Corporate America

After reading the rules, I expected a silly, supposedly funny little game with no real substance. Thankfully, I was very wrong. Corporate America is one of those games that does not try to be polite: it wants a group willing to lie, make promises, complain aggressively, and send opponents to harsh “funerals” through fines. For my group, it was exactly what we needed.

At its core, the game seems to keep the rules simple enough for even non-gamers to get into the mood, while still having enough depth to demand a bit of thought. It is not a dry exercise in calculation; its heart lies in when you trust somebody, when you turn your back on them, and how convincingly you defend whatever benefits you.

Interaction is the whole point. The promises, betrayals, whining, and complaining are not merely side dishes to the session, but the way the table comes alive. If you take it too seriously, you will probably have a bad time; if you embrace the spirit of it and accept that you will be mocked and shouted down, the game pays you back with laughter and tension.

I do not see it as a game to gorge on, or something that should hit the table constantly. Once every six months, though, it absolutely deserves a session. I would want it consistently at five or six players, because with fewer I fear it loses its momentum. For me, the designer has struck a very good balance between depth, flow, and messing around: enough game to keep you engaged, and enough nastiness to make the session memorable.

Updated session

My opinion in the second session not only did not change; it was confirmed much more strongly. The first time, it had worked as a party game, but it was squeezed in among two or three other games and never had the chance to shine. This time, with an extra-long five-term game and the group in exactly the right mood, it rocked hard: hatred, betrayals, spontaneous combustions, getting soaked, and merciless mocking. It is simply a game that rules when it finds the right group and the room it needs to breathe.