Spyfall 2 Review

Most people will tell you sequels suck. Usually these are the types that watch Keanu Reeves flicks or prefer Clooney's take on Batman. It's easy to forget about Empire Strikes Back or even Temple of Doom. This cheesy social deduction espionage follow-up has more in common with those latter gems than those former atrocities.

Look, this one's easy: if you've played Spyfall the OG and you enjoy it, then you will enjoy the deuce. I was a big fan of that first design when Cryptozoic released their imported version in 2015. The game has aged well and it still brings large doses of clever play and a fair amount of laughs.

The main thing this sequel offers is all new locations. This makes it a great companion to the original as it serves as an injection of stimulants into the play-space. You could combine both sets seamlessly from a physical perspective, although it will make things very difficult for the spy as they will need to weed through many more possible locales. I'd recommend avoiding that temptation.

I must be dreaming

The underlying gem of this release is the inclusion of a second spy. In larger games--you can play up to 12 players now--you can toss another spy into the mix, cranking up the intrigue. This alters the dynamic more substantially than you'd think as each devious ne'er do well is operating rogue. They don't form a team, instead, they are racing to be the first to correctly guess the location or avoid scrutiny and judgment from the rest of the group.

A couple of rules modifications support this interesting shift. When a spy calls for the game to cease so they can guess the situation, the second spy must reveal and perform their own guess following the other’s attempt. Likewise, if a spy is accused by the group successfully, the safe spy counts the win as if they weren't a spy at all. This shift provides for a compelling play mode as you may find yourself trying to suss out the other cutthroat and bait them into tipping their hand. Sacrificing them to the wolves is as good as working towards your own victory so you get to engage in this unique approach of deduction laced with confusion.

By flipping the table and giving you another strategy vector the role gains substance. It becomes less frustrating for those who typically fumble about as a spy and they can hang their hat on another nob to turn. You will see players who typically groan when being dealt the covert villain light up as they get to participate in this fascinating new experiment.

If I was only going with a single set then I'd heavily recommend Spyfall 2 simply for this very reason. The support of a larger player count and two spies offers a variant mode that is more engaging and enjoyable than the default.

Despite this preference, I do have to admit that one huge black eye still persists. The lack of player aids listing each location was a sore spot in the initial game, a bruise you just had to rub some dirt on and deal with. The fact that Cryptozoic neglected to include individual player aids a second time is a large disappointment. You're still stuck sharing the center foldout of the book which makes play uncomfortable for the spies and upsets the flow of play. It's an annoyance that may have a legitimate impact on your ability to get the group to buy in.

Here we have a new awesome feature, a huge forehead smacking oversight, and the same not-so-old game. If you enjoyed the social deduction spin on 20 questions that Spyfall brought to the table, then you'll want to dive into Spyfall 2 and check out the new locations and dual-spy mode. If you didn't, well, then why are you still here?