Dubious (2021) Board Game
Dubious is a card game released in 2021 by Hobby World. It is designed by Dave Neale and features artwork by Marta Ivanova, Anton Kvasovarov, Svetlana Pikul, Uildrim, and Oleg Yurkov. The game falls into the categories of Card Game, Deduction, Fantasy, Medieval, and Party Game.
Game Components of Dubious
How To Setup Dubious
To set up Dubious, players start by choosing one of the three available settings: Modern, Fantasy, or Victorian England. Each player receives a reference sheet, a pencil, a record sheet, and a screen to keep their information private. The occupation and secret cards are shuffled and dealt, with each player selecting one occupation and one secret card to keep. Players note down the cards they chose and the ones they did not on their record sheet. The question cards are then prepared by combining general questions with setting-specific questions and shuffling them. The setup includes stacking the question cards in a specific order, ready for the game to begin.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– Players answer questions posed by the question cards, providing hints about their occupation and secret.
– Players must balance giving enough information to be guessed correctly by some but not all players.
– Points are awarded for correct guesses by other players and for guessing others’ occupations and secrets correctly. If everyone guesses correctly, no points are awarded.
Player Experience
Playing Dubious involves a delicate balance of providing subtle hints and maintaining secrecy. Players must think carefully about the narrative they build around their character to ensure some, but not all, players guess correctly. The game encourages creativity and detective work, as players listen to each other’s answers and take notes to make informed guesses. The experience is highly interactive, requiring players to be both deceptive and revealing at the same time.
Pros
Cons
Personal Thoughts on Dubious
Dubious is ideal for groups who enjoy social deduction and creative storytelling. It offers a fun and challenging experience, especially for those who like games such as Dixit, Codenames, and Decrypto. However, it may not be the best fit for players seeking a more structured game environment or those who find open-ended rules tiresome. It is particularly suited for groups with a theatrical inclination, as it encourages players to embellish their characters and answers for added entertainment.
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