Pandemic

By Board Game Doc

Brief Overview

A 2-4 player cooperative game where you work together to fight the spread of infectious diseases as you race to the cure.

Pros:

Compelling theme (especially while I write this during the COVID-19 pandemic), which keeps players engaged
The rules are simple, making this a great game for players of all experience levels
Scalability in difficulty which manages to keep each game close, and each win that much more satisfying

Cons:

This game lends itself to quarterbacking, where one strong personality can take over the decision-making for several other team members
…that’s really it as far as cons go

Diagnosis – 8/10 Board Game Doctors Recommend

If you want a cooperative game that will be fun for everyone, engaging, and thematic, this is as good as any other. The only question is, are you up to the challenge?

Further Reading

The game is the original co-op. It’s most people’s go to when they consider cooperative games, and for a good reason, it executes it VERY well.

Each player will choose a character of their choice with their own ability. They will then collect certain cards, hoping to get enough to cure a specific disease (represented by different colored cubes). At the same time, they will have to travel around the world, trade with their companions, and build new research stations in order to stop the pandemic from spreading before its too late.

The variable player powers, with each player choosing a different character with different special abilities keeps the game fresh and entertaining play after play. That said, because the rules are relatively simple, and most of the information is openly shared, the quickest (or most confident) player at the table will often take the lead in most decision-making, which can make the game less enjoyable for those who are new to Pandemic. And if this isn’t the case, then the quick player may become bored while waiting for the others to mull over all of the decision possibilities on their own.

Nevertheless, I have never had a bad time playing this game. And if you need a bit of variety, Pandemic offers plenty of expansions and spin-offs, including Pandemic Iberia, Fall of Rome, Reign of Cthulhu, etc. Beyond these, I STRONGLY encourage you to look into Pandemic Legacy for all of the pros of pandemic, in an unforgettable storyline.

All I know, is that whenever I have an itch for a short and sweet co-op, Pandemic offers the cure.

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