Wouter & Ymke 
You and your companion are not exactly heroes. You’re scoundrels, cast out for things better left unsaid. But someone, or something, offers you a deal: find a priceless artifact hidden deep in the ruins of a crumbling town, and in return, your problems vanish. It sounds like a way out. Of course, there’s a catch. There always is.
You’re not the first to go looking for this treasure. Others have tried. The ruins are cloaked in mist and rumour, and something is out there. Something hunting. A beast watches the town, and it does not plan to let you leave with what it protects.
Hollow Pact is set in the same dark universe as Beast, from Studio Midhall. If you’ve played that one, the world will feel familiar. But this game tells a new kind of story, one that focuses on tension, betrayal and survival. We played the preview version, which is built for three players. Two of you play the scoundrels, trying to survive and escape. The third player becomes the beast, doing everything they can to stop you. Already, the game shows plenty of strategic depth and personality. The full version is planned to support one to five players, so there’s more to come.
👥 1-5 players, ages 14+
⌛ Playing time: 60-150 minutes
📝 Designers: Albin Larrson, Aron Midhall, Assar Pettersson, Elon Midhall, Dylan Farrell, Gabriel Jacobi,Rafel Servent, Shamiran Jaf & Tyler Exsted
🎨 Artwork: Aron Midhall
🏢 Publisher: Studio Midhall (preview copy provided)
Check out the Kickstarter campaign by clicking here
Gameplay overview
In the three-player mode, two players take on the roles of scoundrels working together, at least on paper. The third player becomes the beast, a fully-fledged opponent with their own deck, actions and objectives.
Each scoundrel starts with two hidden agenda cards. These define your personal objectives and also tell you which of the three escape routes you need to use. You cannot just run for the exit. You will need to complete both agendas first. On top of that, both scoundrels carry a crate, but only one holds the real cargo. The twist is that neither of you knows which one it is.
A round begins with the ritual phase. If you have placed more spirit tokens than anyone else on a ritual card, you get to activate it. Rituals affect players differently. Scoundrels resolve the top effect, while the beast uses the bottom. These rituals stay in play and can be fought over again in later turns.
After rituals, players take their main actions. You spend stamina and spirits to use your character’s abilities, play deed cards, or interact with landmarks on the board. Scoundrels move around the map scavenging for remnant cards, which help with survival and navigation, especially when dealing with mist and broken bridges. Abilities and available actions also depend on your mental state. Take on too much stress and you flip to the insane side of your board. That opens up new powers but makes survival harder.
The beast plays just as actively. It can curse scoundrels, upgrade its own powers, and move strategically across the board. While the scoundrels are trying to bluff and sneak their way out, the beast applies pressure by setting traps, placing stress, and using the terrain to corner its prey. The beast also starts the game with a primal urge card, which gives it an added objective or motivation, although it is not required to win.
At the end of your turn, you can discard a deed card to gain a number of spirit tokens shown at the top of the card. You also gain one spirit for each unused stamina token. If you end your turn in a shelter, you get to remove a stress token, which is a nice way to keep things from spiralling out of control.
But stress builds up fast in Hollow Pact. Cross your limit and you flip to the insane side. Push it even further, and your character can die. Managing your mental state becomes just as important as completing your goals.
The scoundrels win by completing both hidden agendas and escaping through their correct route, ideally while carrying the real cargo. The beast wins by reclaiming the cargo or making sure neither scoundrel escapes successfully. If only one of you escapes, or if the cargo turns out to be fake, things get messy. There are several possible outcomes, ranging from legendary victories to bitter survivals and tragic defeats.
Game Info
Hollow Pact is the latest title from Studio Midhall, known for their previous release Beast. While both games share the same dark fantasy setting, Hollow Pact walks a very different path. This is not about hunting across open terrain but sneaking through ruined streets with secrets on your back and a monster at your heels. The version we played is designed for three players: two scoundrels working together (at least, in theory) and one player controlling the beast. A full game takes about 90 to 120 minutes, depending on how long it takes for everything to go horribly wrong. The final version will support up to five players and include a solo mode.
We received a prototype copy to try ahead of its Kickstarter launch on 29 April, and it gave us a solid look at what the final experience might feel like.
Components & Artwork
From the first moment you set it up, Hollow Pact makes an impression. The artwork paints a bleak, mist-covered world full of decay, secrets, and the occasional disturbing shadow just out of sight. The illustrations have a textured, painted look, using muted colours that perfectly match the mood. Each card, whether it’s a deed or a curse, contributes to that uneasy atmosphere without ever being too much.
The miniatures are a big part of the experience too. The beast is massive, creepy, and looks like something that would definitely ruin your day if you saw it in real life. The scoundrel figures, in contrast, feel grounded and scrappy, which works well for their role. Even the cargo crates look great, and they serve a clever purpose in keeping the bluffing element alive. You might never really know who’s holding the real one, and the identical design reinforces that.
The modular board setup is clever. Each tile is full of details, but the layout is clear enough that gameplay doesn’t get lost in the visuals. Hexes and terrain symbols are easy to read, and the map slowly expands as you play, giving the impression that you’re uncovering a forgotten place bit by bit.
Player boards are well-designed, with two sides to reflect your mental state. One is for when you’re keeping it together, and the other is for when you’ve… let’s say “snapped a little.” Everything is tracked with tokens, which feel solid even in this early prototype.
Gameplay Experience
Hollow Pact is not a game you rush into. There’s a learning curve, and our first session had us checking the rulebook quite a few times. Luckily, it’s well-written and easy to navigate. The mechanics aren’t overly complex on their own, but they build on each other in clever ways. Knowing when to move, when to rest, and when to panic is part of the fun.
You’re navigating a slowly expanding town, trying to avoid terrain effects like mist and broken bridges, while also keeping your stress in check. It’s easier said than done. The game constantly pushes you to make uncomfortable decisions. Overextend and you risk going insane. Play it safe and you might miss your moment. It doesn’t help that your win condition is hidden behind agenda cards that you have to complete before you can even attempt to escape.
And then there’s the beast. In our games, the player controlling it was never just a background threat. It’s a thinking opponent who watches your every move, quietly placing curses and cutting off your options. Once one of us made a clear move toward a possible escape route, the atmosphere got tenser. The beast started circling in, and it felt like the town itself was closing in.
A lot rides on the cards you draw and how you spend your spirits. It can be a bit of a puzzle to know what the best move is, especially in the early rounds. But once you understand the rhythm, the decisions feel weighty in the best way.
Player Interaction & Replayability
This game doesn’t let you hide in your own corner. The player interaction is constant, especially in the standard two versus one mode. The scoundrels need to talk, guess, and occasionally argue about what to do next, but with hidden agendas and unknown cargo, there’s always a bit of mistrust in the air. You might be working together, but there’s no guarantee you’re both going to make it out.
The beast, meanwhile, is watching everything unfold and waiting for the perfect moment to mess things up. When players start acting on their secret escape routes, the tension ramps up. The beast watches closely, trying to figure out who’s heading where, while the scoundrels try not to give too much away.
As for replayability, there’s plenty of it. Scoundrels and the beast play very differently, so switching roles from one session to the next keeps things fresh. With randomised cargo, shifting map layouts, and a wide selection of hidden agendas, no two runs feel exactly the same. And if Studio Midhall delivers on the full one to five player count in the final version, the possibilities will open up even more.
Our Experience
We played the prototype in its intended three-player setup, and that felt like the sweet spot. The game shines when everyone is engaged and actively reacting to each other. It felt like being dropped into a slow-burning horror film. The scoundrels tried to keep calm and stay ahead of the beast, but the moment one of us flipped to the insane side, things spiralled.
There were moments of perfect coordination, followed by chaotic scrambles when plans fell apart. We had no idea who carried the real artifact, which led to some funny and slightly panicked discussions. One of us even suggested tossing the crates off a bridge just to see what would happen. We didn’t, but it was tempting.
The first session took some time to settle into, but the second already felt smoother. We understood how to manage stress better, when to push our luck, and how to bait the beast into making a move too early. That learning curve, paired with the constant pressure, made the whole experience feel memorable and satisfying.
Our Thoughts
Hollow Pact isn’t a casual game you play between dinner and dessert. It demands attention and rewards players who enjoy games with tension, layered decisions, and a bit of mystery. If your group likes storytelling, deduction, and asymmetric challenges, there’s a lot to enjoy here.
That said, it’s not for everyone. If you prefer lighter, fast-paced games or dislike direct player conflict, this might not be your first pick. The game benefits from a steady group who’s willing to lean into the theme and return for multiple sessions to explore both sides.
Strategically, the scoundrels need to pace themselves. Rushing leads to burnout, while hesitation can get you cornered. Learning when to reveal information, when to hoard spirits, and how to navigate the map efficiently are all things that take time to get right. For the beast, patience is powerful. A careful, observant beast player can quietly manipulate the board before striking decisively.
Hollow Pact blends story and strategy in a way that feels thoughtful and deliberate. Once it clicks, it offers an experience that’s tense, atmospheric, and worth revisiting, especially if your group enjoys bluffing, betrayal, and a bit of psychological drama. It’s the kind of game where even a quiet moment feels loaded, and that’s a rare thing to get right.
📝 We received a preview copy of the game from Studio Midhall.
