There are few games in the last decade that have been more successful than Pandemic, originally released in 2008.
Since that time the base game went through a series of expansions, and has spurred related legacy games and what are generally referred to among gamers as ‘re-skins’ the base idea of the game given a different look and released again.
Credit the crew at Z-Man Games, Inc. for really getting it right in terms of adapting the core concepts of Pandemic to games with decidedly different themes.
In the original Pandemic, “several virulent diseases have broken out simultaneously all over the world! The players are disease-fighting specialists whose mission is to treat disease hotspots while researching cures for each of four plagues before they get out of hand,” explains the BoardGameGeek listing for the game.
The game is co-operative with players working as a unit to stop the outbreaks.
From the core idea of virulent diseases running rampant, Pandemic has been released with players fighting the growing evil in Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu, and the flood waters of the Netherlands in Pandemic: Rising Tide.
The latest release has players defending ancient Rome from invasion in Pandemic: Fall of Rome. As the Z-Man Games website notes; “raise armies, defend your cities, and forge alliances to ward off relentless incursions. Can you stop the fall of the world's greatest Empire?”
Now into the fourth core incarnation of the game there was some trepidation simply because one day the ‘new’ idea will not work. That fear was most certainly unfounded in the case of Fall of Rome.
In fact, this is the second best version of Pandemic I have played, just slightly behind the gorgeously produced Pandemic: Iberia that brought together the best ideas of the original game and its expansions, and just ahead of the innovative setting of Rising Tide.
So what is the newest Pandemic all about?
“At the height of its power, the Roman Empire held more than two million square miles of territory containing over a hundred million people,” details the Z-Man site.
“Throughout the centuries of its existence, the Empire brought major advancements in engineering, architecture, science, art, and literature. By the beginning of the 5th Century, decades of political corruption, economic crisis, and an overburdened military had exacted a severe toll on the stability of the Empire. This paved the way for severe incursions from aggressive barbarian tribes, leading to a decline from which Rome would not recover. Now citizens, soldiers, and allies of Rome must unite to protect the Empire.”
Fall of Rome combines “the cooperative gameplay of Pandemic with innovative new mechanics, Pandemic: Fall of Rome takes players back in history to the time of the world’s greatest empire: Rome. A weakened military has left the borders open to invasion from countless tribes such as the Anglo-Saxons, Goths, Vandals, and Huns. As you march through the Roman Empire, you must recruit armies, fortify cities, forge alliances, and face off against the invading hordes in battle. Take on unique roles with special abilities to improve your team’s chances to protect against the invaders. Work together, use your skills wisely, and stop the fall of Rome!”
The first play through we got Lady Luck on our side, formed an early alliance with one of the invading hordes (first turn actually), and breezed to victory.
That left us thinking maybe the game was too easy?
Lady Luck changed sides after that and we were thoroughly over ran our next two games, such is the delight of the best co-operative games of which the entire Pandemic clearly reside.
The Fall of Rome does have just a hint of playing Risk, that element of invasion and supply lines and rolling dice for battles, which do give this version of Pandemic a healthy dose of uniqueness, which is a win.
Overall, this is a superb game in its own right, and shows that the Pandemic franchise is still at the top of its design game.
Thanks to fellow gamers Trevor Lyons, Rob Ashcroft and Adam Daniels for their help in running through this game for review.
