Le prochain Shem Phillips, qu’on aime tous 
The cooperative game Bethel Woods is set in the fantasy/sci-fi world created by author, Jessy Ribordy (Falling Up/The River Empires) and uses a mancala-like mechanism. Players first pick up all the workers from any one of the six machines surrounding the orphanage, then move either clockwise or counter-clockwise around the board, dropping one worker on each machine and fixing malfunctions as they go. There are four malfunction types, each with a matching worker type to fix it. All malfunctions that players fix are added to their personal supply as “knowledge”.
To win, players need to send six of the twelve workers into Bethel Woods Orphanage with increasing amounts of knowledge to construct “The Daydreamer” (a machine that will rescue the orphanage’s inhabitants from the impending downfall). The first worker needs just one knowledge of their type, the second two, the third three, and so on.
Players also need to use their acquired knowledge to uncover spies, hidden within each of the machines. Players may uncover a spy only on the last machine they place a worker on each turn.
After each turn, three random malfunctions are drawn and added to the various machines. If a machine has more than four malfunctions and/or spies, it goes into the critical state. These all make the task of maintaining the machines and constructing The Daydreamer that much harder. Also, any round where at least one machine goes critical, results in a spy being placed on each machine where there are currently no workers.
The game also uses a morale system. When spies enter the machines, morale drops. Likewise, as they are uncovered, morale rises. Players can also spend morale to use their character’s unique ability. Sending workers into the orphanage to work on The Daydreamer also boosts morale.
Players lose the game if at the end of a player’s turn, any of the following situations are true:
There are four or more critical machines.
There are four spies on any one machine.
The team has no morale left.
They can also lose immediately if there is not enough morale when placing spies or not enough malfunctions when placing them.
