Pandemic Legacy Season 1 is a complex, cooperative game which is rather expensive for the average board game, so is it worth it and how realistic is it for those who actually know about infection? Am I going to be disappointed as a Microbiologist?
Essentially there are 3 sets of cards (player cards, infection cards and the instruction cards), 1 board with continents and countries with respective cities and a secret dossier which contains more game elements. You’ll open windows of the secret dossier and be given helpful and disturbing additional elements as you play future months. The order of these windows is determined by the instruction cards; they are not numerical or alphabetical. Then there are a lot of stickers and cubes, all is explained in the rule book. The aim is to complete your set objectives and prevent infection spreading across the globe. However the game mutates! And it can kick you just when you thought you have it sussed. Watch out too as decisions you make have consequences in later rounds/months! The players act individually, as well as together, against the game itself. The game is hell-bent on causing a scene out of World War Z! If you haven’t seen this film then it is a great introduction about how the game is played.
Once you start a “year” you could add in other people to your game, so if two people start playing a “year” a third or fourth person can join in later months, e.g. joining in April or May. Another point, choose your character carefully! They are game changers, so are your character upgrades and end game upgrades. You choose these before you know your next objective!!!
Hints & Tips
- Epidemics!!! Oh my goodness, watch out for those epidemic cards, they will really hammer you especially if you get them in quick succession. NB 3 cubes in one city are a bad thing!
- Keep your eye on the objectives!
- Don’t forget the panic level!! Cities can overreact very quickly.
- Eradicating 1 colour of cubes can be very helpful, especially if there are only 1 or 2 cities on the board with this colour BUT don’t forget those objectives!!
There are so many variables to this game which can alter the game and its success; it is gutting to lose a month!!
So was I disappointed as a Microbiologist? NO, this is the best game ever; I think it is even better if you actually do know a little (or a lot) about Microbiology or Virology. I am a self-confessed nerd but even my wife kept saying “can we play again…!”
We are eagerly awaiting Season 2 but that might not be out till next year… or nervously waiting… this game is simply brilliant, frightening and addictive. It’s definitely recommended!
And if you are wondering whether to buy the red or blue versions… apparently it doesn’t matter, the artwork on the box is the only difference; you’d need two boxes if you want to play this game again… unless you are thrifty and use Blu Tack :-)