When Curses Are A Bit Too Personal
In Hex Effects, you play a hapless alchemy apprentice in medieval times who, through a series of ill-advised experiments, ends up afflicted by a host of nasty hexes. Your goal is simple enough in theory: cure all your hexes before everyone else, while simultaneously inflicting new ones on your opponents, because nothing says friendship like gifting someone a fungus. It is a “take that” card game with a delightfully twisted theme and artwork to match.
Pillbox Games, the indie outfit behind Side Effects, has spun this off as part of their “Side Effects universe.” Yes, even your magical maladies come with fine print. The idea may feel familiar if you played its predecessor, but the flavour is fresh, albeit in that strange herbal tonic way where you are not entirely sure if it is medicine or poison.
So, let me don my reviewer’s spectacles and walk you through the charms, the curses, and whether this little deck of doom earns a place on your table.
To Hex or Not to Hex: Setup & Play Overview
Each player begins with four Hex cards face up in a personal “shadow” area. These are the curses you must cure. The remaining deck of Hexes is shuffled together with remedies to form the draw pile, and each player receives a small starting hand. Already, you can sense the bubbling tension in the cauldron.
On your turn, you draw two cards and then take two actions. Actions might involve playing a Remedy card from your hand to one of your hexes, provided it matches, or dabbling in special alchemy manoeuvres. The wicked twist lies in the fact that every Remedy card has a list of side effects. When you play a Remedy, those side effects hover above you like storm clouds, waiting for opponents to rain them down at the first opportunity. Curing one illness may very well open you up to a whole new set of problems. Who knew that Mandrake Milk was such a double-edged latte?
The game continues until one player manages to banish every hex from their shadow, becoming the first fully cured. Victory at last, although possibly only because everyone else was too busy giving each other beetlepox to notice.
Performing Alchemy offers an extra wrinkle compared to its older sibling, Side Effects. These moments give you additional actions or sneaky advantages, which can either help you turn the tide or simply create more glorious chaos. It is the magical equivalent of putting Mentos in cola and hoping for the best.
The Maladies and Remedies: A Lore-Filled Menagerie
One of the real joys of Hex Effects is its card lore. The game leans fully into its weird, whimsical, grotesque, but gorgeous aesthetic. You will find afflictions such as Hanahaki, where flowers burst from your chest because love is murderously inconvenient, Beetlepox, Whisper Worms, Polymelia, which cheerfully gives you extra arms, Sinister Spores, and the ever-delightful Jinx. Each hex is a little story in itself, a tale of magical mishap and questionable personal hygiene.
The remedies are equally theatrical. Mandrake Milk, Eau d’Acide No. 7, Li Shou’s Ocarina, Breslin’s Miracle Cream, each one sounding like it belongs on a potion shop shelf that you should probably not touch. The catch is that none of these cures is without their own risks. They are the kind of solutions that fix the leak in the roof while simultaneously flooding the cellar. You will cure a problem, but in doing so, you might just unleash a worm or two. Literally.
If you are the sort who savours theme and flavour over dry mechanics, these cards are a treat. Sinister Spores is as gross as it is hilarious. Eau d’Acide No. 7 will have you wincing in sympathy. It is a world where your bodily functions become an RPG, and that, dear reader, is exactly the kind of absurd nonsense I signed up for.
What Works and What Hexes Me
This game’s greatest strength is how quickly and easily it is to get to the table. It plays in ten to thirty minutes, works with two to eight players, and suits ages fourteen and up, although I imagine many younger players would revel in the chance to give their parents beetlepox. It makes for an excellent filler or warm-up game, the sort of thing you pull out when everyone is still waiting for their tea to brew.
The “take that” nature ensures constant interaction. No one is ever just quietly minding their own hexes, because the temptation to mess with your friends is simply too delicious. And yes, your friend’s Hanahaki may need a little shove in the wrong direction, especially if they are close to winning.
Then there is the art and presentation. Pillbox Games has once again put their emphasis on quality design, gorgeously grotesque artwork, and strong aesthetic identity. The cards are lovingly illustrated, perfectly capturing that balance of whimsical and disgusting. It is the kind of deck where you want to laugh and grimace at the same time.
Of course, not every potion is perfectly brewed. The “take that” aspect can sometimes be spiky. If one player edges ahead, the others may gang up, leaving that poor soul drowning in curses. It is less a comeback mechanic and more an extended punishment. The element of luck is also worth noting, since drawing the right remedy at the right time can make all the difference. The simplicity, while charming, means there is a limit to the depth. This is not a heavy engine builder; it is more of a gleeful hex-slinging romp. And the player count affects the experience too, with smaller groups feeling gentler and larger ones descending into absolute magical anarchy.
How It Plays: A Taste of the Cauldron
Imagine a typical turn. You draw two cards, eye your shadow anxiously, and decide whether to cure or to curse. Perhaps you play a Remedy to fix that troublesome Jinx. Wonderful. But alas, the Remedy comes with a side effect. Whisper Worms now hover temptingly in the air, just waiting for your gleeful opponent to drop them on your head. Maybe you dabble in an alchemy action, drawing extra cards or shielding yourself for a round. Either way, your shadow shifts and your chances wobble.
The rhythm of Hex Effects is about balancing your own cures with your mischief-making. You must protect yourself while keeping an eye on who is close to victory. Occasionally, you will betray a friend for the greater good, which is to say, your own. It is a little like being a medieval apothecary crossed with a soap opera villain.
My advice? Hold onto remedies that come with fewer side effects, as they are like gold dust. Use your alchemy sparingly but decisively. Watch your opponents like a hawk and hex them when they least expect it. Sometimes, patience is the key, for curing in haste may well earn you another curse faster than you can say polymelia.
The Verdict: Curse or Cure?
Hex Effects is not here to reinvent the gaming wheel, but what it does, it does well. It takes the formula of Side Effects, adds more narrative flair, and throws in enough twists to keep things fresh. It is best suited to groups who enjoy light chaos, lively banter, and the occasional betrayal disguised as strategy. If your table thrives on interaction and can laugh off a few magical sucker punches, this game will fit like a cursed glove. Slightly uncomfortable, slightly itchy, but undeniably fun.
For groups that prefer heavy strategy, deep engines, and careful planning, this will not scratch the itch. But as a filler, a palate cleanser between bigger games, or a lighthearted battle of wits and worms, Hex Effects earns its place. I would call it solidly hexcellent, with bonus points for lore and laughs.
Final Musings for Budding Alchemists
Do not expect meticulous management here. Expect tension, surprises, and a good deal of betrayal. Read the card lore aloud to your table for maximum amusement, because it really is half the fun. And do choose your company wisely. This is a game best played with friends who will not hold grudges when you gift them a face full of spores.
If you are a fan of light games like Fluxx but wish they came with more grotesque ailments, or if Exploding Kittens left you thinking “what if this had more fungal infections,” then Hex Effects might just be the cure, or indeed the curse, you were looking for.
About the Author:
Hello! I am Kirsty Whyte (well, in spirit), though when not playing board games I moonlight as a book reviewer, devouring fiction, history, fantasy, and anything else the library will lend me. I have a special soft spot for women’s history, especially the lesser-told stories, and I am on a mission to bring more female voices to the fore.
When I am not reading or reviewing, I am usually catering to the whims of my cat Ebony, a tuxedo cat with a flair for the dramatic. She is incredibly sassy, demands head scratches on her schedule, and judges my puns with the kind of cold disdain only a cat in formal wear can muster.
So if you ever see me juggling a stack of review copies, a cat carrier, and a teacup, you will know: board games, books, and mischievous feline overlords are my life.
