New experience, so I just wanted to keep a log about it.
How did it all happen? So I noticed a new tabletop game titled "publish or perish" on Internet. "Publish or perish" is an aphorism for academia, so you can see why a game with such a title easily could catch my eyes if you know me.I think I subscribed the publishing information and might have answered a couple of questions promoted, then I received an email days later, asking if I would be interested in test play.
"Sure thing," I responded. Then I did receive a preview copy that also includes two mini expansions such as the "Revenge of Reviewer 2" expansion.
Long story short--I tested the game by playing it differently as there is some lack of clarity in the rules. Lack of clarity in the rules is not all bad as those "muddy points" can become a variant mode to play with, and/or leave space for players to house rule-- if house ruling doesn't bother you. I tested the game as a two-player, a three-player, and a five to six-player game, each multiple times including the "variant" rules. In general, I think the more the merrier, which lives up to its "party game" nature. My test-play partners include those who are also an academia, as well as those who, while themselves are not academia, they do have a good idea about what academia are like as I am either their friends or they are my former research assistant who is now working in the industry. Their gaming experience varies too. Overall, I think they all enjoyed the game as much as I did, and we all got good laughters!
If you like quick games or are subject to decision paralysis, this is a game you would probably like. Each game plays about 20 minutes or so, regardless of the player counts in my test-play experience. The game has a nice balance between strategy and randomness.
If you like card games, this is a game you would probably like and the nice thing about it is it is easy to carry around. You may need some table surface though, depending on how you play it-- discarding the played cards, or leaving them on a published manuscript. This is one of the aforementioned "muddy points" about the unclarity of the rules. Unlike other card games though, cards are not multi-purposed. Rather, they are straightforward.
If you like party games, this is also a game you would probably like. In our experience, it was especially funny when all the mishap cards were targeted at the same player, presumably that everyone knows that it is just a game, and not taking it personally.
If you are an academia, this is a game you would probably like, or at least appreciate its sarcasms.
If you are not an academia, this is a game that not necessarily helps you understand the stress in the academic life but you can certainly take it as a party game embedded in a unique context.
Last but not least--please allow me to talk shop a bit too. You probably know, or can "guess" by now if you are reading this far, that I am an academia. I use games in some of my classes too. The game has its potential for academia value too--for one, those "muddy points" can be a learning opportunity if you want your students to re-write the rules to make them clearer, or to be creative by adjusting them to be a variant mode to play the game alternatively. Second, if you are running a lab and/or doing things in that nature, you can use this game as an ice breaker. Or, you can simply play it, laughing off all those perceived unjust in the academic.
I look forward to seeing it available on market in the near future!
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updated on 8/3/2024:
related reading: publish or perish is now also a card game at Nature
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