Affection Game (First Playthrough)

While attending a PRIDE event a few weeks ago, my wife and I had the unexpected pleasure to meet @Robohaven in person. We were perusing the booths at the event and were drawn in by Robohaven's amazing artwork. Much to my surprise, we were presented with a kind of demo of "The Affection Game" that impressed both of us. The game's creator was super nice, so I purchased a copy of the game and couldn't wait to get it home to give it a play.

There are two versions of the game, the Print and Play (PNP) version and the hard copy (the copy I got) which can be found at events and through Gamecrafter. The hard copy comes with a beautifully printed tuckbox to hold the cards which has the rules of play printed on the inside in an elegant display that balances efficiency and aesthetic. The rules are simple, play proceeds easily and comfortably, and I like that you can agree beforehand on which cards you may or may not be willing to include in a given session. If there are prompts you aren't willing to answer, you don't have to, and I think that's really cool. Myself, I found all of the prompts on the cards to be creative and interesting, but the game is, at its core, about expressing and vulnerability, about exploring and revealing your innermost truths, so some of the card prompts may be a little deep for first dates or first meetings. Or, maybe not. The game is designed with comfort and consideration in mind, and I think that's one of its most powerful elements.

Playing through the entire deck with my wife in one sitting was fun. Deep, clear communication has always been one of our most important priorities in our relationship, but we did learn a few new things about each other while playing through the game even still! I feel like this game would be ideal for couples to play early on in a relationship, and that the kind of vulnerability that the cards encourage is really important to cultivating a strong, healthy relationship, whether it is romantic, platonic or otherwise. Plus, it's a game, so it's a fun way to learn and grow together as a couple. The tone is overwhelmingly positive, so playing the game feels a bit like snuggling on a warm, fluffy cloud.

Or maybe that's just because we played it surrounded by pillows. I'll let you decide.

Get your copy here: https://robohaven.itch.io/affection-game

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