Hamlet is a tile placing area-control game for two to four players that revolves around each player taking on a specific role for the turn in an attempt to build a medieval village. Each turn is divided into two phases. During the first phase, each player secretly selects a role from a limited set that will determine the play order for the round, as well as granting either a positive or negative benefit. During the second phase, player's place location tiles and play events while jockeying to place their tokens in such a way as to gain control of the largest point producing areas. Once each player has gone through all of their roles, the game ends and the player with the most victory points win.