The Hen Commandments (2015) Board Game

The Hen Commandments board game was released in 2015 and is designed by Tom Morgan-Jones. It falls under the humor party game category and has a religious theme. The game involves role-playing, storytelling, and voting mechanics, making it a fun and engaging experience for players.

Game Components of The Hen Commandments

Virtue Cards: Divided into sets marked with virtues like Compassion, Desire, Discipline, Equality, Judgement, Purity, Sacrifice, and Tolerance.

Egg Message Cards: Decks numbered one through six, which when combined form the Holy Chicken’s Hen Commandments.

Holy Corn: Tokens used for rewards.

How To Setup The Hen Commandments

To set up the game, players start by shuffling and preparing the Egg Message Cards and Virtue Cards. Each round begins with ‘The Laying’ phase, where the Holy Chicken lays six eggs (Egg Message Cards) from each of the numbered decks. These cards are then read in order to form a new Hen Commandment.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

The Laying: Draw Egg Message Cards to form a new Commandment.

The Reading: Players have a minute to select a Virtue Card that best fits the new Commandment.

The Preaching: Players reveal and compare their selected Virtue Cards. Unique Virtue Card holders explain the Commandment in light of their chosen virtue.

The Judgement: Other players vote on the most compelling explanation.

The Reward: The winning player receives Holy Corn tokens and their interpretation is accepted.

Canonisation: After ten Commandments, the player with the most Holy Corn is canonised as one of Henism’s saints and wins the game.

Player Experience

The Hen Commandments is a collaborative yet competitive game where players build a religion centered around the worship of a holy chicken. The game encourages creative and often absurd interpretations of the dynamically-generated commandments. Players must think critically and defend their interpretations, making it a game that challenges and entertains. The use of egg and hen-themed puns adds a layer of humor and light-heartedness.

Pros

Creative Interpretations: Encourages players to think creatively and come up with unique explanations.

Social Interaction: Promotes lively discussions and debates among players.

Humor: The game’s absurdity and use of puns make it an entertaining experience.

Reusable Content: The combination of cards ensures a different experience each time.

Cons

Complexity: May be overwhelming for some players due to the need for quick thinking and explanation.

Subject Matter: The game’s focus on building a religion, though absurd, might not appeal to everyone.

Length: Games can be around 45 minutes, which might be too long for some players.

Personal Thoughts on The Hen Commandments

The Hen Commandments is ideal for players who enjoy linguistic games, creative thinking, and social interaction. It is particularly suited for groups of 3-8 players who are comfortable with absurd humor and are willing to engage in lively discussions. The game is not just about winning but also about the journey of building a ridiculous religion together, making it a unique addition to any game collection. However, it may not be the best fit for those seeking a quick, simple game or those who are sensitive to religious themes, even when presented in a satirical manner.

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