👑 Bale i Skandale – elegance with a twist
Make it stand out
⭐ 1/10
Players: 3+
Playtime: ~20 min
Difficulty: Easy
Game type: Card game / Auction
🎯 Objective
In Bales and Scandals you compete for prestige by bidding on distinguished guests. Each card you win adds to your social standing, but the trick is in knowing when to fight and when to fold. The player who manages their resources wisely and times their bids best walks away with the highest prestige.
🃏 How a turn works
The game is played through a series of auctions. On your turn you can either raise the bid by playing another letter card or pass and drop out of the round. It’s simple, fast, and can be tense — but there’s a catch. When you’re left with just one card, you’re essentially out of the game. Joining an auction at that point means an automatic loss, so you’re forced to pass until the very end. For me, this rule kills the excitement: one player sits idle, while everyone else knows exactly what will happen.
🧩 Why I (don’t) like it
There are things worth appreciating:
✅ The artwork is gorgeous, atmospheric, and makes the game feel elegant.
✅ The rules are light and easy to teach in minutes.
✅ Rounds are short — about 20 minutes, making it a potential filler.
But there are deal-breakers for me:
❌ It requires at least 3 players, which limits when it can hit the table.
❌ The “one card left” situation breaks the flow and leaves someone stuck doing nothing.
❌ The scoring feels unintuitive and can leave new players confused or unsatisfied.
🏆 How to win at Bales and Scandals
Pace your hand — don’t spend your strongest cards early, or you’ll regret it.
Pick your battles — focus on the guests that give the best payoff instead of chasing everything.
Read the table — watch how many cards your opponents have left; their options shrink quickly.
Use bluffing as a weapon — sometimes raising isn’t about winning the card, but about making others bleed resources.
☕ Impressions
Bale i Skandale is a game that looks great and can bring some tension in a short session, but it’s not one I’ll reach for often. The minimum of three players is already limiting, and the moments when someone becomes just an observer break the rhythm. Elegant artwork isn’t enough to cover these flaws – and while I understand why auction fans might appreciate it, I’d rather stick with other titles.
👉 I ended up giving this game away – it simply didn’t earn a place in my collection.
🎯 Rating: 1/10 – Bales and Scandals charms with its visuals and simplicity, but mechanically it’s frustrating. On one hand, there’s fast-paced bidding and beautiful illustrations; on the other, situations where players are locked out and left to pass until the end. It’s a very particular game: some will see elegance and excitement in the auctions, while others – like me – will simply bounce off the mechanics.
