Black Sonata
Then will I swear beauty herself is black,
And all they foul that thy complexion lack!
You are wandering through the fog-drenched streets of London more than 400 years ago, searching for a mysterious woman- the Dark Lady. You slip past alleys, deciphering cryptic clues, and following the whispers carried by the wind. Can you find her in this extraordinary pursuit?
Black Sonata is an enticing solo print-and-play game that fuses the mystery of a Shakespearean sonnet with the thrill of a detective story. For centuries, scholars have argued over the identity of the Dark Lady in William Shakespeare’s sonnets. As per the sonnets, the Dark Lady seduced Shakespeare, leaving him captivated and tormented by her allure.
So, get ready to go back in time to find her!
Are you new to print-and-play games, and got the chance to read the rest of my game reviews? Then be warned, Black Sonata is a bit more advanced than the ones I have played to date. Be it assembling the game, fully getting a grasp of it, or winning the game- it will take a while. But is it worth it? More than you think!
The game was launched in 2017 as print-and-play, designed by John Kean. Due to its popularity, it was later launched as a fully published game in 2018 by Side Room Games. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will!
All you need to play Black Sonata
As I mentioned earlier, assembling the game will take a while, so bear with me! First, download the file (FOR FREE!) from Board Game Geek. I have provided the link to the files at the end of the blog.
Next, you need to print 11 single-sided A4 pages, preferably in cardstock papers, except for the gaming print that shows the map of London. Have that color-printed on regular paper, and opt to laminate it. Laminating the gaming surface will make it durable.
Moving on, beware that there are TONS of both-sided cards in the game. So make sure to utilize all the card sleeves you have in hand. You need card sleeves of two different sizes- large ones for the Dark Lady Cards, choose a smaller card sleeve for the rest.
In case you do not have card sleeves, opt for pasting both sides of the cards together. That’s what I did! Having too many laminated surfaces is not aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. The location cards, 11 in total, will need to have a hole in specific zones, make sure to have a hole-punching machine around you.
The only additional element you need other than the printed components are the 5 player pieces- one represents you, while the rest of the 4 pieces represent the Dark Lady. I opted for 4 Black pieces for the Black Lady and a white one for myself.
Worry not about the materials; I have provided the link to the printer, cardstock papers, card sleeves, and player pieces at the end of the blog for your convenience. I have used them all, so I can vouch for their quality firsthand!
With the game fully assembled, it’s time to learn the game through a playthrough video. With many videos from amazing content creators on YouTube, I had a great time watching the playthrough video of Before You Play. Check it out at the end of the blog!
What you’ll love about Black Sonata
You get to test your deductive skills!
Nothing is more enticing than scanning an entire city, collecting clues and almost catching the Dark Lady before she slips out of your sight. On every round of the game, you will be aware of the location the Lady might be located in, and it is your inner detective that will be put to the test to be able to capture her once and for all.
The clues that you get as the game progresses will also put your brain to work, as you try to piece the whole narrative together to identify the Dark Lady. The game will immerse you enough to take you back in time- or at least that’s what I’ve felt while playing it!
Amazing Mechanism, guaranteeing Repeatability
Black Sonata has a very interesting mechanism that sets it apart from all the PnP games I played to date. When the game is set up, you need to fix the sequence of the Stealth Cards, and you have 8 possible combinations in which the Dark Lady can move around the city. For the top 4 combinations, the Dark Lady only gets to move to an adjacent location on each round, while for the bottom 4, she can move to any location.
This mechanism makes the game extremely repeatable! A big bow to the designer for coming up with such a mechanism. Creating a deductive solo game where the antagonist isn’t a player is quite challenging. But John Kean has certainly pulled it off successfully!
Oh, the Reveals!
The process of scanning a location in the game to determine if the Dark Lady is present is truly an art. You look through a keyhole to peep if the Lady is in the location or not. It’s moments like these that make me biased towards a game. And this game offers plenty!
Be it scanning a location, getting a clue card, unveiling a fog card, or finally revealing the Dark Lady herself- be ready to be out of breath, gasping!
Shakespeare all over it!
How art thou out of breath when thou hast breath to say to me that thou art out of breath?
If you are a fan of Shakespeare, you are surely going to love Black Sonata! There are lines of Shakespeare sprinkled all over the game, you get to see them especially when you reveal a location in search of the Black Lady. The theme of the game takes it to unparalleled heights and is guaranteed to enhance your gaming experience for sure. Play it with friends who have a knack for Shakespeare, and make them recite the lines for fun! Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.
Apologies for quoting him a 3rd time on this blog. I’m really trying not to, I swear!
Where to get the game from?
Black Sonata is an amazing game that you can find for free in Board Game Geek. If you end up loving the game like most do, I highly recommend purchasing the board game version of it. Its build quality is on another level, and can be the perfect candidate for game nights, and also for chilly evenings.
So- to be, or not to be? Okay, I’m done. Sorry for quoting him again.
My Recommendations:
+ A kickass Laminator
+ A handy and economical Printer
+ Card Sleeves
+ Player Pieces (Pawns)
+ Cardstock Paper
Overview | Black Sonata
Publisher: Side Room Games
Designer: John Kean
Number of players: 1
Difficulty level: Advanced
Rounds of gameplay needed to learn: 2/3 rounds
Game duration: 30-40 minutes
Price: Free
Download from: Boardgamegeek.com
Theme: Deduction to find the Dark Lady
Number of pages and color: 11 (color print)
Assembling difficulty level: Advanced
Lamination: Recommended for longevity (gaming surface only)
Additional elements required: 4 player pieces for Dark Lady, 1 player piece for you, Card sleeves, and a hole-punching machine.
Time to learn: Less than 60 minutes
Travel-friendly: 8/10
Shelving friendly: 8.5/10
Rating from PnP Time: 10/10
Tasliman is a board game developer based in Bangladesh, with the dream of exploring the world of games and introducing it to anyone new to it. He is the founder of Kraftz, a brand that develops board games commercially, as well as with reputed entities like BRAC and The Gates Foundation.
