Introduction
Decrypto is quick word game where teams attempt to relay information out loud to each other using coded clues without allowing the opposing team to “intercept” or figure out their message.
Setup and Gameplay
Each team has an upright dashboard with four red-screened windows numbered 1-4. In each window they tuck a card so that it reveals a word. Everyone on the team can see the four words displayed on the dashboard each corresponding to a numbered window. One player is designated the clue giver and they take a card showing a three digit code (for example, 3-2-1) using numbers 1-4. These will refer to the words in each of the numbered windows. Then they give a coded message of clues to relay the correct sequence to their teammates.
Clues can be nearly anything: words, phrases, lyrics, etc. But they must relate specifically to the meaning of the word revealed in the window. For example, if a revealed word is “beach” you could use “sand,” “summer,” “ball,” or “ocean” as clues. Clues can’t be too obvious and, at the same time, clues too obscure will make it difficult for the guessing team. You need to be sly and moderately obfuscating, just like in professional life.
During the first round, both teams take turns giving and listening to the clues. If the clue giving team is unable to successfully guess the code, they get a black mark denoting their failure. Starting with the next round and all subsequent rounds, each team makes attempts to guess (intercept) the opposing team’s code. If the intercepting team can guess the code correctly, they earn a white mark of success. At the conclusion of a round, a team wins if they have two white tokens or loses if they have two black tokens. As the rounds progress, each team will be tallying notes and gaining a firmer resolution of the opposing team’s keywords.
Review
First of all let me be perfectly clear: Decrypto is not a Codenames “killer.” Decrypto adds an element of deduction and obfuscation into the formula creating an experience as tense as Codenames but without the simplicity and elegance. Part of what makes Decrypto feels more like a race. Eventually, someone’s code will be broken but how long will it take?
While Decrypto won’t replace Codenames, I have found to be a good replacement for social deduction games at the library. Social deduction games like Werewolf or Coup are easy to learn and play well in large groups. However, they do require a significant amount of social investment for new players. And nothing scares away new players like additional social investment. You are expected to perform within the constraints of the game and this performance can lead to anxiety. Just do the math: New Player plus Large Group plus Mandated Performance equals Anxiety. A LOT OF IT. Decrypto provides the deduction and bluffing but with known teams and simple roles so you still get those discovery moments without the social anxiety of outing another player or messing up your roll.
Game rounds move quickly and it works well as a large group warm-up game. There is a dearth of quick, easy-to-learn, team games and Decrypto fits that niche nicely. More people means more collaboration and discussion which means trickier clues. While some word games can be quiet (such as Codenames), the discussions in Decrypto tend to be louder and more animated. If Codenames is a bunch of spies skulking about, Decrypto is a group of opposing hackers screaming at their computer screens.
