Jekyll vs. Hyde Review

I have mentioned on several occasions that Sherlock Holmes remains a mainstay of subjects of which I may never tire. Even when considering roles played by actors in recent iterations, I have enjoyed each’s take on the character (with Benedict Cumberbatch being my favorite of the lot). I had seen all the hype for this game before ever picking up a copy myself, and I am here to express my opinions. SPOILER Alert: the hype is real.

Jekyll vs. Hyde is a two-player dueling and trick-taking card game with excellent art and stylization. In it, one player will be playing cards as Dr. Jekyll and their opponent will be taking on the persona of Mr. Hyde. Jekyll will win if they can outlast Hyde’s ferocious mental attacks, and Hyde will win if Jekyll succumbs to his madness. These outcomes are tracked on the main game board’s Identity Track.

To setup, place out the main game board with the Identity Marker on the very first space on the Jekyll side. The game’s Evil Tokens (representing Greed, Wrath, and Pride) are placed nearby and ready to signify the current round’s trump suit. All cards are shuffled together and 10 cards are dealt to each player by the Mr. Hyde player. Dr. Jekyll begins the game with the first turn and players are now ready to voyage into the wavering psyche of the famed Dr. Jekyll.

Jekyll vs. Hyde is played over three total rounds, with each round containing three phases each: Preparation, Trick-Taking, and Progression of Evil. During the Preparation phase, players are dealt 10 cards (as in set-up), choosing one to exchange with their opponent. Each subsequent round adds one more card to be exchanged. Should a player be dealt two or more Potion cards (the 2+ and 4+ cards in the photo above), they MUST choose one of these to be used in the exchange.

Trick-Taking is the main mechanic in this game, and is where most of the action is found. The Identity Marker’s placement along the Identity Track will determine the starting player with Jekyll having the first opportunity of the game. The starting player then plays their first card. If it is an Evil Card (of the three Evil colors) the opponent must follow suit, if possible. The Evil Token disc matching the first color played is then placed on the main board in the first slot (nearest Mr. Hyde’s portrait). Tokens will thusly be placed according to order of appearance for the phase. Alternatively, should the first card played reveal a Potion Card, the leading player calls out a color and the following player must play a card of the called color, if possible.

Once cards have been played, they are resolved. If both cards are of the same color, the highest value card wins the trick. If the cards are of differing colors, then the highest-ranked suit color wins the trick (more on this in a bit). If a Potion was played by either player, the Potion is resolved separately before continuing.

Remembering that Evil Tokens are placed on the board in order of appearance, the lowest-ranking color is that which is played first, and the highest-ranking suit is represented by the Evil Token furthest away from Hyde’s portrait. For example, should Jekyll lead with a 6 of Greed (green) and it is the lowest-ranking color, and Hyde plays either other color, no matter the number, Hyde will win the trick.

Potions, however, are resolved differently than merely a comparison of numbers and suit colors. When a Potion is played, a color is called out that the follower must play. When this happens, the Potion is resolved according to the color played, and each color represents a different action. Wrath (red) Cards cause all the Evil Tokens to be removed from the board, essentially resetting the hierarchy of suits. Greed Cards force both players to choose two cards from their hands to exchange with their opponent. Pride (purple) Cards allow the winner of the trick to steal a previously-won trick from their opponent. When played at just the right moment, these Potion cards shake up the landscape of the phase drastically.

Finally, when all tricks have been won, players compare the NUMBER of tricks won and compute the difference between the two numbers. No matter which player has won more tricks than the other, the difference of the number of won tricks informs player how far to move the Identity Marker during this Progression of Evil phase. Mr. Hyde’s goal is to push the marker all the way to the opposite side of the board, so he wants the difference of tricks won to be as large as possible. Conversely, Dr. Jekyll wishes to maintain balance long enough to create a cure for his affliction, so keeping the number of tricks as even as possible is his ultimate goal.

The game ends after the third round of play, and if Dr. Jekyll is able to stave off Hyde’s attacks by maintaining relative balance, he will win! However, if Mr. Hyde is able to push Jekyll off the deep end by the end of the game, he overtakes the body and rampages the streets of London.

Components. This game is absolutely STUNNING in every aspect. The art by Vincent Dutrait has quickly become one of my favorites in the industry, and he absolutely crushes the theme and setting here. The cards are all great, and feature amazing art, the board is amazing, and that pewter Identity Marker is really unnecessarily cool. It is so hefty and weighty that I wish it was handled more throughout the game! This is one of my favorite-looking little games I’ve ever played. Mandoo Games receives a big ol’ Shia LaBeouf standing ovation from me.

With such amazing components, I am also incredibly impressed with how well this plays with so few components. I mean, this is a board, three tokens, 25 cards, and one amazing pawn. That’s it. But how those components all work together is very sharp and refreshing. I know that I have not played many trick-taking games for two players, and none that I have enjoyed this much. What really impressed me was that the trump suits may change several times throughout the round, so players always have to be on their toes, but can also be in charge of these changes to their benefit as well… sometimes. Obviously the player will need to have Potion cards in hand.

Now, this game has a couple issues for me and my typical playgroup friends. Firstly, it can be a bit of a confusing game to teach initially. After one or two or three plays the game flows very quickly and easily, but it has a slightly steeper barrier of entry, especially for non-gamers or those still in their hobby infancy. I would not really suggest trying this game with these people, but consider offering a warning should they request to be taught the game. Lastly, and superficially, I wish it came with a nice insert. I know, ridiculous, right? But it’s my opinion that for games in modern times, especially with components this nice, they should come with a well-thought out way to protect the goods inside the box. Meh, I will probably just cut up some foamcore for myself.

All that said, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Jekyll vs. Hyde, or at the very least playing your friend’s copy. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a creepy, yet enthusiastic 10 / 12. The theme is one of my favorites, it features art from one of my top 10 artists, and also features a slick twist on trick-taking games across which I am so happy to have run. If you are also a fan of trick-taking games but pine for something a little different, then I believe this is a game to be added to your collection. It’s one of those that leaves you satisfied after playing, but also plants a little seed in your mind tempting you to setup it up again. That’s a sign of a great game for me. I don’t think it will ever reach my Top 10 Games of All Time, but I can certainly see myself increasing its rating from a 5 to a 6 with more plays and more opponents. Well, I guess I am going to see if my wife will play it with me right now.