Pandemic
by ZMAN GAMES
for 2-4 players
Play time 1.5 hours
Setup time 10 mins
Teaching time 15 mins
My first cooperative game was Shadows over Camelot. This was introduced by a friend and it got me hooked to board games from then on... So cooperative games have a close place in my heart. Some time soon, I might just do a game review on Shadows over Camelot...
In Pandemic, players will become a character/role that is part of a medical team of experts trying to cure the world of diseases which are infecting the world more and more during the whole duration of the game. There will be moments of "Ok we can control this", and as the game progresses, "Sh*t, we have to treat that one there. No this one, first. Sh*t we're going to lose.. Arrr!", to "Phew, that was a close one. What the ****, another Epidemic card?". Well, you get the idea.
Game components 9/10
The board is made with awesome material and the printing made to last. After 10+ games, nothing has deteriorated, no blunt edges or scratches, so a good quality board. Cards are a bit thin so i sleeved them to avoid damaged corners. You get wooden blocks for pawns.. And the coolest part are the translucent cubes in four different colors, 24 of each color. Then some other wooden components that make up research buildings, infection rate and outbreak rate.
The components do their job well so I have no complaints there. However, don't let your 2-year old get his hands on them. Otherwise, you'll be losing the game more often... (well it's true...)
Game Mechanics 8/10
Coop games have a very awesome mechanic in that every turn, each player will play the good guy and then the bad guy or vice versa depending on which sequence the game system decides to make you do first. Basically you're all ganging up to go against the game itself (or going against the designer if you wish to put it that way). All good coop games have this similarity - that it is never easy to win. So for the first few tries, you're definitely going to lose a few times. But that's ok, because the challenge will make you come back for more, and you'll be thinking about it night and day trying to figure out how to beat the freaking system.
At setup, every player gets a character card which depicts your role in the medical team and your special ability that will help the team if you use it well. Players will also be given a number of cards in hand with countries or events on them.
Then every turn, you can perform 4 actions which comprise of walking/driving/ferrying around the board, flying using the cards you have in your hand, building research stations to travel to and fro on the world map, treating diseases and finding cures. And trust me, 4 actions are not enough to do all you wish to do.
After deciding and executing the actions, the active player will draw 2 cards and resolve any Epidemic cards if they draw any. You may only have 7 cards in your hand at all times.
Then comes the bad event - infections. You will draw cards equal to the infection rate, and infect the said cities with disease cubes. Have more than three in a city, and an outbreak occurs which infects all the cities adjacent to that city. And if these cities have more than three cubes as well, a chain outbreak occurs. Sometimes, chains can happen three or four times and you'll be covering your eyes as your precious cities are engulfed by the likes of the flu virus.
There are 3 ways to lose this game and only 1 way to win. Have 8 outbreaks and you lose. Finish up all one color of disease cubes and if you cannot place the number of cubes required on the board, you lose. Finish your player deck and you lose (This helps to keep the playing time controlled but oh boy does this hurt your chances of winning). The only way to win is to find all four cures. You do not need to eradicate the diseases, just find the cures.
Repayability 8/10
The replayability factor in Pandemic comes mainly from the different roles available to you. Different combinations provide different advantages and a different way to strategize and a different way to play. Pandemic also gives you the option to tweak the difficulty of your game by adding or taking out Epidemic cards. That way if you're up for a greater challenge, just add one more in.
The expansions "On The Brink" and "In the Lab" provide you many variations which make you want to play the game more. I have not had the chance to play these yet, but from the reviews of some, it makes me want to get them.
Game Experience 8/10
I love it... Most of the time, you will think that you have got it covered and this game will be a breeze, until someone draws an Epidemic card.. and then chaos happens. The challenge it gives as a coop game makes me feel like I'm playing a chess game but at a cooperative level. We all want to win, and win together we will, if we unite our brains together and work as a team. And I love team play. The feeling that comes when we manage to find all the cures is exceptionally satisfying..
Sometimes I play this game solo as well. Since it's a multiplayer solitaire game, I play 2-3 players myself just for the mental challenge which refreshes me every time.
This game may be brain taxing for the more casual light gamers. Wifey doesn't like it because of the uncertainty of not knowing when and where the cubes will appear next, and also when Epidemics will happen. But I say bring it on...
So get a bunch of tough competitive gamers and force them to cooperate together to play this game. It will be a blast watching them squirm as they realize that no one person can gain the glory for himself/herself.
Overall 8/10
A good rating for a good game. Pandemic will do justice for regular board gamers. Light casual gamers may wish to look for something less brain taxing. But if you love the challenge and you love team work, get this game. Awesome for the adult and youngsters alike.
Pros:
Coop
Difficult (Challenging)
Good strategy/Less luck (although some luck is involved)
Teamwork
Cons:
Not for light casual non-gamers
Difficult
Brain taxing
What did you think of the game? Leave me a comment on your opinion of it...
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