
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,344
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Lie Detector: The Crime Solving Card Game
- 2 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2006

2002
Rules assistance for The Perilous Parlor Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Perilous Parlor Game is a board game released in 2002 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Brian Yu and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Memory.
Board game inspired by and based on the Series of Unfortunate Events childrens books by anonymous author "Lemony Snicket" in which the Baudelaire orphans are cared for by the evil Count Olaf while hoping for visits from the friendly Mr. Poe, the executor of their estate. Set in the Olaf mansion, one player is Count Olaf, while the other player(s) are the Baudelaire children. The game lasts roughly 24 turns, which is how long it will take Mr. Poe to travel to the bank and back to the mansion to visit the children. While he's gone, it is Count Olaf's job to successfully play Tragedy cards to damage The Guardians health (by moving into a room in the manor on which The Guardian's marker is in then playing a special card), while the children attempt to collect items in the manor with which they can thwart Olaf's schemes and restore health to The Guardian. The children win if Poe manages to get back from the bank, but Olaf wins if he drains all of The Guardian's health and kills him. The theme is extremely well used in this high-presentation childrens game. Excerpt from the box: "If you wish to play a game where the hero always wins, the villain is forever defeated, and innocent children are brought to warmth and safety, then I encourage you to put this box down immediately and for something involving lollipops, ponies, or educational flashcards. The lives of Violet, Sunny, and Klaus Baudelaire are fraught with sorrow, mis-fortunate, and unpleasantness, and the game in their honor contains the exact same things."
The Perilous Parlor Game supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for The Perilous Parlor Game is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists The Perilous Parlor Game for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The Perilous Parlor Game has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
The Perilous Parlor Game belongs to these categories: Humor, Children's Game, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of The Perilous Parlor Game are: Brian Yu. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists The Perilous Parlor Game as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.