The Confessions Game

A simple game of cards and dice which opens up daring conversations.

From adolescence onwards, one of the great struggles we face is how to reconcile our own desires with those we find socially acceptable. The best encounters with friends are those where we can talk honestly about what's going on in our lives, sharing triumphs, joys, fears and longings - without the usual shyness or reserve.

This game guarantees that the warmest, most fascinating conversations won't have to be left to chance. With the help of a dice and some cards, the game asks participants to answer a series of questions around career, sex, money, relationships, family, gently inviting everyone to share important bits of themselves in an intimate and playful atmosphere. By thinking of confessions as a game – as a sociable and exploratory activity, as opposed to a risky affair – the cards prompt us to open ourselves up to interesting and exhilarating conversations, allow us to be a little more honest around the most intimate aspects of ourselves.

Example Cards:

• What did you call your partner in your most heated argument?

• In your most depressed moods, what do you tell yourself about your career?

• What are you ashamed of people knowing about you and money?

• Describe in some detail the first time you had sex.

• What do you hate most about your children?

The dark, rich colours have been designed to reflect the atmosphere of a secret club or drinking spot where one might naturally feel the thrill of a slightly out-of-bounds or illicit activity, as a reminder of our less polished and more risky selves.

How to Play the Game

You might...

• Play with a group of friends to prompt conversation and ease players into the art of playful revelation.

• Use the cards as an exploratory prompt with a partner to delve into some aspect of yourselves or the relationship that otherwise feels a little out of bounds or hard to bring to the table.

• Sort through the cards on your own when you’re feeling in the mood for a little inner enquiry, particularly around your career or relationship choices.