Ever since it was announced, The Traitors Ireland has had a firm hold on the nation's imagination. And everyone is counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until its debut on Sunday, August 31st, when host Siobhán McSweeney finally unveils her iconic cast of honest Faithfuls and sketchy Traitors.
To get you into the treacherous mood (and sate your hunger for all things betrayal), there are plenty of social deduction video games you and your friends can dip into for high-stakes, tense and utterly hilarious fun.
Below is a mix of new and classic titles to get you started. With these, you never quite know if you're all working together or if someone has an ulterior motive at play. And just when you think you've made it out, that last-minute betrayal will catch you off-guard... Game over.
Let's hope you are still speaking to each other afterwards...
First Class Trouble
First Class Trouble is a third-person cooperative game that centres on teamwork, deceit and paranoia. While everyone appears to be working toward survival, others are ready to strike when you least suspect it. Sound familiar?
You play as one of six survivors on board a luxury spaceship, which is now being captained by a rogue AI system hell-bent on finishing everyone off. Amongst you are four Residents, who are determined to reset the AI responsible and survive. Unfortunately, two players are 'Personoids', robots disguised as passengers who will attempt to sabotage you at every step and implicate innocent bystanders.
Whether you play as a passenger or an imposter, First Class Trouble is a polished-looking social deduction game. Proximity chat heightens the paranoia, so whenever you meet your mates and ask for help, you never quite let your guard down. Right up until the end of a round, can you truly trust anyone? Because the last second is when they could strike.
Spy Party
Hiding in plain sight is a massive part of the Traitors. Act normal, blend in, and don't arouse suspicion as you carry out all of your misdeeds. Spy Party is a classic two-player game that recreates this kind of strategy in a simple yet utterly hilarious way.
One player assumes the role of the spy, who must carry out a range of secret missions among a group of party guests. These can include bugging a VIP, swiping fingerprints, inspecting statutes, and stealing guest lists. As you motor around the room trying to complete tasks, you'll try to blend into the crowd, mimicking the behaviour of those around you. Why? Because you're being watched.
Player 2 is the sniper, who has an eagle view of the entire scene, and will spend their time scanning characters, looking for any kind of suspicious behaviour among the herd. They only have one bullet, so spending time to investigate what everyone is doing and when is key. A variety of maps and missions means that every short match can feel fun, fresh and altogether dramatic.
Among Us in 3D
Among Us is perhaps the most famous social deduction game of all time, and for good reason. Despite being released in 2018, it still commands an enormous player base, thanks to being both simple to play and even easier to enjoy.
Players assume one of two roles: the crew, who must rush around the spaceship and diligently do jobs to repair infrastructure and prepare for lift-off. And then there are the impostors, who look and act like crew, but with one difference; they aim to sabotage and kill off all crew members.
Once a dead body is discovered, a ship-wide meeting occurs, where players get to throw out all manner of accusations in the hopes of uncovering (or deflecting) suspicion. In typical Traitors fashion, the best defence is usually to push blame onto an innocent bystander, in the hopes of evicting them.
Among Us also proves that some things in life just keep getting better, as a 3D/VR version now brings a fresh, immersive twist to the game's chaotic antics. So whether you want to be an innocent Faithful or a vengeful Traitor, you can get a front-row seat to the festivities.
Eyes of Hellfire
Irish game alert! I repeat – there's a new Irish game for us all to rally behind. Eyes of Hellfire is a brand new game developed by Gambrinous, where you and up to four friends can enjoy a battle of wits in a highly atmospheric, Gothic horror experience.
Based on Irish legends of the infamous secret society known as the Hellfire Club, you must cooperate with your party to lift an impending curse before it's too late. But like any social deduction game, not everything is as it seems, and there are personal objectives players might be more inclined to pursue on their own in lieu of the common good.
Throw in some party voting, an innovative card system, proximity chat, as well as a macabre environment that plays on your already-growing paranoia, and Eyes of Hellfire is sure to scare and delight a group of friends in equal measure. Currently in access, a generous Friend's Pass means that only one player in the lobby needs to own the game for everyone to jump online and play.
DEATH NOTE Killer Within
Based on the hit manga and anime series, DEATH NOTE Killer Within is a multiplayer cat-and-mouse game, where up to ten players work together (and against each other) to unveil true identities and motives centred around the almighty Death Note.
The game consists of two teams. Team Kira must work together to steal ID cards from players and verify their identities. With this info, they can then use the power of the Death Note to remove them from the game. All the while, the investigators of Team L are trying to stop them, gathering evidence to determine who currently owns the Death Note, and to arrest them before they kill another person.
This game is a true battle of wits, where you'll work along innocently with players, all the while hoping against hope they aren't merely getting close to you to steal your ID and eliminate you. Match this with its unique setting, and you've a great (albeit often overlooked) social deduction game.
Secret Neighbor
Fancy a slice of horror with a healthy dose of paranoia? Secret Neighbour is a social deduction game that adds significant pressure and tension to a game night with friends. Think The Traitors, but with plenty of jump scares.
A spin-off of the cult classic Hello Neighbor, this game sees a group of six players join forces and break into a neighbour's house to rescue their friend. The party have 15 minutes to find a series of keys that will unlock the basement door and allow them to escape. Unfortunately, there is but one tiny problem; one of the players will be randomly appointed as the neighbour in disguise.The neighbour aims to gain the trust of other players, all the while tricking and trapping them... before the daring escape.
Like many social deduction games, having a group of friends can add a tremendous amount of fun to each match and ensures you always have a full lobby to jump straight into the action.The neighbour aims to gain the trust of other players, all the while tricking and trapping them before the daring escape. Like many social deduction games, having a group of friends can add a tremendous amount of fun to each match and ensures you always have a full lobby to jump straight into the action.
Project Winter
If you're looking for Among Us with a bit more bite and hardship, then look no further than Project Winter, a survival game where you battle the elements – and your friends.
In a group of eight players, you can play as a survivor who must complete a series of tasks to call in the rescue vehicles and make it out alive. All the while, you'll harvest food, gather craft materials, and stay close to your group to buy yourself enough time. Or, you could play as a traitor, who, despite the abysmal living conditions, is determined to steal, sabotage and turn everyone against each other to stop them from escaping.
Like all social deduction games, the player base can fluctuate in numbers, so it's recommended that you and your friends rally behind one game so that if all else fails, you can still make your own fun in a private lobby. That said, in the case of Project Winter, a brand-new update, titled 2.0: Cabin Fever, is coming on September 18th, which is sure to get Faithfuls and Traitors back to these icy hills in droves.
Goose Goose Duck
Goose Goose Duck is a free-to-play social deduction game that will compel up to 16 players to scream 'fowl play' in each match. Incredibly similar to Among Us, this game offers a cookie setup to play through, and a number of special roles with unique secret powers for players to toy with.
There are two teams, each made up of cookie bird avatars: the innocent geese, who must complete tasks, report suspicious activity, and do their best to survive. And there are the villainous ducks, who try their best to hinder their rivals and eliminate them from the game.
Despite being heavily inspired by other deduction games, Goose Goose Duck has really made a name for itself, proving to be just as popular and just as fun. With an abundance of customisation options, game modes and maps, it offers a nice change of scenery, and its comic graphics can help ease the bitter sting of betrayal when it does eventually happen you.
The Traitors Ireland begins on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Sunday, August 31st
