by Z-Man Games
A friend of ours strongly suggested that we checked out the collaborative game Pandemic when we inquired of different type of games to him. This friend of ours is big on games that involve role playing and he immediately thought of this one for us. Turns out that it was a perfect timing because they were going to release a new version of the Pandemic game in the weeks to come.
When I received my game, I was intrigued but the goal of the game. Four diseases have broken out in the world and it is up to a team of specialists in various fields to find cures for these diseases before mankind is wiped out. Compared to other types of games that most family play sometimes, this specific game is a collaborative one which means that players must work together in other to achieve the goal. Each has to play their character and use his/her strengths in order to plan a strategy of eradication before the diseases overwhelm the world with ever-increasing outbreaks. But the diseases are outbreaking fast and time is running out: the team must try to stem the tide of infection in diseased areas while also towards cures. You never know if you will win as a team or loose to the disease.
In your box you will find the following items: board game, the 7 role cards and matching pawns, 6 research stations, 6 wooden markers, 96 disease cubes, 48 infection cards, 59 player cards, reference cards as well as a rulebook. I strongly suggest that you take the time to read the rules before starting the game. Doing so will save time and energy in trying to figure out something in the middle of a game. The rules are well written and pretty clear but there are so many twists in this collaborative game that you need to be inform before embarking in a race against the clock to save the planet from the pandemic situation.
I really love how colorful the card are and how you can easily identify yourself with your character. In all you will find seven roles that you can choose from: the researcher, the operations expert, the scientist, the contingency planner, the dispatcher, the medic, and the quarantine specialist. Each of these roles has strength that you need to use in order to try to contain and eliminate the treat of a pandemic. The game require 2-4 players and can last up to 45 minutes.
So one day, I set up this game in the dining room for my sons and I to play during the quiet time of the younger ones. This game is definitively more advanced than what we were used to. Keeping the younger kids at bay was wise because it would have been more challenging to play this with them around. Though the game is primarily geared toward age 12 and up, my 9 years old son enjoyed playing with his big brother and me when we tried it. It was very different than typical games where you compete against each other because this time we had to work together in order to save the world. Each of us were a member of a disease-fighting team and we had to keep the deadly diseases in check and try as much as we could to eliminate them.
Turns out we won the battle this time but since this is a cooperative game, you never know how the next game will turn out. I definitively want to play this with my husband (he was extremely busy the past few months so he didn’t have time to sit down, read the instructions and enjoy the game with us this time around). I believe that this game will become a favorite in our winter months. It’s a great way to spend time together, to work together toward the main goal, to strategize together and to stir the conversation between each other. I am very impressed with Pandemic and look forward to play more with it.
You can purchase the game Pandemic at your favourite specialized games store – even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Z-Man Games for sending me the product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.
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