Dixit Journey (Game)
Publisher: Asmodee
Release Date: July 2012
MSRP: $32.99
Contents: One scoreboard; 84 new cards; 36 voting tokens in 6 different colors, numbered 1 to 6; and 6 game pieces in 6 different colors.
Number of Players: 3 to 6
Playing Time: 30 minutes
Age Rating: 8+
Product #: DIX04ASM
ICv2 Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Compared to the original Dixit, this has clarified the rules and simplified the scoring mechanism.  As in the original game, players have cards with visual images on them.  The active player gives a word or short phrase, or even makes up or quotes a poem or song that in some way relates to that card.  Other players chip in with cards which in some way relate to the same clue, and all the players cast votes as to which card is the one from the active player.  The result is a simple but tricky game, in which the point is to make clues that some players can decipher, but not all.  If everyone guesses right or if everyone guesses wrong, the active player loses, only scoring if the other players split their secret votes.  Creative thinking is rewarded, but so is confusing the opposition.

That sounds both simpler and more complex than it is.  The reality is that the images are good for suggesting concepts that can be used for clues.  The cool thing is that different people will come up with different ideas for each image, making the game very re-playable.  This is not like a trivia game, where there is one right answer per card.

Dixit Journey is an excellent game design for a group of friends or peers to play, especially if they are all at roughly the same developmental level in terms of word skills and visual imagination.  It would not be as good for some situations, such as parents and kids together, unless the kids were especially bright.

--Nick Smith: Librarian Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.