The game models a conflict between two groups:
the mafiosi, and the villagers.
At the start of the game, each player is secretly assigned a role
affiliated with one of these teams. The game has two alternating phases:
First, a night-phase, during which those with night-killing-powers may
covertly kill other players, and second, a day-phase, in which all
surviving players debate and vote to eliminate a suspect. The game
continues until a faction achieves its win-condition; for
the village,
this usually means eliminating the evil minority, while for the
minority this usually means reaching numerical parity with the village
and eliminating any rival evil groups.