Secret Hitler

Each round, a President and Chancellor are elected by vote. The President draws three policy cards, discards one, and gives the rest to the Chancellor, who accepts and plays one. Whether that law is liberal or fascist depends on the deck—but also on who is in power and whether they deliberately sabotaged it. If too many fascist laws are passed, the government gains increasingly powerful powers: spying on roles, blocking elections, or even eliminating other players. Liberals win by passing five liberal laws or by eliminating Secret Hitler; fascists win by pushing through six fascist laws or by having Hitler elected Chancellor after three fascist laws have already been passed.

Secret Hitler is one of the most popular social deduction games of the past decade. It distinguishes itself from similar titles like The Resistance through its double layer of information: fascists know everything, Hitler knows nothing, and liberals are completely in the dark, leading to richer and more nuanced discussions than in most hidden role games. The legislative mechanic adds a clever twist, as even an honest duo can pass a fascist policy due to bad luck with the deck, making accusations difficult to assess. The theme is deliberately provocative and not every group will feel comfortable with it; that's a real consideration beforehand. For those who can handle it, this is one of the most intense social games you can bring to the table.