Dixit: Odyssey Review – The $60 Box Of Inside Jokes And Surreal Brilliance

For years, Dixit has been the go-to game for blending creativity, imagination, and stunning artwork. No matter the audience, it consistently delivers laughs and memorable moments, making it a staple at my game nights.

For this review, I focused on Dixit: Odyssey, while I’ll break down the differences in detail later on, this version tweaks the original with some rule adjustments and additional components.

How to play

Dixit feels like exploring an indie art exhibit with friends, marvelling at surreal and visually stunning artwork. But the real fun lies in the witty banter, clever clues, and sometimes hilariously crude humour that emerges between friends.

Each player starts with a hand of beautifully illustrated picture cards, and one person takes on the role of the storyteller. The storyteller selects a card from their hand and comes up with a clue to describe it. This clue can be anything. An evocative phrase, a hummed tune, or even a string of nonsensical Zoomer buzzwords.

Using the storyteller’s clue, the rest of the players choose a card from their own hands that they think best matches the description. Their goal? To mislead the other players into picking their card instead of the storyteller’s.

Once all the cards are submitted, they’re shuffled and placed face-up on the table. Everyone then guesses which card belongs to the original storyteller.

• If everyone or no one guesses correctly, everyone except the storyteller scores 2 points.
• If only some players guess correctly, the storyteller and the correct guessers each score 3 points.
• Additionally, players earn 1 point for every incorrect guess their card receives.

After scoring, the role of the storyteller rotates, and a new round begins. First player to make it to 30 points is the winner.

No cap.

What sets Dixit: Odyssey apart?

When compared to the original Dixit, Odyssey introduces several additional components that enhance gameplay. These include:

• A Scoreboard: A sleek, centralised way to track points.
• Punch Cards with Pegs: An upgraded voting system that’s more tactile and user-friendly.
• Support for Up to 12 Players: Unlike the original, which accommodates 3 to 6 players, Odyssey expands the fun to up to 12 players.

While both versions share the same core gameplay, Dixit: Odyssey introduces additional rules tailored for higher player counts, a three-player variant, and even a team mode. These additions are certainly welcome and add variety, but in my experience, they don’t quite capture the magic of the original six-player setup, which remains the game’s sweet spot.

For a time, Dixit: Odyssey was the go-to recommendation due to its improved scoreboard and voting system. However, around 2020 they started aligning the components of all big-box versions of Dixit, so you’re free to choose whichever box art speaks to you most.

Clue-giving freedom

Can you put a price on laughter?

Yes, you can.

It’s about $60; the average price of Dixit in Australia. And that’s what you’ll get out of this game: endless fun, laughter, and a showcase of stunning artwork.

The genius of Dixit lies in how it pushes you to get truly creative with your clues. Getting everyone to guess your card is easy. Getting no one to guess it is even easier. But crafting a clue that only some players can decipher? That’s a real challenge.

You have to disguise your intent, cloaking it in vagueness, subtlety, or outright mystery. The storyteller essentially becomes a riddle-maker, and solving these riddles is incredibly satisfying. But honestly, so is luring people into picking the wrong card.

When players fully embrace Dixit’s clue-giving freedom, the game transforms into an unforgettable experience. Outrageous hilarity ensues as the cards are revealed for clues like “my last Tinder date” or “what Dave looks like in the morning.” On the flip side, the game can also become surprisingly introspective. A clue like “anxiety” or “depression” sparks a completely different kind of engagement, proving that Dixit works on emotional levels as well as comedic ones.

But what truly elevates Dixit is the discussion after the big reveal. When the storyteller unveils their card, the table explodes with groans, cheers, and debates. Everyone feels compelled to explain their choices, dissect their reasoning, and share their perspective.

This not only offers fascinating insights into how people think but also reveals which of your friends might be just a little… unhinged.

You might find it all a bit flat

Dixit is a bit of a game night gamble, and not just because it’s a game of subtle clues. Its success hinges on player interaction, meaning the fun lives or dies by the energy of your group. With a creative and enthusiastic table, you’re in for a truly unforgettable experience. But if the vibe is off or players struggle to engage, the game can quickly fall flat, leaving everyone wishing for an early end to the evening.

Speaking of falling flat, not all the cards hit the mark. While most are surreal, thought-provoking, and visually stunning, a few feel like they stumbled in from a less inspired game. It’s almost impressive how Dixit managed to “card-ify” eight hours of watching golf, but these duds can drain the fun. They make crafting clever clues a chore, often leaving them to stagnate in your hand until you finally toss them out of sheer frustration.

Variety is another sticking point. The base game includes 84 cards, which seems generous at first glance. However, a huge part of Dixit’s charm is the wonder of discovering its artwork. Once you’ve seen the same cards a few times, you often fall into the trap of making the same or similar clues. To keep things fresh, expansions go from optional upgrades to absolute necessities.

That said, Dixit remains one of the best party games around. Its simple rules and casual playstyle make it an easy pick for almost any gathering. Better yet, the game’s flexibility allows it to adapt seamlessly to the crowd. Playing with your adult friends? Let the table erupt into an endless stream of double entendres. Hosting a family game night with grandparents? Keep it PG and just as fun.

Dixit is an all-purpose board game and one that holds some of my best gaming memories. If you’re looking for a fun party game, it’s well worth picking up… With one caveat.

Don’t play with more than six players.

Beyond six, the game’s balance tips. There are too many cards to guess, making the storyteller’s card harder to identify and turning the experience into a random guessing game. The fun of solving riddles is replaced by chaotic stabs in the dark. On top of that, fewer turns as the storyteller can leave some players disappointed, especially since being the storyteller is often the highlight of the game.