Shouty Exploding What?

Three Christmases ago, I covered a session of Exploding Kittens that happened after our annual gift exchange.  Here we are again, leaping forward to 2025.

Back then, I said I looked forward to trying the game again.  For some reason, once I was at the table and looked at my cards I realized that I just can't stand this game.  The ugly, obnoxious artwork, and the inevitable arguments that were about to begin ...

We had ten players this time.  Again, the game was led by a couple who are great masters of ceremonies and game guides.  So we were in good hands.  But it went like this:

My first turn, I was just going to Skip.  But another player said to save that for later.  And that's where these games fail for me: every time a player tries to play their move their way, someone else is going to jump in and coach them or tell them what they should have done.  That's not a game to me, that's just constant intimidation.

Anyway, I picked a card.  Exploding Kitten.  So I had to use up my Defuse card right away.  To be fair, the player who kibbutzed me spent the rest of the game apologizing, and we had friendly banter about it.  My next turn ... I don't remember exactly what happened by I was out.  The first one to go boom.  Which was fine.  That's how the cards fell.  And I can now say my favorite strategy for this game (if there is such a thing) is to go out early and enjoy watching everyone else melt down.

Anne hung in there a bit longer.  The she set off a heated argument by playing an Attack card.  Apparently (I mean apparent to no one), you can't play a Reverse to get out of an Attack, because Attack doesn't mean "Draw two cards" it means "take two moves" in which case the reverse sends it back to yourself.  And someone hit that Reverse with a Nope, which had to be walked back because the Reverse itself was illegal.  It got really messy, but eventually the game continued.

Then there are additional rules, and special cards, and even more obnoxious cartoon cards doing stuff.  Some cards are genuinely hilarious.

But ugh.  I am officially updating my opinion of Exploding Kittens from "I look forward to trying it again" to "I'll just leave the room next time -- that will be easier on my brain."  Each session I knew the rules pretty well by the end of the round, but will not remember them when I need them next time, or someone will blow up what I thought I knew anyway.
 
Still, a good group of people having fun, with some ups and downs and surprises.  Just too loud for me.  Again.