds even more ways to play to an already great game. Bringing the player count to up to 9 players is a lot of fun. Playing on a team offers a new dynamic to this game and some of our friends enjoyed the team aspect even more than the base gameplay.

You can’t beat the value of getting 5 new ways to play this great deduction game. I feel like a lot of care has gone into adding value to Antidote and modifying the game in the right way. Antidote Lab Alliance is being funded via Kickstarter and is an excellent addition to a game that we have really enjoyed.

Head over to Kickstarter and pick up this expansion and the base game if you don’t have it already.

Bellwether Games provided us with a prototype copy of Antidote Lab Alliance ahead of their Kickstarter launch. This in no way influenced our opinion on the game. Previews are a glimpse into an upcoming game with the pros and cons that we experienced prior to production of the game.

Ryan Gutowski

I'm a huge fan of strategy games and pretty much anything that involves "city building". My love of board games goes back to my childhood and passion for building relationships with others.

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