Before the Acquisition:
A week ago I stumbled onto BGG, and was delighted to find so many comprehensive reviews of games. After much ‘research’ I came to the realization, that our Collection ‘needed’ Pandemic. Then, all I had to do was convince my husband that a game I had never heard of a week before was something we could not live without! So, the casual mentioning of how many positive reviews Pandemic has on BGG and how a co-operative game would bring so much to our gaming started. Then on Saturday I brought out the good old ‘How about we pop by the Games Store on the way to X to just see what they have. Honestly, I just want to price Pandemic, so I can save up for it.’ Well, Hubby’s not silly, so I’m sure he could see my true agenda from the start! Fast forward to the Games Store. I’m clutching Pandemic tightly and doing my best attempt at the ‘adorable Puss In Boots eyes’. Hubby says I can get it if I really really want to. Financially the timing was lousy. But, clutching the box I realized how disappointed I’d be if it sold out before we got a copy.
Based on quite a few games with 2 players (my husband and me)…
My Verdict:
Pandemic is perfect for our interests and style of gaming.
Overall:
Really love a game where we can work together, communicate, plan ahead, whilst knowing we may have to change everything if a different region starts getting out of control.
Words that spring to mind include:
Engaging, Addictive
Set-up:
Is quick once you get in to a rhythm. And, we share set-up tasks.
Variety / Re-playability:
Every game is different depending on initial placement of Infection Cubes, timing of drawing Epidemic cards and Roles received.
I really like how the difficulty level can be tweaked by varying the number of Epidemic cards used, and level of communication between players.
Game Duration:
Often less than the 45 minutes listed on the box.
We have been defeated in under 10 minutes, but I found it actually more impressive and inspiring that the game could overwhelm us so entirely, so quickly. [After (somewhat foolishly) commenting that Black had never caused us any issues at all, it went and THOROUGHLY swamped us, making us run out of black cubes quickly, and therefore face defeat.]
Difficulty:
Rules are easy to remember and are A4 size.
Even if you make a ‘mistake’, it is usually not the end of the world. In fact, it can be fun to try to come back from it.
Will definitely pull it out with Non-Gamers. Very serious Strategy Gamers would probably find it too light though.
Cons:
The ‘problems’ I have with Pandemic are fairly superficial.
Contrast between the Black Infection Cubes and the Board is not great.
Player token aren’t very nice. I find the colours uninspiring (Brown is downright ugly), they are too chunky, and very old-school (not ingenious like a Meeple!). Am very tempted to substitute these for slimmer tokens.
It can be fiddly with 3 Infection Cubes (not to mention a Player Token on a city). City name can be covered up, Cubes knocked to surrounding Cities etc.
Doesn’t come with a holder for Infection Cubes.
On the more expensive end of card and board games. (Though on par with most larger non-traditional board games.)
Things I have done (so far!) that frustrate my husband:
Trying to put 3 cubes (instead of 1) on each City drawn in my Infector Phase.
Trying to ‘help’ by placing Cubes when an outbreak occurs, causing us to lose track of which Cities have received their Cubes.
I had had the same Role for 2 games in a row, then on the 3rd game when I had a different Role with entirely different abilities I (quite seriously) kept suggesting we do an action that could not be done in my current Role.
Posted Wed Jul 1, 2009 3:58 am
