League of Lexicon

Product Information

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This is the world of League of the Lexicon: exotic yet steeped in the history of language and with seductive 1930s aesthetic and graphic motifs that draw on the history of writing, players are drawn into a game world that is rich with detail and unlike any other quiz game. League of the Lexicon With such a long history it is no surprise that Lexicon has undergone a number of transformations. It has also been marketed in a variety of ways during its life. At one point it was sold as ‘The Wonder Game’ and was envisaged as a rival for more establish social games like Bridge, Whist and Canasta. Rulebooks even came with instructions on how to arrange a Lexicon drive. By contrast, it’s now presented as a light travel or filler game aimed at a more causal gaming market, although the amount of table space it takes up may preclude its actual use as a travel game. The Game If this sounds old fashioned, it’s in keeping with the game. The beautifully illustrated character cards feature an eccentric cast of ‘adventurer lexicographers’ (the eponymous League of the Lexicon), best described as ‘Indiana Jones meets Doctor Johnson’. Even the game’s box, with its dusty vintage colours, features the symbols of bygone languages. I wanted the game to feel unlike anything else, although I know I’ve driven designers mad in the process.

Preview

I was fairly certain of two things when I set out to review this game. First, I was sure that I would have a hard time getting a group on board to play a game according to the rules. Trivia games, as I said, are not common visitors to our table. But second, and more importantly, I was sure that everyone I know would enjoy exploring the questions casually. I was correct on both counts.

Whilst these different games are all fundamentally similar to each other, they nevertheless offer a great amount of replay-ability. The game possibilities don’t end there either. Previous editions have included rules for as many as 20 additional variant rule sets, ranging from games of patience to Lexicon Bridge and more, so for the inquisitive there’s more to discover. Final Thoughts on LexiconI share this mildly unsettling context because I recently found myself instantly and inexplicably attracted to League of the Lexicon, a 2022 release from Two Brothers Games. Deemed a game “by word lovers, for word lovers,” this particular title glories in its linguistic supremacy. At home with his two young sons, Joshua, Sonny and Jude made language games to avoid doing English homework. There was WordSplat, Word War, the fiendish Dojo and finally League of the Lexicon, which became an obsession. The object of Lexicon is simply to have played all of your cards, so that you have none left in your hand. At the end of a round, players add up the score of the cards remaining in their hand. When someone reaches a total of 100, they are eliminated from the game. This thrilling board game is great for players of all ages and word games support cognitive health. They can help to increase focus, concentration, and memory.