Playing Gods, the Board Game of Divine Domination Review

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(More customer reviews)Playing Gods calls itself the first satirical board game of religious warfare. Basically, you have 2 to 5 players who each play a different god, and the object is to take over the world by killing off other gods' followers. This is done with the four elements (fire, air, earth, and water), so that includes floods, earthquakes, firestorms, tornadoes, etc.-- and some Old Testament-style death cards like Plagues, Locusts, Darkness, and Famine.
The other way to win is to not kill but instead convert other god's followers-- basically offering them things that other gods can't (such as prosperity, miracles, communion, afterlife, etc.).
The game comes with a set of five god pawns from the major religions (including a "Badass Buddha" with a chain gun), but the rules are not specific to those gods, and players can also be the God of Beer, the Cult of Oprah, Scientology (Tom Cruise with a UFO over his head), the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or any other god. Players can even use action figures ("Darth Vader just killed a bunch of Jews in Africa!") or anything else.
The Good: Setup is very quick, and the pace of the game moves quickly (no waiting ten minutes for your next turn). Many of the cards are really funny, and the idea is well executed. The game is not just a "gimmick" game that you will play once or twice, it has solid game playability and stands up to many repeat playing. The Expansion Deck (sold separately) includes blank cards so that creative players can write their own special attacks, which can be a lot of fun.
The Bad: Game play with five players (the maximum) can take a long time, especially if the players are new to the game and shaky on the rules. A few of the cards might be offensive to some people (such as "One of your preachers is found with a prostitute, lose one sect!"), and the Expansion Pack deck is especially edgy. Some hardcore German-style strategy gamers (those who like "Ticket to Ride" or "Settlers of Catan" for example) may find the game mechanics not complex enough for their tastes.
Overall, it's a game unlike any you have ever seen, and it has a very timely message of peace. It does not make fun of any specific religions or the faithful, it is just pointing out how stupid it is for people to kill each other because they believe different things. The game is 100% indie-- you won't find it at Wal-Mart or Toys R Us, but you can get it here, and should be able to special order it from your local toy, comic, or game store.

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Tornadoes! Tsunamis! Plagues! Natural disasters... or signs of gods wrath? Whether wreaking disasters of biblical proportions on innocent populations or bestowing providence and goodwill, the gods have ever made sport of humans. From Cthulu and Zeus, to the Cult of Oprah and The Almighty Dollar, players compete as all-powerful deities seeking to take over the world and force everyone on Earth to worship them! Gain converts by promising them Afterlife, Prosperity, and Miracles, or kill off other gods followers with plagues, locusts, avalanches, floods, and other natural disasters. The god with the best strategy, skill, and luck shall rule the world! Play time 30-90 minutes.

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