In The Palm of Your Hand review — the memory remains

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. I am sure we have all heard that phrase at one point or another in our lives. That however does not stop many of us from indulging in what is new, what is fun, and what is the newest game with the newest gimmick. One of the latest bush birds to hit my table is In The Palm of Your Hand.

In The Palm of Your Hand, which is published by Le Boîte De Jeu and distributed by Hachette Board Games, presents a unique take on tactile games. This uniqueness comes from the form of a team based game that requires one player to relay information to another without seeing what the other is doing.

What all does this mean? Well for starters, the theme of the game involves reliving the memories of a grandparent. In order to relieve memories of said grandparents, players each take on individual roles within their respective teams: grandchild and the aforementioned grandparent. The roles themselves intertwine with the story and gameplay aspects of In The Palm of Your Hand. Each team, yes the game is played in teams, has a person who takes on the role of the grandparent and at least one person that takes on the role of a grandchild. After the teams decide who is who, the grandparent closes their eyes while the player in the role of the grandchild uses objects in the game box to depict a couple of cards from the game, helping the grandparent “relive” a memory through deduction.

What makes the deduction element here more fun and challenging is that after players use the items on the grandparent’s hand, the other team gets to place extra cards into the hand to make a total of eight cards. The grandparent must now pick the two cards that the grandchild used out of the eight. This process goes back and forth until all players get to take on the role of the grandparent. Teams score points based on the amount of cards they guessed correctly and for each of the misleading cards they placed that were chosen by opposing teams. Whichever team has the most points when the game is over wins.

What sets In The Palm of Your Hand apart from other games that have similar feels, such as Dixit, would be the bag of props that players use to demonstrate their cards, or ‘memories’ as it were. These props bring with them lots of replayability and creativity that goes as far as the players can imagine and take it. That being said, the less creative types might have a harder time playing In The Palm of Your Hand by being put on the spot and struggling to come up with ideas. That should not be a deal breaker for anyone, however, as there is a lot of fun to be had here regardless.

While the game is fun, there are a few things that In The Palm of Your Hand could stand to do better. Some more cards would be nice. Adding a few more props would go a long way to increase replayability. Lastly, a smaller box would be preferable, as the current box leaves a decently big footprint for a game that could easily fit in a smaller one. These few things however are mere poking and prodding at what is a fun and enjoyable experience.

My time spent with the game brought with it a great many laughs as well as lots of different combinations and uses of the props to demonstrate what is depicted on the cards. The props are a big driving force for the game, as there was a lot of hilarity in how a piece of rope was used to depict a wave, how a dart can simulate things such as a plant being blown in the wind, or someone doing a bit of rock climbing by simulating the climbers grip as it were. Overall. I am happy with the time I spent with the game. I just wish there were more props to play with.

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