As skilled members of a disease-fighting team, you and the other players work together to keep the world safe from outbreaks and epidemics. Only through teamwork will you have a chance to find a cure.
Pandemic is a cooperative board game in which players work as a team to treat infections around the world while gathering resources for cures. You and your team are the only things standing in the way of deadly diseases that threaten the world. The fate of humanity is in your hands.
Upon looking and opening the box the feeling is that it is a premium game, after briefly looking online at the ‘how to play rules’, we couldn’t wait to get started.
Box Contents
Game board
7 Role Cards
7 Pawns
6 Research Stations
6 Wooden Markers
96 Disease Cubes
48 Infection Cards
Instructions
The instructions to start the game are very lengthy and I personally feel that they could be a bit clearer, being first time players.
As we’d never played before it’s always best to follow the instructions until you get the ‘hang of it’.
We found that when you set the board up with the various locations / where the diseases start at was that it ideally would be best to start with highest population presented on the card, or maybe even choose your city. This would make the game start more spread out with different options available.
To find out / demonstrate the game we decided to YouTube it as it was a bit easier. On the box it says that approximate game time is 45 minutes. It did take us over 10 minutes to set it up alone.
How to Play
The game board depicts several major population centres on a stylised map of the Earth. On each turn, a player can use up to four actions to travel between cities, treat infected populaces, discover a cure, or build a research station.
A deck of cards provides the players with these abilities, but sprinkled throughout this deck are Epidemic! cards that accelerate and intensify the diseases’ activity. A second, separate deck of cards controls the ‘normal’ spread of the infections.
Pandemic is a game where you can cooperate with other players on the board. Although I can’t help feel that maybe the game could be changed to players playing against each other and trying to infect different parts of the world / cure other players diseases.
It probably would be easier to play and understand that way it would stop the confusion of being able to move other players pieces, but only if you ask permission / if they let you.
Taking a unique role within the team, players must plan their strategy to mesh with their specialists’ strengths in order to conquer the diseases which are spreading quickly and time is running out. If one or more diseases spread beyond recovery or if too much time elapses, the players all lose. If they cure the four diseases, they all win!
There is only one way to beat Pandemic, you need to cure the diseases. But be careful as there are numerous ways to lose.
Run out of player cards, hit the outbreak limit or run out of disease cubes to place on the board. You need to play carefully and keep on top of potential outbreaks or the game will beat you.
Our Thoughts
We only played with 2 people, I guess this would get better with more. Overall it is a good game but has taken us a while to undertstand. It’s not a game you game you can ‘dip in and out of’ and therefore have to fully concentrate.
Certainly not a game to play when your a bit tired, as it takes thinking-power. When we play games its normally nice to have a good chat whilst also playing games, but with this being cooperative we are talking about the game so gives us a whole new spin on a games night.
The Pandemic game line includes multiple expansions and stand-alone titles. I feel these would benefit the game, branching out and opening up the game a little more.
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WE WAS SENT THIS ITEM TO REVIEW FREE OF CHARGE AS PART OF THE BLOGGERS BOARD GAME CLUB. OUR OPINIONS ARE IN NO WAY SWAYED BY THIS. ALL OUR REVIEWS ARE OUR HONEST THOUGHTS & FEELINGS.
My 6 year old daughter loves playing games but gets bored easily so I dont think she would give it enough time to learn how to play it xx
I’ve heard of this but never played – 2 of the boys birthdays in a few weeks – will make a great gift
Detailed review. Thank you. A more challenging game than usual. I like the fact that cooperation plays a part.
Looks a very interesting game