Description
The wolf Fenrir, son of Loki, was fated to devour Odin at Ragnarök, so the gods resolved to bind him. He broke every chain until the dwarves wove Gleipnir – a thin fetter made of six secrets of the world, from the sound of a cat's footsteps to the breath of a fish. Fenrir agreed to be bound only if one of the gods placed a hand in his mouth. In Gleipnir you build this fetter together, but nobody wants to be the one with a hand in the wolf's jaws at the end.
How to play Gleipnir
Each player holds two cards, and a few face-up cards lie on the table as a reserve. At the start of each turn, everyone secretly chooses one card and you all reveal them at the same time. Card effects are resolved in order, from the lowest number to the highest. If an identical card is also on the table, its effect does not happen. With the effects you draw cards, swap them with the reserve or pass Fenrir's ring to a neighbour.
At the end of the turn, each pair of identical cards completes one part of Gleipnir. Once all six parts are complete, everyone wins except the player holding Fenrir's ring. If the deck runs out first, you all lose.
Why you will like it
- You cooperate and compete at the same time: everyone wants to finish the fetter, but nobody wants the ring.
- Because cards are revealed simultaneously, you can never know whether a duplicate will cancel your effect.
- The deck is also a timer: if it runs out, you all lose, so you cannot hold back for too long.
- With four players you play in pairs – the two players sitting opposite each other win or lose together.
Who is Gleipnir for
The game is for two to four players aged 10 and up, and a game lasts about 10 minutes. Players like it best with two. It suits everyone who enjoys short card games where you have to guess what the others will play, as well as fans of Norse mythology.
What you might not like
Who ends up with the ring is often decided only on the last turn, so the game may not suit those who prefer games with more control over the outcome.
What's in the box
- cards with the six parts of Gleipnir and their effects
- Fenrir's ring
