Faidutti (Citadels, Mission: Red Planet, Mascarade) compares the game to other bluffing card games like Knock Knock!, Letters to Marquee, Skull, and Bullsh*t in his blog, where he also addresses the potentially controversial cultural references in the game. “The context of Waka Tanka is not Native Americans’ culture, of which I know almost nothing, it’s the Indian villages as described in French and Belgian comics from the sixties and seventies – which (presented) American Indians in a simplistic but also very positive (way)... The image we have of them is a caricature, but a very nice and positive one.”
Whether Faidutti's characterization will be accepted remains to be seen. Monte Cook Games altered some of the material in its game The Strange after communicating with Native Americans who had concerns over representations of Native American culture in the game (for the company's side of the issue, see its Facebook post; for another perspective, see the Change.org petition on the subject).
In the game, players take the role of would-be shamans who try to win favor with the Great Spirit Waka Tanka. Players will have to bluff and deceive other players in order to win.
The game will be shown at Cannes at the end of February, with trade release to follow.