Personal Demons
Personal Demons at your next game night?
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- Designer Judson Cowan
- Publisher Tettix Games , Board Game Circus
- Illustration Judson Cowan
The description, FAQ and assessments for this game were generated with the help of artificial intelligence from the game data and reviewed editorially. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
What to Expect
You participate in a group therapy ritual where players summon and seal personal demons. The game blends simultaneous action selection with closed drafting and tableau-style tile placement: populate your summoning circle, complete seals, and summon larger demons that grant unique benefits. Over three rounds you build an engine, spend sins as currency for bonus actions, and use courage cards for player-specific abilities.
Who Is This Game For?
Aimed at hobby gamers who enjoy drafting and puzzle mechanics. With a playtime of about 60 minutes it fits a game-night slot. Familiarity with simultaneous action and drafting systems is helpful; newer players can learn it but should expect a learning curve.
How It Works
Core systems are Closed Drafting, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Tile Placement: players simultaneously choose actions and draft pieces to arrange in their own tableau summoning circle. Completing seals allows summoning larger demons that provide benefits to all players. Courage cards grant unique abilities, sins act as a currency for extra actions, and an engine-build emerges across three rounds to score victory points.
What Makes It Special
Designed by Judson Cowan, Personal Demons pairs occult/psychology themes with puzzle-like tableau building and closed drafting. Its use of demons that confer different effects to each player and the simultaneous decision layer differentiate it from straightforward draft or tile-placement titles.
Pro
- Combination of Closed Drafting, Simultaneous Action Selection and Tile Placement
- Solo-capable (1 player supported)
- Playable in about 60 minutes
- Player-specific abilities via Courage cards increase variability
Contra
- Horror/religious theme may not appeal to everyone
- Simultaneous mechanics require some practice
- Engine elements add complexity for newcomers
Setting & atmosphere
The theme centers on an occult group-therapy ritual: summoning and sealing personal demons, combining elements of horror and psychological motifs.
Tips for beginners
Focus first on completing seals and learning how Courage cards modify actions; simultaneous choices reward anticipation over perfect prediction.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play this solo?
Yes — the game supports solo play (players.min = 1).
How long does a game really take?
Listed duration is about 60 minutes; expect slightly longer for initial plays with explanations.
What prior experience do I need?
Experience with drafting and simultaneous-action systems helps, as those are core mechanics.
How does this compare to similar games?
It blends simultaneous drafting with tableau tile placement and player-specific demon effects rather than being a pure deckbuilder or pure draft-only game.
Is this suitable for families?
Minimum age is 12, and the mechanics and theme skew toward hobby/enthusiast players rather than young family audiences.
What mechanic makes it special?
The interplay of Closed Drafting and Simultaneous Action Selection combined with Tile Placement defines its feel.
Fazit
Personal Demons is a compact, strategy-oriented puzzle draft game best for players who like simultaneous decisions and tableau-building in ~60 minutes.
Personal Demons at your next game night?
Add Personal Demons to your collection, let your group vote on what to play, and keep track of winners and scores. Free, no credit card.
Add Personal Demons to my collectionAlready have an account? Log in
