Persuasion

Game Design: Xoe Allred
Hex Number: 92
Duration: 60 minutes
Players: 3-8
MSRP: $60.00

"Allred has done something remarkable. It’s taken the courtship rituals of a bygone era and zeroed in on what gives them their everlasting charm. We don’t adore Victorian relationships because they were healthy. We adore them because they were toxic, broken, born of stiffness and expectation and propriety — only to sometimes crash through the barriers to blossom into something vibrant and invigorating." - Dan Thurot, spacebiff.com, 2022

Persuasion is described by its designer as a game of deduction, catfishing, and conceding power. Like the books of Jane Austen, the players are primarily concerned with marriage and personal happiness. You'll reveal traits to prospective matches, hoping to become engaged to a player who has more of the things you value than the things you despise. They're hoping to find the same in you, though that's not necessary for you to win. Some parts you'll reveal, and others might be kept as secrets. Is it important that your partner win alongside you? Or will you be a ruthless adventurer, eager to trap someone in a bad marriage that benefits you? Or maybe you'll pivot to independence, accepting no suitor at all?

By focusing on the dynamics between players, and by allowing players to win independently, Allred has created a space for players to be incredibly expressive. It feels alive and messy while being bounded by the careful social propriety of rounds and turns.

This game requires up to 73 tarot-sized card sleeves, which are not provided.