WE DIDN'T PLAYTEST THIS AT ALL

When developing a game, playtesting is a rigorous and vital process where rules, gameplay, and other aspects of the game are tested to see if they work, need changing, or need removing. So when I saw that there was a game called We Didn't Playtest This at All (from Asmadi Games), I suspected it would be pretty silly. And I called that one right!

Gameplay is amazingly simple. Everyone starts with two cards, and on each turn a player draws a card and plays a card. However, unlike most games We Didn't Playtest This at All almost always eliminated one player -- often several -- during each turn. I've never played a game that lasted longer than 10 minutes.

The various Battle! cards have the players play rock-paper-scissors ("RPS: The sport of kings"), with only the person who played the card knowing what has to be thrown to stay in the game. Cards like Dragon and Black Hole are placed in front of an opponent and eliminate that player on their turn unless they can get rid of it. The "I Win!" cards let a person win if the person playing it meets the requirements on the card. Cards can eliminate people if they point or say "you," they can make everyone lose; Eddie Izzard fans will enjoy the card making everyone choose between cake or death; and the only card that can cancel any other card is Kittens.

We Didn't Playtest This at All is extremely simple and goofy. Every card has amusing flavor text at its bottom, and the games are fast -- damn fast -- and fun. That said, there is absolutely no strategy to this game: The luck of the draw truly determines who will win, and you won't do better at it no matter how often you play. We Didn't Playtest This at All is ideal for killing time while waiting for the rest of your friends to come and play something more serious -- but little more.

Overall grade: C+

Reviewed by James Lynch