Pandemic – Board Game Review

Pandemic - An Overview

Pandemic is one of the original games that got me into the board game hobby, and it’s still one of my favorite games. It was my introduction to cooperative board games, and it completely blew my mind!

Pandemic - How It Plays

Pandemic is a game where players all work together to contain and eventually cure four different diseases before a worldwide pandemic breaks out. I can’t stress this enough. All players must work together. No one is going to win this on their own. Yes…you can play this game solo, and I have, but we’ll get to that a little later.

There is a ton of strategic depth to Pandemic. You have to manage your resources, prioritize your actions, and coordinate with other players.

You have to make tough decisions. For example, on your turn, you can do four things. You always want to do more than four things, but you can’t. So, you need to decide how you are going to spend your four actions and in what order. You are hoping that other players on their turn can pick up where you left off, but that isn’t always the case. You also have a hand of cards. Those cards can have competing potential uses, so spending one for one purpose can mean giving up another opportunity. Like I said, you have to make tough decisions and rely on help from the other players.

Pandemic has a few different ways to set up depending on how difficult you want the game to be, which is nice. There’s always someone in the group who wants to play it at the most difficult level, only to be playing beginner level before the night is over. Even if you’re an experienced board gamer, Pandemic will challenge you with its tough decisions and unexpected twists.

Players have multiple roles to choose from, which makes Pandemic very replayable. These roles include Medic, Quarantine Specialist, Dispatcher, Scientist, and more. They give each player a unique skill in the game that no other player will have. So, deciding how to use that skill, or better yet, learning how to use your skill in conjunction with another player’s skill naturally adds strategic thinking to the game. There are also different expansions you can get to add more levels of depth to the game.

Pandemic - What Makes It Fun

Honestly, I’ve had more fun losing Pandemic than winning some other games. And believe me, you will lose Pandemic…a lot, which makes winning a game of Pandemic that much more exciting. 

Pandemic’s theme is very immersive. You feel a little sense of urgency as you watch diseases spread across the globe. You and the other players are racing against the clock to prevent epidemics from turning into worldwide pandemics! 

I’ve had some very memorable playthroughs of Pandemic. It never fails. There’s always someone at the table who looks at the board about halfway through, looks around at everyone else, and says, “I think we’ve got this.” Then, about three turns later, we’re all looking at the board saying, “What are we going to do?” It’s a blast!

Pandemic - Things to Consider

No game is perfect, and Pandemic is no exception. There is a chance that an alpha gamer can take over. Because everyone is working together to beat the game, it’s easy for a player to start telling other players what to do on their turn. The person may have the best intentions, but it’s usually best to allow a player to make their own decisions on their turn. I have played with people who ask questions like, “Do you think this is a good idea?” or “If I do this, will you help me out on your turn?” which is perfectly fine. If someone asks for advice, great. However, an alpha gamer can kind of take over and try to make all the moves for all the other players, which is no fun for the rest of the group. So, that’s something to be careful of.

I mentioned playing Pandemic solo. It doesn’t have a solo mode or rules or anything, but it’s a cooperative game. I’ve found that I can play many cooperative games solo by setting the game up for multiple players and playing each player’s turn myself. Nothing in Pandemic is hidden from the other players. Every player knows the cards that the other players have. It’s how you strategize with each other. 

Pandemic - Conclusion and Rating

I cannot recommend Pandemic enough. It’s one of my favorite board games of all time. There are so many reasons I like it. First and foremost, it’s an absolute blast to play. It’s easy to teach because someone new can learn the game as you play. Because it’s cooperative, it’s easy to help a new person along during the game. I’ve also found that because the game is so interactive, it’s great for people who may be a little shy or new to the group. You can start a game of Pandemic without knowing anyone else at the table. By the time the game is over, you’re sitting there with your new friends!

Pandemic is great fun and a wonderful gateway game into the hobby. Grab yourself a copy. Gather some friends. Stop the Pandemic!