If you’re on the lookout for a party game that gets everyone laughing and talking, you’re in the right place. This is my review of Faces—a game that put my poker face to the test and made my friends reveal just how weird they really are. We gathered around the table expecting a simple time-killer, but we ended up with a night of side-splitting stories and wild guesses. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype… or just gives you a funny headache.
How It Plays
Setting Up
Grab a deck of Faces cards, a score pad, and something to write with. Each player gets a voting token. Shuffle up those wild and wacky face cards and stack them face down.
Gameplay
The judge reads out a funny or weird prompt, like “Who would tattoo their cat?” Then, they lay out several face cards. Everyone else picks the face they think fits the prompt. Players secretly vote using their token—no peeking! The judge mixes up the votes and reveals them all. Then the table erupts in laughter (or finger pointing) as everyone tries to guess who picked which face.
Winning the Game
If you match the judge’s choice, you score a point. If you fool people into picking your face, you also score. Play to a set number of rounds or points. Whoever has the most points at the end wins ultimate bragging rights—and should probably audition for a game show.
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Faces.
How Easy is it to Play Faces? A Look at Gameplay Flow and Rules
Alright, let’s talk about Faces. This is one of those games where you don’t need to study for a week before inviting your friends over. Honestly, I once taught my grandma the rules in less time than it took her to make a cup of tea – and trust me, she does NOT rush her tea. That’s how simple the game is.
Here’s what a round usually looks like: each player has a hand of face cards, showing, well… faces! The active player draws a card with a phrase or a description, like “Most likely to crash a spaceship.” Everyone picks one face from their hand that they think fits that prompt. The fun part is trying to guess who picked which face, and sometimes you learn more about your friends than you ever wanted (why am I always the face for ‘most likely to steal a sandwich?’).
The rules are clear, short, and printed right in the box lid. No need to flip through a rulebook the size of a phone book. There’s no fancy jargon or odd exceptions. It’s just pick, place, laugh, repeat. The game goes fast, and there’s not much waiting around, so no one gets bored scrolling on their phone.
But don’t sit down yet! Next, I’ll tell you why Faces can feel new every time – even if you’re playing with your weird uncle, your coworkers, or that neighbor who brings kale chips to game night.
Replay Value: Faces Gets Better With Every Group
Let’s talk about how Faces holds up when you bring it to different parties. I’ve played with my own family (who might be a little too comfortable with making weird faces) and also my group of coworkers (who are much too serious at first, but get wild after round two). Every time, the game feels fresh. The main hook is simple: you look at strange faces, then guess who picked which for various silly prompts. But the real magic comes from the people you play with—all your friends and family add their own flavor to the game.
I brought Faces to my cousin’s birthday and we had three generations at the table. My grandma didn’t know what a meme was but she still picked the funniest face cards. The game sparked a lot of stories, like ‘You picked that face for “surprise guest at a wedding”… why?’ Every group brings new inside jokes. Unlike some games that lose steam after one play, Faces changes each time. You learn which of your friends always goes for the ugliest face, and who loves to out-guess everyone else. And trust me, it’s just as fun the twelfth time as the first.
One downside: if your group is made up of people who hate guessing or don’t enjoy making up stories, it might not be as lively. But in all my plays, even the shy ones get into it after a round or two. So as long as you’ve got a group willing to laugh, Faces has legs for days.
Enough about replay value—now let’s see if Faces can make you laugh so hard you choke on your pretzels!
Why Faces Brings Out the Giggly Monster in All of Us
Let’s get one thing straight: Faces isn’t that serious kind of board game where you sit around in silence, slowly losing your mind as you try to work out the best strategy. Nope, this game is pure silliness—like the time my friend Doug tried to argue that a grumpy old man looked “definitely excited about going skateboarding.” Sure Doug, and I look like I do math for fun.
The way Faces works is simple but the results are anything but normal. You look at a photo of someone’s face—sometimes a baby, other times a person who looks like they just smelled something funky—and you have to match it to a weird prompt. Examples: “Who is most likely to own 42 cats?” or “Who’s plotting world domination?” The laughs come fast, especially when your friends try to justify their truly bonkers choices. My group had a running joke for weeks about the “angry aunt” card. She pops up, everyone groans, and someone always tries to say she’s thrilled about something bizarre.
I found that even shy folks warm up to Faces because you don’t have to be funny—you just end up being funny. With every round, the conversation gets sillier, and you learn a little too much about how your friends see the world. Laughter is pretty much guaranteed. The only way this game could be more fun is if it played itself and brought snacks.
If you like games that keep everyone talking, you’ll want to stick around for the next section, where I confess how Faces secretly turned my friends into professional hecklers (all in the name of player engagement, of course!).
Player Interaction and Engagement in Faces
Let me tell you, if you crave board games where everyone sits quietly, Faces is not your game. In this wild party game, interaction is constant, and I mean constant. Every round, players must pick out faces that match wacky, random descriptions. I’ve seen my friends argue over who looks most likely to steal a sandwich (hairnet aside) and defend their picks like they’re in a courtroom drama. One time, my buddy Tom sold me on a face being ‘definitely the person who owns thirteen cats’ with such passion, I almost doubted my own eyes.
You’re not just matching faces—you’re reading your friends, second-guessing, bluffing, and sometimes just going for the most outrageous answer because it’s hilarious. Faces keeps you on your toes, and you never know who’s going to go rogue with their vote. The best part? Nobody can hide in this game. Even the quietest people at my usual board game night ended up explaining why a mustached man looked like a secret magician. I’ve seen shy folks open up and become the star of the group, all thanks to a photo of a confused grandma and a prompt about ‘most likely to win a hot dog eating contest.’
The engagement in Faces doesn’t fade as rounds go by. It’s not just about the faces on the cards; it’s about the faces around the table—everyone laughing, arguing, and sometimes gasping at their own logic. The fun comes from getting inside each other’s heads and sometimes being completely wrong, but with a big grin.
If you’re after a highly engaging party game that gets everyone talking (and sometimes howling with laughter), I absolutely recommend Faces. It’s a no-brainer for social gamers—or anyone who likes seeing their friends talk nonsense with confidence.
Conclusion
So, that’s my review of Faces! If you want a game that brings out belly laughs, keeps things easy, and gets everyone chatting, Faces will not let you down. Sure, there’s some luck and a bit of chaos, but that’s half the charm with this one. I wish there was a bit more strategy, but let’s be honest—my friends don’t have much strategy to begin with. Faces is best with a lively crowd who aren’t afraid to poke fun at each other. It’s a winner for parties and family get-togethers. Just remember: if you’re looking for deep, brains-on-fire board games, this isn’t it. But if you want fun, quick rounds, and lots of goofy moments, you’ll be grinning ear-to-ear. That wraps up my review—now go grab some pals, pick your best (or worst) poker face, and have a blast!
