Pandemic (Board Game)

My partner and I are relatively new to board games. We have already accumulated a few games but this is our first co-operative game. We had previously played it as a four at the very start of our BG learning curve but decided to buy it ourselves recently. We wondered how it would play as a 2-player game, but we have really enjoyed our forays into virology! We have played so far mainly on entry-level and managed to beat it regularly but haven't been as successful now we have stepped up to intermediate level.We are pleased with it as a 2-player game. I know it is a classic but we love the mechanics of it. Some of the roles are much more powerful than others, which is part of the fun. We're really looking forward to playing it with our friends once the real-life ... MoreMy partner and I are relatively new to board games. We have already accumulated a few games but this is our first co-operative game. We had previously played it as a four at the very start of our BG learning curve but decided to buy it ourselves recently. We wondered how it would play as a 2-player game, but we have really enjoyed our forays into virology! We have played so far mainly on entry-level and managed to beat it regularly but haven't been as successful now we have stepped up to intermediate level.We are pleased with it as a 2-player game. I know it is a classic but we love the mechanics of it. Some of the roles are much more powerful than others, which is part of the fun. We're really looking forward to playing it with our friends once the real-life virus has been defeated. Until then, we'll continue to save the world as a pair.

Amazing game. Very timely, unfortunately. However, it doesn't feel too close to home unless you lost a family to the pandemic, maybe skip this one. We somehow got my parents to play (age 60) and we only played this because our kiddo (age 4) wanted to play with this. Surprisingly, because it is a collaborative game it fits a large range of people and is very interesting. If playing for the first time or with a toddler recommend reducing the epidemic cards (and meltdowns). For a nonboard gamer, it takes a little time to figure out what you can do per role, but for avid gamers, that should be a breeze. I love how in the rules they have specific guidelines that it's the person whose turn it is to make the final decision,

I read a review that said “don’t marry someone until you play this game with them,” and I will tell you, there’s weirdly some truth that. Given that you have to work together, you get to see problem solving, team work, and understanding of a goal in real time. It really does illuminate personalities. On a much less psychological aspect, this game is just plan fun! It really is a fun, collaborative way to play a game with just two people. Many 2 player games are competition vs each other. I love that this one focuses on team work within the duo. Highly recommend and we play this all the time.

Awesome collaborative game!

My kids (10 & 12yrs) and I love this game! It’s so nice to get them off devices (especially in lockdown) and play a game together that doesn’t end in tears. I love that this is a collaborative game, working together on the same side to battle the virus. The role cards make each game interesting with different special moves. First game took a little bit to understand, instructions are clear but we also found a great demonstration on YouRube. Quality board and pieces, only negative is that NZ isn’t included on the map but I highly recommend this game, I’m so happy I bought it!

Excellent family game

Bought this as a Christmas present for my son. A cooperative rather than competitive game. The family played it several times over the holiday period and the main instigator of playing it was my other son, who normally hates board games! As relevant today as when it was first released. Not surprised it has won so many awards.

Good game for older kids/adults 13+ who like a teamwork game.

I bought this game during COVID 19 shutdown. My family likes to play Risk and Monopoly. It looked similar to Risk. This is actually a cooperative teamwork game. Up to 4 players only, each takes on a scientist role with a special power. You need to trade country cards to get 5 of the same color to "cure" that color infection. There are 4 colored infections across the globe multiplying. This game has a LOT of rules. So someone has to be very good at figuring out the instructions. It has more rules than RISK. I would not recommend this for players less than 13. My 13 year old son is smart and LOVED the game and figured out the rules, and helped me learn it. LOL. My 11 year old son also enjoyed it and listened to his big brother figure out all the rules. The first two ... MoreI bought this game during COVID 19 shutdown. My family likes to play Risk and Monopoly. It looked similar to Risk. This is actually a cooperative teamwork game. Up to 4 players only, each takes on a scientist role with a special power. You need to trade country cards to get 5 of the same color to "cure" that color infection. There are 4 colored infections across the globe multiplying. This game has a LOT of rules. So someone has to be very good at figuring out the instructions. It has more rules than RISK. I would not recommend this for players less than 13. My 13 year old son is smart and LOVED the game and figured out the rules, and helped me learn it. LOL. My 11 year old son also enjoyed it and listened to his big brother figure out all the rules. The first two times playing we "lost" to the infections. The boys demanded to play again to beat the infection. The third game was a charm and we won and "cured" the world.

Good game with some flaws. Feels like it needs an expansion after only a couple of games.

Good game, very entertaining, has decent replay value. Co-op is definetly it's strongest suit. Still, it's not hard to figure out the best strategies and the best roles after only a couple of games. When you up the difficulty, epidemics keep appearing more often, meaning you basically only get to play the first 10-15 cities you draw over and over, which can get very annoying. Also the card trading mechanic if you don't get the role who specializes in it, can be so time consuming and tedious that it's not even worth it. That's why it gets 4 stars.

Once was enough

I played Pandemic with a games group. No one else was interested in playing it, but I wanted to try it so a few of them played with me. It took a long time to set up. There are a lot of small parts and a lot of instructions. It's a cooperative game, so all players are working together toward the same goal. Everyone wins, or everyone loses. It was ok, but I don't want to play it again because it takes a long time to set up, and the person who knows the game best tends to run the show. Throughout the whole game, that leader person has to explain their train of thought so that everyone else can follow what is happening, which makes it go slowly. Also each player gets a role with various abilities, and it's difficult enough to remember your own abilities, much less ... MoreI played Pandemic with a games group. No one else was interested in playing it, but I wanted to try it so a few of them played with me. It took a long time to set up. There are a lot of small parts and a lot of instructions. It's a cooperative game, so all players are working together toward the same goal. Everyone wins, or everyone loses. It was ok, but I don't want to play it again because it takes a long time to set up, and the person who knows the game best tends to run the show. Throughout the whole game, that leader person has to explain their train of thought so that everyone else can follow what is happening, which makes it go slowly. Also each player gets a role with various abilities, and it's difficult enough to remember your own abilities, much less everyone else's. The game is so complicated that the maker had to list the steps that each player takes on their turn directly on the game board (on the bottom right corner). It's a nicely designed game, just not very fun to play. There are too many rules, it's slow, and it's kind of boring. The goal is also a little confusing, because you win by finding cures for 4 diseases. not by eradicating the 4 diseases, which can also be done in the game. And each player starts their turn by taking 4 actions, but we had to keep asking what constitutes an action. Not good for young kids. I noticed the game's price seems to fluctuate a lot (from about $45 to $35 to $25).

Pandemic (2013)

Ah the fane that reignited my love for coop board games after so many years.It's stylish, slick and relatively easy to play and learn. Play gets better and sleeker as you've had a few games. The pace and threat can change in a heartbeat and leave you really feeling the pressure. We were instantly hooked and shared with others who were equally gripped! However, you can be shocked how quickly the deck runs out with more players and more epidemics!The roles are varied and can require a fair bit of tactics and plotting or you may find yourself running out of cards or options quicker than you think!We haven't lost yet but by god we've come close and think I spent half as long figuring out a solution than the time we were playing the main game itself!Great for 2-4 ... MoreAh the fane that reignited my love for coop board games after so many years.It's stylish, slick and relatively easy to play and learn. Play gets better and sleeker as you've had a few games. The pace and threat can change in a heartbeat and leave you really feeling the pressure. We were instantly hooked and shared with others who were equally gripped! However, you can be shocked how quickly the deck runs out with more players and more epidemics!The roles are varied and can require a fair bit of tactics and plotting or you may find yourself running out of cards or options quicker than you think!We haven't lost yet but by god we've come close and think I spent half as long figuring out a solution than the time we were playing the main game itself!Great for 2-4 with expansions galore to keep it different but the replayability is already there frankly.

The perfect game?

Acknowledging that this game won’t be for everyone, this may be one of the best board games ever made. The game mechanics (how it plays) are simple enough to grasp quickly, yet the strategy of play can be quite deep. And it is approachable for players of almost any age. You and up to 3 other players take on the role of a capable frontline worker taking on a pandemic. Each role has a special talent related to their job that gives them unique actions in the game. This is where the variety and a lot of the strategy comes in as you work as a team clearing diseases from cities around the world. You only get 2 actions a turn so what you do feels important and also not enough each turn. This game can also be scaled in difficulty as you and your team get better at playing ... MoreAcknowledging that this game won’t be for everyone, this may be one of the best board games ever made. The game mechanics (how it plays) are simple enough to grasp quickly, yet the strategy of play can be quite deep. And it is approachable for players of almost any age. You and up to 3 other players take on the role of a capable frontline worker taking on a pandemic. Each role has a special talent related to their job that gives them unique actions in the game. This is where the variety and a lot of the strategy comes in as you work as a team clearing diseases from cities around the world. You only get 2 actions a turn so what you do feels important and also not enough each turn. This game can also be scaled in difficulty as you and your team get better at playing the game. And there are expansions that each add fun twists/additions to the core game. Once you learn how to play, games only last about 30-60min. As a side benefit you can also learn a little about geography as you play on the map with cities from around the world and on the city cards it includes population data(though I don’t know when it is from or how up to date it is). Still, it is neat to learn a little while also having fun saving the world. And in these pandemic times, this game feels a bit on the nose. However, it does present a chance to feel like you have some control over things out of your control, and maybe gain a little insight into how hard these things can be as you quickly get overwhelmed with disease cube outbreaks just when you thought you had it all under control.