The Illuminati Card Game: Reviewed and written by Jason Hewitt

Image: boardgamegeek.com

I have to admit, the Illuminati card game is one I have been looking forward to playing for a long time. I have gone down many research rabbit holes in my day and the topics of conspiracy and conspiracy culture themselves always been guilty pleasures of mine. That being said, I am pleased to have had my expectations met on many levels with this delightfully funny gaming experience.
As a gamer, this game is indeed quite fun. However, it raises many interesting challenges as far as becoming a part of a library's collection.

 The objective is simple. Create a global cabal using the cards you draw and the money you earn. Then, become the most powerful global cabal! The game is quick, can be easily learned, and it doesn't take up much room on a shelf.

On the one hand, and to its great credit, this game tackles a complicated subject with sometimes insightful glee. It teaches weird lessons during odd moments, displaying the various ways super-powerful world entities might suddenly gain traction and influence world events.

On the other hand, there are some things considering this game that might give an acquisitions person at a library pause. Consider that this is a game that will cause patrons to act in a somewhat whimsical and rowdy manner.

I know, I know. At this point we are over this as librarians, are we not? We are well past the point of shushing and presumably, as mentioned in an earlier post, the fact that you are even considering games for a library collection means a patron is allowed to be loud.

However, what if the subject of the rowdiness, and therefore the words being spoken so boisterously, are highly politically charged or involve mentions of white supremacy? (There is a card depicting the Klu Klux Klan, for example.)

What then? Will your patrons support and forgive other players for their possible political incorrectness? This is certainly an issue worth considering. You don't want to allow just a few people to have fun at the expense of others, even if innocently. It is the job of library personnel to consider such things, and to dismiss such considerations if and when possible.

I, for one, am glad that the SAIT Reg Erhardt Library is one such group of people that was willing to dismiss (or possibly not even realize) such considerations. Without the decision made by them to purchase this item I would never have had the pleasure in giving it a try. To be fair, I didn't cause a public ruckus. I borrowed the item and played it at home! And, indeed, it got boisterous. And inappropriate. Gleefully so.

(An argument, overall, for trusting patrons with the borrowing of such items rather than keeping the items on the library premises!)



To see an interesting video depicting further why this game might present an interesting challenge or become and interesting curiosity to a library collection, please view this video!