This review may contain MINOR spoilers. I will not spoil any part of the story, though I may touch upon the upgrade system a bit, not going into too much detail so that an element of surprise may remain.
I can't really say a TON about the game without spoiling it...but if you like Pandemic, you'll love this! This is Pandemic with more of a story, ever-changing threats to deal with (though still well within the vein of Pandemic - they aren't COMPLETELY changing the game on you), and the need to consider future repercussions as well as immediate needs.
A few things I'd like to get out of the way first:
1. For anyone wondering, this is NOT an expansion to another game. This is a stand-alone game. This game cannot be combined with regular Pandemic.
2. If you haven't played the original Pandemic game, I'd recommend considering that game and its expansions first. It's a great game...and this game isn't easy to jump into if you haven't played Pandemic before.
3. This is a game that changes as you play it. You will write on things. You will apply stickers. You will rip things up. You will open upgrade packages. If this bothers you, play regular Pandemic. This game would be nearly impossible to play in such a way that you can "reset" it. That said, it will last you a good long while and it's worth just playing it properly.
If you played normal Pandemic with the expansions, it will take a bit of adjustment, no longer making use of things like the lab (one of my personal favorite expansions)...but Pandemic Legacy easily makes up for that with many of its unique features and ever-changing story.
At least at first, Pandemic Legacy plays very similarly to the original game with few noticable changes. This WILL change with every game session. Some of the differences you'll note:
- The game has a maximum of four players.
- Pandemic Legacy may be played an unlimited number of times, but the STORY of the game takes place over 12-24 game sessions (depending on how well you do). It seems that the game taking only 12 game sessions would be nearly impossible unless you cheat. The game scales in difficulty as you win and lose.
- The game starts with only four characters - the medic (improved disease removal), dispatcher (move other players), generalist (more actions and upgrade slots), and researcher (create cures for diseases more easily). That said, new roles will be unlocked occasionally throughout the game.
- After every game session, win or lose, you get to choose two upgrades. These upgrades may grant your characters more abilities (like Pilot - when you use a card to fly to another city, do not discard the card), starting the game with additional research stations, making diseases easier to cure, etc.
- If you play carelessly, your characters may gain downgrades that complicate their lives for the rest of the game. Collect too many downgrades on a character and they're removed from the game. From then on, you must pick a different character or use a generic character with no special traits whatsoever. These downgrades can USUALLY be avoided if you play carefully. My group made it through the first half of the game without getting a single downgrade.
- When a city outbreaks, that city will gain increasing levels of unrest. Eventually, the city will become more difficult to traverse. This means that allowing outbreaks to happen will eventually make the overall game more difficult. It may be better to lose an early game if you can avoid getting too many outbreaks.
- The more you win the game, the harder it gets. The more you lose the game, the easier it gets. The game is designed to scale to the skill level of your group. You are almost certain to have a mix of wins and losses. There are two mechanisms that control this. The first is your "funding" level. You have a floating number of event cards thay may be placed in the player deck. The more you have, the easier the game becomes. For each game you win, you have two fewer event cards to play with. For each game you lose, you gain two more. The second mechanism is replay. When you lose one of the 12 missions or "months", you get a second chance. Since you get 2 upgrades at the end of every game you play, you'll end up with more upgrades, the more you lose.
- You always have to be mindful of the future if you want to do well. It's better to lose gracefully than to win at a heavy cost. The penalties that you accumulate will sick with you through the rest of the game. If you can lose a mission without accumulating any downgrades, you will only be better for it. This fundamentally changes how you play each game.
- As you play, the game introduces new complications and may change the goals needed to win. There are hidden rules. Hidden game pieces. Hidden character cards. Many things will change as you play the game...but that's why you buy Pandemic Legacy over normal Pandemic.
If you've never played Pandemic before, I'd honestly recommend considering getting that before this game. The games do not tie together, but Pandemic Legacy is less forgiving to players unfamiliar with the game system. If you already have and love Pandemic, BUY THIS GAME.
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From the brand
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This is no ordinary virus. What results is a year that will never be forgotten. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 is a unique and epic cooperative game where your decisions in one game carry over into future games. |
Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 begins like a the original Pandemic, but soon morphs into something more. Pandemic Legacy has a story arc that occurs over the course of year. |
Each passing month brings new objectives, new challenges, and even new rules. Trigger certain events and you’ll unlock tools that reveal strategies for dealing with each new problem. Throughout, the clock is ticking. |
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Characters are affected by their experiences battling the global pandemic and cities feel the weight of the outbreaks and epidemics that sweep through them. |
Even the diseases themselves evolve as you play. These developments have a direct impact on the game itself. Cities panic and become harder to travel to as the infection spreads. |
There are many paths to follow. No two worlds will ever be alike! Your team is all that stands between global catastrophe, and you decide how it evolves. |
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| Pandemic | Pandemic - Legacy Season 0 | Pandemic - Hot Zone - North America | Pandemic - The Cure | Pandemic - Reign of Cthulu | Pandemic - Fall of Rome | |
| Number of Players | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-5 | 2-4 | 1-5 |
| Average Playtime | 45 minutes | 60 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 40 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Recommended | 8 and up | 14 and up | 8 and up | 8 and up | 14 and up | 8 and up |
| Game Objectives | Fight diseases | Fight diseases | Fight diseases | Fight diseases | Fight against the Darkness | Fight against Invading Hordes |
| Cooperative Game | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Strategy Game | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adventure Game | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Expansion Option | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Play over the course of 1 year | ✓ |
Reviews with images
All Photos
AMAZING EXPERIENCE
First off, let me start by saying how much my husband and I love playing Pandemic. We've played the regular game over 100x and it's still exciting and challenging for us. We finally decided to buy Legacy Season 1 (blue) and it is worth every damn penny.- The game is similar to Pandemic so if you're familiar with the OG game, then you'll get a kick out of the Legacy game. The writers are so creative and the game is interesting and fun, with lots of exciting new things to look forward to (ie: New characters, new actions, new virus, new structures, new rules, etc.)- LOVE opening new packages, revealing new storylines, scratching off scratchers. I just hate how much trash it produces, and I hate the idea of permanently throwing away cards. The scratch-off element is fun but it gets messy.- It's a fantastic activity for couples, a group of friends, and family. I love that it's a co-op game and it's not competitive. There is still a drive to win, but it's a collective goal that brings people together. My husband and I loved it so much we finished it in 1 week! We just bought Legacy Season 2.- Only downside is the end of the game. Once the game ends, you're kind of left with a lot of useless pieces and cards. You can still play Pandemic the regular way, but the new game is basically thrown out the door. There are stickers that you add to the board that won't have any meaning once the game is over, but they are easy enough to scratch off and remove. You can still restore the game to the original setting, but I already have the OG Pandemic! I don't need another one. I wish there was a package you can purchase to play with the original game instead of buying a brand new game. It's hard to explain unless you've played this.Overall, no regrets! I just wish the game never ended and that it lasted longer!
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2016
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2018
First off, let me start by saying how much my husband and I love playing Pandemic. We've played the regular game over 100x and it's still exciting and challenging for us. We finally decided to buy Legacy Season 1 (blue) and it is worth every damn penny.
- The game is similar to Pandemic so if you're familiar with the OG game, then you'll get a kick out of the Legacy game. The writers are so creative and the game is interesting and fun, with lots of exciting new things to look forward to (ie: New characters, new actions, new virus, new structures, new rules, etc.)
- LOVE opening new packages, revealing new storylines, scratching off scratchers. I just hate how much trash it produces, and I hate the idea of permanently throwing away cards. The scratch-off element is fun but it gets messy.
- It's a fantastic activity for couples, a group of friends, and family. I love that it's a co-op game and it's not competitive. There is still a drive to win, but it's a collective goal that brings people together. My husband and I loved it so much we finished it in 1 week! We just bought Legacy Season 2.
- Only downside is the end of the game. Once the game ends, you're kind of left with a lot of useless pieces and cards. You can still play Pandemic the regular way, but the new game is basically thrown out the door. There are stickers that you add to the board that won't have any meaning once the game is over, but they are easy enough to scratch off and remove. You can still restore the game to the original setting, but I already have the OG Pandemic! I don't need another one. I wish there was a package you can purchase to play with the original game instead of buying a brand new game. It's hard to explain unless you've played this.
Overall, no regrets! I just wish the game never ended and that it lasted longer!
- The game is similar to Pandemic so if you're familiar with the OG game, then you'll get a kick out of the Legacy game. The writers are so creative and the game is interesting and fun, with lots of exciting new things to look forward to (ie: New characters, new actions, new virus, new structures, new rules, etc.)
- LOVE opening new packages, revealing new storylines, scratching off scratchers. I just hate how much trash it produces, and I hate the idea of permanently throwing away cards. The scratch-off element is fun but it gets messy.
- It's a fantastic activity for couples, a group of friends, and family. I love that it's a co-op game and it's not competitive. There is still a drive to win, but it's a collective goal that brings people together. My husband and I loved it so much we finished it in 1 week! We just bought Legacy Season 2.
- Only downside is the end of the game. Once the game ends, you're kind of left with a lot of useless pieces and cards. You can still play Pandemic the regular way, but the new game is basically thrown out the door. There are stickers that you add to the board that won't have any meaning once the game is over, but they are easy enough to scratch off and remove. You can still restore the game to the original setting, but I already have the OG Pandemic! I don't need another one. I wish there was a package you can purchase to play with the original game instead of buying a brand new game. It's hard to explain unless you've played this.
Overall, no regrets! I just wish the game never ended and that it lasted longer!
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Carlos Alberto
El mejor juego cooperativo de la historia
Reviewed in Mexico on March 14, 2023
Carlos Alberto
Reviewed in Mexico on March 14, 2023
Images in this review
