I've been looking back through my list of reviews that I've done here on EN World, and I realise that I have made a terrible mistake. Considering the fact that this is a site packed out with thousands of users who love to create stories, amongst all of those articles I've written, there is no sign at all of the excellent Dixit from Libellud. That, my friends, is something that'll be rectified here and now, because I guarantee that you will bloody love it.
This is a game that requires the kind of esoteric mind that works great in RPGs, but don't go in thinking that this is an epic adventure filled with stats and dice rolls. Dixit is simplicity itself, an hour set aside with friends to tell tiny stories, seeing how good you are at the art of description while not being too obvious. Up to six people can play - this is definitely a game where more people make for a better experience - and though there are rules in the game where you can work in teams of two accommodating up to twelve, I think it's much improved with individuals.
Pitched as a game where you're attempting to describe dreams, each player is given a hand of six cards at the start of the game. Each one is a beautifully painted image of something strange and curious - two snails indulging in a swordfight, for example, or a tired and sad looking dollshouse. The active player is referred to as a Storyteller, choosing one of their cards and placing it face down on the table. They must then describe it, but not in an obvious fashion - instead the focus should be more on how the picture made you feel, or looking at a certain element within and thinking of a way to paint it in words. You see, in Dixit, you do NOT want to be obvious. You want at least one other person to know what you're talking about, but not everyone...
After hearing your description (but not seeing your selected card, remember), the other players must then choose a card from their own hands that they believe could also work with what has been said. Of course, this may not always be possible, so that should be taken as an opportunity to get rid of a card that isn't really working for you. Once all players have submitted a card the pile is shuffled and each one is revealed, one by one, laid out into a row, and it's here where you see just how well your fellow players understand how you think. All players, bar that round's Storyteller, must then secretly choose the card that they believe inspired the original description by taking a numbered token in their colour, with all of them being flipped at the same time to show the votes.
It's here where things may appear complicated, but when playing I assure you that it's a piece of cake. The tokens are placed next to their corresponding cards and points are doled out depending on the votes that have been cast. First of all, the Storyteller receives points if their card has been chosen by at least one other player - however, if no-one or everyone has picked it out, they score nothing because their description was either too vague or too obvious. All other players whose cards were voted for also score points, then a new card is drawn by everyone and the role of Storyteller moves on to the next player. Do it so everyone gets a couple of attempts at describing their cards, and the highest total wins.
And that is Dixit. A gloriously simple game to play, there's little wonder that it walked away with the 2010 Spiel des Jahres. It kind of has the vibe of those terrible games that seemed to be everywhere in the eighties and nineties with titles like Scruples, but it is So Much Better. As games progress and groups of people play again and again, little in-jokes begin to appear but you can never rely on using the same description from game to game. Each new play requires a bit of thought and originality, and no two games ever end up the same. The base set comes with eighty-four different cards and they will honestly last you an absolute age, simply down to the fact that everyone thinks differently. There are expansion decks available (and even an entirely rebooted version called Dixit Odyssey) if you feel like breathing new life into it, but you seriously won't require them for some time.
Of course, the game wouldn't really function without some truly wonderful images to work with - there is a more abstract build of the game called Dixit Jinx, but I much prefer the fantastical, dreamlike (and sometimes nightmarish!) qualities of the originals. The art throughout is stunning, with all cards having been painted by French artist Marie Cardouat, and the entire package is beautifully presented. The scoretrack is built into the box, with each player's token a differently coloured rabbit... very odd, very weird, but in the context of Dixit, it just works. It's a game that anyone, as long as they have even a shred of imagination, will be able to play. The first couple of rounds always end up a little bit too obvious, but as soon as everyone gets to grips with the core concept of Not Being Obvious, you're away.
Of course, being a game where points are scored, there will always be a winner at the end of play but don't think for a moment that this is a competitive, confrontational affair. Instead, consider Dixit as a way to pass some time with friends and build strange and lovely connections. After all, any game where you keep track of your total with rabbiteeples shouldn't be taken too seriously...
If you've tried out any of the Dixit series, let us know what you thought about it. Have you grabbed any of the extra card decks? And which card do you think was mine in the picture above?
This is a game that requires the kind of esoteric mind that works great in RPGs, but don't go in thinking that this is an epic adventure filled with stats and dice rolls. Dixit is simplicity itself, an hour set aside with friends to tell tiny stories, seeing how good you are at the art of description while not being too obvious. Up to six people can play - this is definitely a game where more people make for a better experience - and though there are rules in the game where you can work in teams of two accommodating up to twelve, I think it's much improved with individuals.
Pitched as a game where you're attempting to describe dreams, each player is given a hand of six cards at the start of the game. Each one is a beautifully painted image of something strange and curious - two snails indulging in a swordfight, for example, or a tired and sad looking dollshouse. The active player is referred to as a Storyteller, choosing one of their cards and placing it face down on the table. They must then describe it, but not in an obvious fashion - instead the focus should be more on how the picture made you feel, or looking at a certain element within and thinking of a way to paint it in words. You see, in Dixit, you do NOT want to be obvious. You want at least one other person to know what you're talking about, but not everyone...
After hearing your description (but not seeing your selected card, remember), the other players must then choose a card from their own hands that they believe could also work with what has been said. Of course, this may not always be possible, so that should be taken as an opportunity to get rid of a card that isn't really working for you. Once all players have submitted a card the pile is shuffled and each one is revealed, one by one, laid out into a row, and it's here where you see just how well your fellow players understand how you think. All players, bar that round's Storyteller, must then secretly choose the card that they believe inspired the original description by taking a numbered token in their colour, with all of them being flipped at the same time to show the votes.
It's here where things may appear complicated, but when playing I assure you that it's a piece of cake. The tokens are placed next to their corresponding cards and points are doled out depending on the votes that have been cast. First of all, the Storyteller receives points if their card has been chosen by at least one other player - however, if no-one or everyone has picked it out, they score nothing because their description was either too vague or too obvious. All other players whose cards were voted for also score points, then a new card is drawn by everyone and the role of Storyteller moves on to the next player. Do it so everyone gets a couple of attempts at describing their cards, and the highest total wins.
View attachment 59047
So for this one, if I said the clue was "Metallica's Finest", which card would you say was mine?
So for this one, if I said the clue was "Metallica's Finest", which card would you say was mine?
And that is Dixit. A gloriously simple game to play, there's little wonder that it walked away with the 2010 Spiel des Jahres. It kind of has the vibe of those terrible games that seemed to be everywhere in the eighties and nineties with titles like Scruples, but it is So Much Better. As games progress and groups of people play again and again, little in-jokes begin to appear but you can never rely on using the same description from game to game. Each new play requires a bit of thought and originality, and no two games ever end up the same. The base set comes with eighty-four different cards and they will honestly last you an absolute age, simply down to the fact that everyone thinks differently. There are expansion decks available (and even an entirely rebooted version called Dixit Odyssey) if you feel like breathing new life into it, but you seriously won't require them for some time.
Of course, the game wouldn't really function without some truly wonderful images to work with - there is a more abstract build of the game called Dixit Jinx, but I much prefer the fantastical, dreamlike (and sometimes nightmarish!) qualities of the originals. The art throughout is stunning, with all cards having been painted by French artist Marie Cardouat, and the entire package is beautifully presented. The scoretrack is built into the box, with each player's token a differently coloured rabbit... very odd, very weird, but in the context of Dixit, it just works. It's a game that anyone, as long as they have even a shred of imagination, will be able to play. The first couple of rounds always end up a little bit too obvious, but as soon as everyone gets to grips with the core concept of Not Being Obvious, you're away.
Of course, being a game where points are scored, there will always be a winner at the end of play but don't think for a moment that this is a competitive, confrontational affair. Instead, consider Dixit as a way to pass some time with friends and build strange and lovely connections. After all, any game where you keep track of your total with rabbiteeples shouldn't be taken too seriously...
If you've tried out any of the Dixit series, let us know what you thought about it. Have you grabbed any of the extra card decks? And which card do you think was mine in the picture above?
