Brian Smith
United States
Perry Hall
Maryland
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Say Anything: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
I have been an avid gamer most of my life. Growing up, my family and I regularly played board games together. My parents were avid role players, playing Dungeons and Dragons before I even knew what D&D stood for. To this day, they still get together with their old RPG group (one of the couples are even my god parents), although they rarely play any rpgs anymore. I also was involved with this group as I got older, and we continued to play games of various types. In each instance, however, the games were chosen by others. As I grew up, I started to play games of my own choosing, and I have gradually started to develop my own ideas of what games I enjoy. As with most journeys of self discovery, it has taken some time to form a good impression.
To that end, I have pursued many games, both complex and simple, and have taken a liking to party games, despite my love for strategic depth. I have played many such games, both classics like Scattergories, and newer stars like Wits and Wagers. In each instance, any game that was humerous or creative won out over other games. Apples to Apples set a new standard for party games when it was released, and many games have attempted to emulate its style. That game became a regular feature of our gaming, and gave us lots of laughs with its silly word choices and easy to teach gameplay. I actually picked up Say Anything at a game convention on an impulse, as it was on sale, and I had heard that it was a freeform version of Apples to Apples. Say Anything, I am pleased to announce, has, in my house, taken that newly established standard and run with it, creating the most fun, creative, and hilarious experience I have had with a party game.
The game is played simply enough; each player is given a small board to write on, and 2 marker chips. A deck of cards is shuffled, and 1 player becomes the questioner. That player draws a card, and reads one of the questions on it aloud. All the questions are opinion questions (in my opinion...what is the best movie quote; where is the best place for a date; what is the worst pick up line, etc) and each other player writes down anything they like in response.
The answers are then placed in the middle of the table, and the questioner secretely picks 1 answer. The other players then place their markers on the answer or answers they feel are most likely to have been picked. Then the questioner reveals their choice, and players score points based on how accurate their guesses were. The deck of cards is then passed to the left, and a new player becomes the questioner. The game continues for a varied number of rounds, based on the number of the players, and the player with the most points at the end is the winner.
The Good:
The game is simple and straightforward, and can lead to a lot of laughs. It easily scales to large numbers of players, perhaps in teams, and gives players the freedom to create their own jokes. If you have ever played Apples to Apples and have wished your cards said something other than they did, then this is definitely the game for you. The game also adapts to different groups for the same reason, as games that include children will have quite different answers from those with just adults. Longtime friends and groups will also enjoy the opportunity to throw in all the inside jokes that inevitably build within those circles, and will only add to the laughter involved.
The Bad:
Despite the high opinion I have of this game, it is not without its flaws. The scoring system is less elegant than it predecessors, and can be a bit clunky the first few rounds. The game is also very light, and any player who goes in expecting to use their wits and intelligence to steal victory form others is in for a disspointment; the designers even go so far as to say in the rules that the point is to have fun, not have a very competitive experience. Some of the questions can also have be interpreted with sexual innuendo in their phrasing ("what is the best place to taker off your pants?" is one, for example), and while this isn't a problem for my group, it may be a problem for some. There is a family version of the game available that may be for any groups that may be concerned about those sorts of things in their games. In addition, if your group includes players who are not very creative, they may not enjoy the free-form nature of the answering system.
The ugly:
For the most part, the components are well made, but there are a few issues. The cards are thin and somewhat flimsy, and could break down after repeated play. Dry erase markers are included, but my copy had 1 already dried out. The scoring board in my copy seemed to have some flaw; the dry erase ink would not properly adhere to the board, and the writing would "bead up" and become unredable. A vigorous wiping with a napkin has helped, but not completely solved the issue. These are minor quibbles, however, and do not effect my enjoyment of the game much.
In conclusion, I get tremendous enjoyment from Say Anything. The games' free-form nature allows it to adapt to many different play styles, groups, and ages, and leads to lots of laughs and good times. It is not for all groups, however, as those who are very concerned about the content of the conversation will want to be wary (or purchase the family version instead). Also, players who are not as creative may not enjoy it, as they may struggle to find good answers. Overall, however, I would recommend this game to nearly anyone who enjoys party games, and especially to groups of creative people or longtime friends.
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Ben Lott
United States
Mason
Michigan
It's a gift...
...and a curse!
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opey2dope wrote: The cards are thin and somewhat flimsy, and could break down after repeated play.
FYI: My copy has been played at least 40 times over the last 3 years, and the cards show no sign of breaking down. And they have been thrown around the table, dropped on the floor, I think a few have been sucked on by babies, and we even had kids playing fresh out of a pool with soaking wet hands. I'm starting to wonder just what these cards are made out of that they have held up so well. I think the only real danger is someone deliberately creasing one of the cards, but who knows they probably would spring back from that as well 
Good review!
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Brian Smith
United States
Perry Hall
Maryland
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honestly, mine haven't broken down either; I just thought it might be a possible thing. The game is inexpensive enough that if they do become destroyed, then it could easily be replaced. Guess I can look forward to many more plays!
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Ben Lott
United States
Mason
Michigan
It's a gift...
...and a curse!
-
opey2dope wrote: honestly, mine haven't broken down either; I just thought it might be a possible thing. The game is inexpensive enough that if they do become destroyed, then it could easily be replaced. Believe me, when I first opened the game I thought the cards were going to be too flimsy as well. I've been surprised how well they stand up to repeated play, so I just thought I'd fill you in.
opey2dope wrote: Guess I can look forward to many more plays!
This is definitely a game to look forward to, in fact I'm probably playing it on the 4th of July.
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