Faces (2003) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Faces is a party game designed by A. B. J. Lawson and published by Buffalo Games in in 2003. The game is suitable for 3-8 players, with the best experience being with 6-8 players. The game revolves around players guessing how their fellow players would react to different scenarios.

Game Components of Faces

Face Cards: 152 cards featuring photographs of faces, separated into male, female, and animal categories.

Description Cards: 100 cards with simple descriptions of character attributes, jobs, or silly traits.

Choice Cards: 8 cards numbered from one to six, used by each player to select their matches.

Scoring Tokens: 40 tokens awarded to players for correct matches.

Game Board: A central board for placing Face Cards and Description Cards.

Rules Sheet: Detailed instructions on how to play the game.

How To Setup Faces

To set up Faces, place the game board and scoring tokens in the center of the play area. Shuffle the decks of Face Cards and Description Cards and place them face down. Each player receives a set of six Choice Cards numbered from one to six. The game is now ready for the first round, where the top six Face Cards are removed and placed into the six spaces on the board, and the top Description Card is read out loud.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Objective: Match the Description Card with the most fitting Face Card.

Round Start: Draw the top six Face Cards and place them on the board. Read the top Description Card aloud.

Player Selection: Players choose the Face Card they think best matches the description and place their corresponding Choice Card face down.

Reveal and Score: Reveal all Choice Cards. Players who chose the most popular face earn Scoring Tokens. If no consensus, no tokens are awarded.

Game Continuation: Retrieve Choice Cards, discard current Face and Description Cards, and start a new round.

Winning Condition: The first player to collect five Scoring Tokens wins the game.

Player Experience

Faces is a fast-paced and humorous game ideal for social gatherings and parties. Players enjoy the simple yet entertaining task of matching faces to descriptions, which often leads to lively discussions and laughs. The game is easy to understand and can be played by a wide range of ages, although some descriptions may require parental discretion for younger players.

Pros

Easy to Learn: Simple and straightforward rules make it accessible to new players.

Interactive and Fun: Encourages social interaction and humorous discussions among players.

Adaptable: Can be adjusted for longer or shorter game sessions by changing the number of Scoring Tokens needed to win.

Portable: Easy to set up and play in various settings, including online via video calls with some adjustments.

Cons

Limited Diversity: The Face Card deck is not very diverse, with only about 10% of the faces being non-white.

Some Description Cards: May contain mature themes or potentially offensive content, requiring censorship for younger or sensitive players.

Personal Thoughts on Faces

Faces is an excellent game for anyone looking to add a light-hearted and engaging element to their social gatherings. It is particularly suitable for groups of three to eight players and is recommended for those aged 12 and up, although with some parental discretion. The game is great for expanding vocabulary and encouraging social interaction, making it a fun addition to any game night or party. However, it is important to review the Description Cards to ensure they are appropriate for the playing group.

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