WBG Score: 7.5/10
Player Count: 2
You’ll like this if you like: Quick, simple cards games with a bit of deduction.
Published by: IncrediQuest Games
Designed by: Justin Gunnell
This is a free review copy of the deluxe version. See our review policy here.
Classified Information is a two-player deduction game that smashed its Kickstarter goal when it successfully funded, after being supported by over 500 backers. You can check that out here. It is now fulfilling to backers, and I have my hands on the deluxe version. It is an intriguing game for a few reasons. First, this is a micro game. 18 cards. That's it. That's all you need - and all you will play with each time. Second... BUT you get so much more! Well, in this deluxe set at least. Thee are three sets of 18 cards, plus loads more. Promos. Kickstarter exclusives. Sleeves. Bags to put it in. Different ways to track your games. Little mini components to make it more of a "game." It's a full-on production. And all for a micro game, remember. And lastly, it is a mix between deduction and hand management, in a game that lasts a few minutes. There is a lot packed into this. But does it deliver? Let's get it to the table and find out.
How To Set Up Classified Information
First, you need to sort your deck. There are three decks in this deluxe set, as well as the promos and Kickstarter exclusives. You just need to make sure you have 18 cards, with two of each number: two number ones, two number threes, etc. You could simply take one of the pre-made decks, which would be my strong recommendation for game one.
Now, deal each player three cards. This is technically an advanced variant, but I would do this from game one. From these three cards, each player chooses one to place face down in front of them as their Suitcase. This card only becomes important for the three-digit code at the bottom. The rest becomes irrelevant. The other two cards are kept as your starting hand. Then deal two cards straight to the Encrypt pile without either player seeing them. You can deal players cards one at a time to do this. One as their Suitcase, two as their hand, one straight to Encrypt. But I feel the game is better when you let players have a choice.
Now, give each player a dry wipe pen and Cypher wheel, decide the starting player, and you are ready to begin.
How To Play Classified Information
Players will now take turns to draw one card and then play one card. Cards can be played in one of three ways. But before we get into that, a quick explanation of what is on the cards.
First, on the top left, you will see a number. This is the card's number. Below this will be the card's Guild: Assassin, Guard, or Sentinel. There is then the main card art (for fun) and the card's ability in the text box. Then finally, at the bottom is the card's Code.
OK, back to how you can play a card. You can Encrypt, Enlist, or annoyingly, not beginning with "E", Deploy. Surely, that could have been Engage, or something?
To Encrypt, play a card into the Encrypt pile you started during setup. This simply means the other player will never see it, reducing the information they will have in the game.
The second choice is to Enlist. In this way, the card is played based on the symbol shown on the top left of the card. The rest of the information becomes irrelevant. The symbol will show one of three things: either an Assassin's Dagger, a Guard's Shield, or a Sentinel's Guard and Dagger. The Guard can be played face down in front of your Suitcase. This card then protects your Suitcase against attacks at the end of the game, more on that later. You can play up to three Guards during the game. The Assassin can be played in an attempt to kill another player's previously played Guard. If the Assassins code shares any numbers with the targeted Guards code, the Guard is taken out of the game and discarded along with the Assassin. If there is no match, the attacked played must show the other player a random card from their hand. You always get something for an attempted attack. The Sentinel can be played as either a Guard or Assassin.
The third choice is to deploy. This way, the card is played face up, and the card's ability is utilized. Read this out so both players understand, then follow what it says. This can be a range of things, but ultimately they are different ways for the attacking player to gain more information.
When you have played a card, play moves to the next player. Continue like this until one player draws the final card from the deck. Finish that turn, then each player has one final turn so that they play one card from a choice of two, instead of the usual three. This will leave them with one card in their final hand, unplayed. This is their Final Card. Both players now reveal their Final Card, their Suitcase card, and any Guards still in the game. A few things can now happen. If a player has played a Final Card with a Card Number (the single number in the top left) that matches any of the three numbers in the other player's Suitcase bottom Code number, then a match has been found. However, if any of the Guards played by the defending player have Card Numbers that match the Final Card's Card Number, then the Final Card fails.
Now, obviously both players have a final card, so it could be that both players succeed with their final card, or both fail. In case of a tie in either situation, the player with the most guards takes the victory.
So, during the game, you are trying to eliminate certain cards and narrow down what the other player's Suitcase card can be. All the while, trying to hold onto the right card, or find it, that you want to have in your hand at the end to be your Final Card.
This is what the Cypher is used for. Any time you see a card, either in your hand or played by your opponent, you can mark it off on the Cypher. If you then see that same number again, you can cross it off. There are only two of each number, so if you have seen both, then this number cannot be currently lying face down as your opponent's Suit case. During the game, try to eliminate as many possibilities as possible, find the right card to keep as your Final Card, and defend your Suitcase with the right Guards.
Is It Fun? Classified Information Card Game Review
For what is an 18-card micro game, this sure does pack a lot of punch. It feels like the designer got an idea for a game, made it, realised it was good, and so then spent the rest of the development time seeing how they could eek out every single thing this game could offer. Now, I am sure a part of that is to create a more "Kickstarter suitable" product, with add ons, and "Extras" - but of course, it is also about making the experience better. And, for me; it worked.
When I play most 18-card games, they feel a little inconsequential. A bit throwaway. I love them, and have a lot, and play them regularly. But I have filed them in my "take to the pub" drawer. And I do, they come with me to all sorts of places. And I have a lot of fun with them when I play them. But this game comes in a big box, to hold all this extra stuff. And so simply cannot be filed with the rest of those games, so will potentially get played more often because of this ridiculous logistic of my own personal filing system!
But it is more than this. When you play the game, the set-up, the extra little components, it all feels like a bigger game. Or at least, a bigger experience. It's still just 18 cards, and you only ever play a single card for one of three actions. And games are over quickly - around five minutes once two players are familiar with what's going on. And it all sets up and packs away in a few minutes. But that five minutes feels like you play a proper game.
But, will you enjoy this game?
I loved the first few games as I learned this. But then I started to find it very easy to figure out what the other player's Suitcase card was. Fine, there is one very simple way to set the difficulty of this game. When you do this, the game has to adjust for both players, so ideally players need to be closely matched. This is not about balancing two different experience level players, just about making the game shorter, and thus harder. All you need to do is deal more cards into the Encrypt pile to start with. This means there are fewer cards remaining in the game, fewer rounds, and less time and chance to identify your opponent's Suitcase card and find the right Final card. So, we played it like this for a few rounds. And it was harder to identify the other player's Suitcase, but the game was also too short, and it was down to chance about getting the right card in your hand as your Final Card now more than ever.
This was a frustration for me. I want the full game. The full length, with two cards in the Encrypt pile to start with, and the chance to play the maximum rounds to feel like a proper game happens, and get the right Final Card. This chance is fun. But it is too easy. The game fixes this by creating more problems, reducing the game to become too short, and without the right amount of time or turns to get the right winning hand.
I am playing devil's advocate here a little, and talking in extremes. The game is very short to start with, and a few rounds removed by extra cards in the Encrypt pile is not a massive swing in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't affect the game length that much. But it feels significant. And as much as I want to adore this game, as it ticks so many boxes for me, I end up simply liking it.
I would still recommend it, but perhaps more as what it is: a small 18-card micro game. One to take out with you. The three decks come in separate deck holders, perfect to take with you. They fold out to show the full rules, and this really is all you need. You can use a pen and paper or phone to take notes instead of the pen and cipher card, and the suitcase mini components are lovely, but not needed. Maybe I will move this to my portable game shelf after all, and give it the home it deserves.
This game feels like a bigger game. But it isn't. And if you consider it like that, it may disappoint. If you think of this as an 18-card micro game, you may well just love it.
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