Gameplay
Likes and Lies is best played with 3-5 players. Although the game focuses on a global issue, misinformation on social media, the content within the game is primarily targeted towards ages 12-30 of all genders in Canada and the US.
Components
1 game board
75 Content cards
69 Caption cards
69 Event cards
15 Intent cards for each player
1 player pawn for each player
1 Like token for each player
1 counter for each player
Objective
Players who reach the final space of the board, “Viral”, will win the game. That means his/her contents went viral.
Do not need an exact number to get to Viral (for example, if players are 2 spaces from Viral, moving forward by 2 or more would let them win)
Setup
All pawns start on the first space of the board. Players cannot move further back than the Start space.
15 Intent cards are placed face down as a deck in front of each player.
Each player randomly draws 5 Content cards for their hand.
General Gameplay of Each Round
Draw a Caption card and place it face up in the middle of the table.
Each player chooses a Content card based on the caption given and places it face down in the middle of the table.
Each player chooses one Intent card and places it face down on the table in front of them. It is either True Information or Misinformation.
After all players have placed one of their Content cards, shuffle and reveal the cards.
Each player votes and gives “likes” by placing their Like tokens on their favourite Content card.
The voting must happen at the same time.
Players CANNOT vote for their own Content card.
Once a player has put their Like token on a Content card to vote, they cannot take it back.
Each player adds the number of Likes they received to their counter.
The player with the most votes will become the Influencer of the round and have the power to report (reveal) an Intent card from ONE other player.
The Influencer can also choose not to report anyone.
If there is a tie, there will be no Influencer in that round.
Each player draws one Content card from the deck to add to their hand after each round ends, so they will always have 5 Content cards in their hands.
Discard the used Content cards, Intent cards, and Caption cards.
Start a new round by following #1 again.
Movement Mechanics
Being an Influencer: +5 steps; does not gain more steps for their posted Intent.
Being an Influencer the 3rd time in a row: -3 steps instead of +5 steps; can still report players.
Ties do not interrupt or contribute to the condition of “if being an Influencer 3 times in a row” if that player was one of the tied players (only rounds that interrupt are if someone else becomes Influencer or if other players tie for first)
For example, if a player has become an Influencer twice in a row. Then, he tied with other players. He became an Influencer again in the next round. He still needed to -3 steps.
Tie: each player that is tied for first +2 steps
If there is an Influencer, players move by the number of steps of their Intent card after the Influencer reports someone or chooses not to report
Players who posted Misinformation: +2 steps if not reported; -2 steps if reported (unless the card specifies otherwise).
Players who posted True Information: +1 step; the Influencer -2 steps if reported (unless the card specifies otherwise).
Players cannot move further back than the Start space.
When a player reaches 10+ Likes on their counter, they must exchange 10 Likes to gain +1 steps.
Events
Players who landed on an Event space will draw an Event card.
If the Influencer lands on Event, they should first execute the Event card before reporting anyone.
If players land on Event multiple times within the turn, only the first event will count.