By BILL REICK
We can all agree that the worst part of any board game is learning how to play it, especially if you’ve got an overzealous friend who’s already familiar with the rules. It’s torture. If Jigsaw really knew what he was doing, he’d tie us up and make us learn how to play Settlers of Catan for the first time.
Mercifully, the mechanics of WORDS TO DIE BY will seem immediately familiar to its audience. We’ve all played games like this before, whether it’s Cards Against Humanity or Quiplash. But don’t let that fool you. You have never played a game like WORDS TO DIE BY.
Your ultimate goal is to win the Golden Scythe. Think of this as the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Death Scene. Winning will take some serious dramatic chops. You’ll have to employ everything you can as a performer to best your friends and deliver the most memorable death scene possible.
Each round, a chosen “Director” will cast a “Death Scene” by drawing a card with the gory details laid out for your starring role. These fatal finishes are decidedly not for the squeamish but will leave horror hounds dying for more.
Here’s an example:
“You stand before a mirror, wrestling with your tie and preparing for your high school graduation. Frustration mounts as you realize you are eighteen years old and can’t tie a fucking tie. In a fit of rage, you resort to an old clip-on, but it slips and slices open your neck, exposing your trachea. Blood gushes from the fatal wound as you drop to your knees, whispering one final thought to the empty room…”
Now, here’s the fun part: Each player chooses from a handful of “Dying Words” to complete the scene. Performance not really your thing? Fret not. You can campaign for the coveted “Writer’s Award” by choosing the quote that best fits the macabre moment.
The Director matches each actor with a bon voyage bon mot. The imaginary camera rolls. Lights, camera, DIE! You’re the star of the show. The bad news is, it’s terminal. The good news? Give it your all, and you might be nominated for the prized Golden Scythe. The first one to three nominations wins the game!
So, who is this blood-gushing game for, anyhow? Well, like all the best things in life, WORDS TO DIE BY is filled with sex, drugs and violence. So, we wouldn’t recommend rushing out to buy it for your nephew who just saw Gremlins for the first time. The game is rated “M for Mature,” with a “17+” recommendation in the instructions.
We think fans of Terrifier, drinking games and edgy comedy will love this game. This one’s for the folks who like gnarly horror, so think more “Jason” than “Babadook.”
Honestly, though, you don’t even need to be a horror fan to enjoy this game. Anybody with a group of friends and a half-hour to kill (pun intended) will have an absolute blast working through the grim particulars of each new scene.
While it’s definitely meant for friends, WORDS TO DIE BY would be one hell of an icebreaker, as well. What better way to find out if a new group is really your tribe than by learning which “Dying Words” they think would best suit a grizzly bear who just mauled a bunch of orgy participants. It’s great fun!
Fully funded in just four days, WORDS TO DIE BY’s Kickstarter campaign was a resounding success! Find out more and order your copy now at www.wordstodieby.com!
