In the gloomy laboratories of 19th-century Europe, a race is underway between ambitious scientists seeking to create life itself. This is the premise of Frankenstein, a wickedly entertaining auction and collection game that puts 2 or 5 players in the roles of competing mad scientists.
After extensively testing Frankenstein across multiple groups of gamers, from casual to hardcore, we’ve developed a thorough understanding of what makes this game tick. We think it’s ideal for a beginner, we say it from the start. Let’s dissect this creation piece by piece.
The Essence of Life
Frankenstein is deceptively straightforward – be the first to assemble a complete monster by collecting one of each different body part. On your turn, you have four distinct options:
- draw and buy a card at face value
- auction it off
- sell it to an anatomist for a guaranteed sum
- loot a previously discarded part from any player’s graveyard
Starting with 12 coins each, players must constantly evaluate their financial situation while keeping track of opponents’ progress. Do you spend precious coins to secure that vital brain card or auction it, hoping to earn more money for future purchases? The stakes heighten as the game progresses and everyone gets closer to completion, culminating in the triumphant shout of “It’s Alive!” when someone completes their monster.
A Real Play Experience
During one of our recent gaming sessions, Aleksandar was in a nail-biting situation. He was neck-and-neck, with several of us just two pieces from completion. When we revealed a brain card worth six coins, he had eight coins in our treasury. Rather than buying it outright, he decided to test the waters with an auction, hoping to either secure it for less or earn some much-needed coins from desperate opponents. The tension mounted as the bidding escalated, eventually reaching seven coins. He was forced to pass, watching helplessly as another player claimed the piece. Their next turn revealed the final heart card they needed; you know how it ended up… IT’S ALIVE!
The Components
At a retail price point of [$20-30], Frankenstein offers a focused component selection that serves its purpose well. The 60-card deck features appropriately gothic artwork that brings the theme to life, with clear iconography that makes card effects instantly recognizable. The card stock holds up well to repeated shuffling and handling. However, we would have appreciated finishing the linen at this price point. While essential for hiding your collected parts and coins, the player screens could benefit from additional theme integration – featuring unique laboratory illustrations for each player. The metal coins provide satisfying weight and tactile feedback during auctions, though their generic design feels like a missed opportunity to enhance the period setting.
The Hidden Depths
What initially appears as a straightforward set collection game reveals additional layers of complexity. The Coffin wild cards provide crucial flexibility by substituting for any missing body part. The threat of angry villagers forces difficult decisions about resource management and timing, requiring players to defend their monsters or lose valuable resources.
The game offers two distinct ways to play. The basic game is a race to complete your monster first. However, the advanced variant adds a deeper strategy by scoring based on the total value of unique body parts plus coins (up to half your card value), with a three-point bonus for completing your monster. Additionally, in 4 or 5-player games, you can’t win if you have duplicates of any body part, forcing careful collection management.
Social Engineering
The real stuff happens in the player interactions. Every auction becomes a psychological battle as players try to gauge their opponents’ needs and resources. Selling pieces to your graveyard isn’t just about getting coins – it’s about denying others easy access to crucial components while potentially setting yourself up for future acquisitions through the looting mechanism. The graveyard system creates an interesting dynamic where each discarded part becomes a potential resource for any player, adding another layer of strategic decision-making to every sale or discard.
A Few Stitches Loose
While predominantly engaging, Frankenstein isn’t without its flaws. The sudden-death endings can particularly frustrate strategic players who prefer building toward a planned conclusion. In our experience, this issue becomes more pronounced at higher player counts, where tracking opponents’ progress becomes increasingly tricky. The early-game money struggles can create a snowball effect – players who fail to secure profitable auctions in the first few rounds often find themselves unable to compete for crucial body parts later. This economic disparity particularly impacts newer players who haven’t mastered the subtle timing of when to auction versus sell. Groups that prefer games with comeback mechanisms or consistent play arcs might find these aspects challenging to overcome.
Final Verdict
After a lot of plays across different player counts and group compositions, Frankenstein has revealed itself a consistently entertaining experience that hits the sweet spot between accessibility and depth. Yehuda Berlinger’s design for Invedars demonstrates a clear understanding of how to balance auction mechanics with thematic elements, delivering a tight, focused experience that keeps players engaged throughout its at most 30-minute runtime.
We particularly appreciate how it creates genuine excitement and interaction without getting bogged down in complex rules. The well-integrated theme makes the somewhat macabre subject matter playful rather than grotesque, showcasing Invedars’ ability to handle delicate themes with just the right touch of humor.
Frankenstein is well worth exploring for those seeking a quick-playing game that combines auction mechanics with set collection and just the right amount of “take that” elements. It’s best suited for groups who enjoy social interaction and don’t mind a bit of chaos in their gaming experience.
Rating: [a strong 5/10] – A solid addition to any collection, particularly for those who enjoy auction games or appreciate the classic horror theme.
