Undo: Peak of No Return Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Setup
• Course of Play
  • First Time Travel
  • Fate
  • Further Time Travels
  • Clue Cards
  • No Direct Influence
• End of the Game
• Tips for the Best Possible Game Experience

Game Components

• Approx. 5 instruction cards (numbered at the bottom A1, A2 etc.): They explain the game while you play it, without you having to read a rulebook beforehand. If you prefer that, you do not need to read on in this rulebook. But if you would rather read the complete explanation of the game before playing, read on here and ignore the instruction cards.
• Approx. 13 story cards (numbered at top left): These cards tell the story that you are to change.
• Approx. 4 solution cards (numbered at the bottom L1, L2 etc.): Here you learn, after the end of the game, the solution of the story and whether you were able to change the fate of the deceased person for the better.
• Approx. 33 fate cards (numbered e.g. 1A, 1B, 1C etc.): These reveal whether you changed the story positively, not at all, or even negatively. Sometimes they also contain further information or special rules.
• Approx. 9 time cards: For every time travel you must give up 1 time card.
• Approx. 4 magnifying glass cards: For every clue you reveal, you must give up 1 magnifying glass card.
• Approx. 13 clue cards (numbered at top left): Each clue is assigned to one story card and can provide you with additional information.

Setup

1. Put the instruction cards and solution cards aside. You do not need the instruction cards because you have this rulebook in front of you. And you only need the solution cards at the end of the game.
2. Place all time cards (usually 9) and all magnifying glass cards (usually 4) as two separate piles directly in front of you.
3. Lay out all story cards in ascending numerical order, without looking at their backs. If space allows, it is best to lay the cards out in one long row. If you do not have enough space, you can also lay them out in two rows. Important: leave enough space above and below each card to place 1 small card horizontally there.
4. Place all clue cards below the corresponding story card with the same number, also without looking at their backs.
5. Now reveal the story card that differs in color from the others at one spot. This is usually card 12 and it says "Circumstances of Death" (Todesumstände). Also reveal the corresponding clue.
6. Place the pile with all fate cards above the revealed story card. Do not look at their backs here either!
7. Now read the revealed card and the revealed clue to get into the story and learn more about the circumstances of death. Can you undo fate and prevent the death of the deceased person?

Course of Play

You play together, but take turns in clockwise order. You discuss everything together, but whoever's turn it is has the final decision. This concerns where the next time travel should go, how you want to change the events, and whether you want to use magnifying glass cards.

Agree on who starts, and discuss which time you want to travel to first, that is, which story card you want to reveal. The game thrives on devising theories about what might have happened, and on discussions about what should therefore be done.

First Time Travel

Once you have decided where your first time travel should go, first put 1 time card back into the box. For every time travel, that is, for revealing each story card, you must give up 1 time card.

Then reveal the story card you chose and read it aloud.

At the end of most cards you are faced with a decision on how you want to influence the events. Usually you have the choice between 3 different options. Discuss together which of the options you choose. Take your time to develop different theories.

Fate

Once you have decided on one of the options, find the associated fate card in the pile of small fate cards (above the story card with the circumstances of death). Then turn this fate card over and place it above the current story card.

Put the other two fate cards of this story card back into the box without looking at them; you no longer need them.

Example: You chose option B on story card 4. So you find fate card 4B in the pile, turn it over and place it above story card 4. You put cards 4A and 4C into the box without reading their backs.

You receive plus points if you changed the story positively. You receive minus points if you made the situation worse. You receive 0 points if you did not change the course of the story. That is, what sealed the deceased person's fate occurred anyway, or the scene had no influence on the death.

Further Time Travels

Then the next person in clockwise order takes their turn.

Again consider together which story card you now want to reveal. The final decision is again made by the person whose turn it is, if you cannot agree. Remember to give up 1 time card for every new time travel.

Note that you have fewer time cards available than there are story cards. So you cannot travel to every possible time; you will not be able to reveal some story cards!

Clue Cards

To obtain additional clues you have the magnifying glass cards. Per turn you may put at most 1 magnifying glass card back into the box. If you do so, you may reveal 1 clue card of your choice and read it aloud, but it may only be a clue under an already revealed story card.

In many cases the clue to the story card on which you currently have to make a decision will interest you most. But you may also decide to reveal a clue to a story card that you revealed earlier.

It is not allowed to reveal a clue of a still hidden story card.

No Direct Influence

Be aware that your decisions naturally have no direct influence on the other cards. Even though you perform your time jumps one after another, all your changes take effect simultaneously only at the end of the case.

End of the Game

As soon as you have given up your last time card, you finish the current turn. So you still make a decision for one of the possible options on your just-revealed story card and then reveal the corresponding fate card.

Now take the solution cards that you put aside at the start of the game. Read aloud the card "End of the Story" (Ende der Geschichte). Did you collect enough points to successfully re-knot the threads of fate?

The sample "End of the Story" card shown in the rulebook (from the sample case) reads, in summary by score: under 0 points: you made fate even worse and made the death more likely; 0-2 points: you were on the right track but unfortunately could not prevent the death; 3-4 points: you were close, but fate struck mercilessly anyway; 5-6 points: congratulations, you actually managed to prevent the death; 7-8 points: you solved the story brilliantly and prevented the death effortlessly; 9 or more points: you are masters of the threads of fate and not only prevented the death but also positively influenced the rescued person's life far into the future. The solution card also says: once you have revealed all time cards, add up the points on the backs of the revealed fate cards and see how successfully you re-knotted the threads. (Thresholds are those of the sample case; use those on your own case's solution card.)

Tips for the Best Possible Game Experience

Take your time and get involved in an unusual story. Do not make hasty decisions, but develop different theories about what might have happened. Find evidence for this on the cards already revealed.

But also stay flexible and be ready to discard your theories. Newly revealed cards will sometimes reveal contradictory facts.

The revealed fate cards can also be very helpful. Knowing whether you receive plus points, minus points or 0 points for a decision is at the same time an important clue about the possible events!

Discuss with each other and decide together in the end. Then you should be able to change fate successfully.