Designers / Publisher / Year: John Hayes / Leafboats Ltd. Co. / 2022
Player Count / Playtime: 3-99 Players / 10 mins
Genre / Type / Mechanics: Party Game, Card Game, Mature, Adult
Reminds Me Of: Getting my mouth washed out with soap
Cussing is exactly what the title suggests. I backed it on Kickstarter because the premise made me laugh, and I’ll admit, it’s a funny gimmick. The game leans heavily into vulgar humor and isn’t shy about what kind of experience it’s trying to deliver.
The rules are incredibly simple, so you’ll be playing within minutes. The entertainment comes from creating ridiculous strings of profanity and seeing what everyone else comes up with. If your group enjoys crude humor, you’ll probably get a few genuine laughs out of it.
The problem is that once the novelty wears off, there just isn’t much game left. Like many party games inspired by the success of Cards Against Humanity, the experience relies almost entirely on the humor of the players rather than the mechanics themselves. There isn’t much strategy, very little replay value beyond hearing new combinations of words, and after a couple of rounds, it started to feel repetitive.
I don’t think Cussing is a bad game. It delivers exactly what it promises. I also don’t think it offers much beyond the initial joke. If you’re looking for a quick laugh with friends who appreciate that style of humor, it can be entertaining. Just don’t expect it to become a regular fixture on game night.
As for me, I’ve already gotten what I’m going to get out of it. In fact, my copy is currently up for sale, which probably tells you everything you need to know about how often I expect it to hit my table again.
Verdict: Cussing is a party game with a funny premise and a few laughs, but the novelty fades quickly. If crude humor is your thing, you will enjoy it, but for me it’s another gimmicky party game that doesn’t have enough staying power to earn a permanent spot on my shelf.
Reviewed on 07/07/2026
Score Breakdown
| Category | Description | Score (1–10) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Aesthetics & Components | Visual design, artwork, tactile quality, and overall presentation. | 5 |
| 2. Rules Clarity & Accessibility | Ease of learning, clarity of rulebook, setup time, and iconography. | 8 |
| 3. Strategic Depth | Amount of meaningful decision-making and long-term planning. | 4 |
| 4. Luck vs. Skill Balance | How fairly chance and skill coexist. | 4 |
| 5. Player Interaction | Engagement and social dynamics between players. | 6 |
| 6. Pacing & Downtime | Flow, engagement, and smoothness of play. | 8 |
| 7. Replayability | Longevity, variability, and continued appeal. | 5 |
| 8. Theme Integration | How well the mechanics and story fit the theme. | 6 |
| 9. Enjoyment & Emotional Impact | Pure fun factor—excitement, tension, satisfaction. | 6 |
| 10. Innovation & Uniqueness | Creativity, originality, and distinctiveness from other games. | 5 |
| Overall Mean Score | 5.7 / 10 | |