We tried Like it for the first time on the occasion of Lucca Comics and Games 2019 with a group of guys we met for the first time at the table: during the quarter of an hour (including explanation) of the duration of the match, we had so much fun that we immediately wanted to play another one. So it also happened all the other times that we then proposed this small party game to other gaming groups, even those who had never enjoyed a board game before were amused. Like it, of Martino Chat, Hjalmar Hach e Pierluca Zizzi, published by Horrible Guild and distributed by Ghenos Games, it is in fact so simple that it can be proposed to anyone; with its three versions (History, Fairy Tales and Myths) satisfies all palates. We had the opportunity to test, in particular, Similo Myths, also trying to combine it with History. Here's what we think.
Materials and graphics
The materials of Like it they are essential and common to all three existing versions: a plastic box containing a deck of cards (of excellent quality). This makes the game practically perfect to be carried in your pocket and pulled out at the right time, as a filler at the end of the evening or as an introduction for those who have never played a board game. Particularly beautiful and accurate graphics, with magnificent illustrations and colored for each individual character.
The game mechanics
In Like it one of the players, the prompter, will have to make the others guess a secret character, chosen at random from the available set of characters. To do this, after observing the chosen card, he must shuffle it together with 11 other character cards and place them all face up on the game table; he will then draw 5 character cards among those not used, thus forming a hand of clues that he will have at his disposal in order to make the other players understand who the mysterious character is.
The game turn is very simple: the prompter chooses one of the character cards in his hand and places it horizontally or vertically on the table, without speaking. This card will be the clue of the current turn:
- if the card is placed in vertical, the secret character has something in common with the one depicted on the card;
- if the card is placed in horizontal, the secret character has something different with the one depicted on the card.
The players will then have to proceed by exclusion, eliminating the characters who, according to them and in accordance with the clue provided by the prompter, cannot be the secret character. In the first round they will have to eliminate only one card, in the second round two, in the third three, in the fourth four, until in the fifth round there are only two characters left and they will have to guess the correct one. Obviously the players, except for the prompter, can argue with each other to try to interpret the clues. If you don't know some characters, no problem: each card, next to the illustration, also has some small biographical information.
Shuffle the decks
As we said above, Like it three versions are currently available, Myths, History and Fairy Tales, which thematically group characters of various types. Normally it is played with only one deck: if you have the Mythos version, for example, only characters belonging to the mythology will be used, both to guess and as clues.
If you have more decks, however, it is possible to cross over between the two, using one of the decks only as clues, the other instead to create the pool of 12 characters between which you have to guess. Of course, in this way the game is more difficult, but also more fun and varied.
Considerations
Like it it's a Simple deductive cooperative party game, immediate, fast and understandable by anyone, even those who don't usually play board games. Thanks to the fact that we all play together, in fact, it is ideal for involving even the most timid or most reluctant to this type of pastime. We have tested specifically Similo Myths, trying to cross over with the version as well History with truly hilarious results. Like it it should involve 2 - 8 players, but in reality being cooperative it is technically possible to play it even with more people. The duration of a game is limited (we are talking about 10 minutes, a quarter of an hour), which allows you to insert it as a light filler between heavier games, or to play many games in one evening. The small size make it ideal to carry with you in your pocket, to be able to take it out in case you decide to play. Surely having more decks increases the longevity of the title a lot, since combining them together you can create always different games. The beautiful illustrations also make it very pleasant to see and observe on the table. In short, a title to have in the collection among the party games to bring even those who are strangers to this world closer to board games.
