Dixit

by Pamela Laurenne Laserna

(boardgamebeast.com)

Dixit
Board game manufacturer:
Asmodee
Number of players:
3-6
Ages:
8yrs+
Time:
30 mins

Quick Verdict

People who appreciate creative and abstract thinking will surely enjoy a game of Dixit. The game comes with 84 magnificently illustrated oversized cards that range from interesting to downright weird by the artist Marie Cardouat. The game requires having a minimum of three players, less than that and the game will make no sense at all.

The game and gameplay

This game won the Spiel Des Jahres for Best Board Game in 2010.

Rules are very simple and is very easy to learn, which is a plus if you have young players involved. Players start out with six cards. One player is assigned to be the “Storyteller”. The role of the Storyteller is to create a sentence, phrase, title, sound effect or word to describe one of the images in their hand.

The key is to give out a clue that is neither too specific nor too vague. Other players pick a card from their hand which they think best matches your clue. The fun part here is when a player doesn’t have any card in hand which comes close to the clue.

The cards are then shuffled and revealed. Each player (aside from the storyteller) takes turns guessing which card was chosen by the storyteller.

It is at this stage that a timer would’ve been a nice inclusion in the game. The storyteller should also be prepared to explain the reason for such clue since the reveal would mean a lot of creative discussion and even arguments.

Pros and Cons

The game’s point system is unique, yet very simple, easy enough for the young ones to grasp. If everybody or nobody guesses the storyteller’s card, he/she wouldn’t get any points. That is why you wouldn’t want to give away too much or too little of the clue.

The duration of the game is just right as well, running for approximately 30 minutes. Not too long to lose its fun, nor too short to leave the players hanging.

Another great thing about the game is that players can join or leave in the middle of the game as they please.

Replay value pretty much depends on the players involved. Playing the same game with the same people can get a bit stale, especially if the players involved have trouble with thinking outside the box.Dixit 2 Expansion

Its lack of strategy also doesn’t help in increasing its replay value. If you come at this point in the game, it is probably time to bring in the expansion pack.

However, replay value is great if the players are exceptionally creative, since the rules can be flexed in a number of ways other than what the creators intended.

Additionally, you may notice a new concept each time a card comes up enabling you to give an entirely different clue even though you’ve already picked that card before. This makes every round of the game a distinct and creatively charged one.

The Verdict

Dixit is probably not for those who are extremely competitive. While a winner is declared after the game, relaxation and fun are its main objectives.

If you’ve played Dixit, please leave a rating and comments using the link below.