Headlines is a creative word-association and deduction game where players compress entire stories into clever headlines – and then try to reconstruct each other’s stories. Easy & surprisingly deep.
Most similar games: Codenames, Dixit
Headlines is a creative word-association and deduction game where players compress entire (crime) stories into clever headlines – and then try to reconstruct each other’s stories using those clues alone. It’s easy to learn, highly replayable, and built around a core mechanic that allows for effortless re-theming.
Write a short headline that conceals a crime: when, where, who, how and why – then guess your friends’ stories using only their cryptic headlines as your clue!
Phases:
Headlines is not just a word-association game – it truly shines when players lean into creativity and embrace the storytelling. The game’s unique compression-of-information mechanic challenges players to pack complex narratives into just a few words, creating surprising depth and highly memorable moments at the table.
Fans of party games, creative wordplay & storytelling. Ideal for players who enjoy Codenames, Just One, or Dixit.
Playtested at Wellplayed and Game Designer Meetups in Switzerland.
The core mechanics are solid and intuitive, with strong adaptability across themes and difficulty levels.
Players especially enjoyed the surprising depth that emerges from the system and how challenging, yet satisfying, it is to encode stories into headlines.
Further development focuses on visuals, word testing, balancing, and exploring additional themes.
