by AernoutMJC
I love cooperative games. I love Pandemic. Especially the On the Brink expansion brought it to the very top of my cooperative games list. When my buddy bought Pandemic Legacy I was thrilled and anxious to get a chance to play it (knowing full well that he'd be playing the entire campaign with us).And then Pandemic Legacy stormed the charts. Entering the #100 when not even 1000 people had voted and I started to get some doubts. Could this game really be that good? And if it was, would I ever play my beloved version of Pandemic? Whatever the case, I was going to find out soon.
If I am perfectly honest, I wanted to be unimpressed. I wanted to say the hype was just that: a hype. I wanted to play it and then go back to my 2nd edition of Pandemic, pat it on the lid and say: don't worry, you are still undefeated.
But having played my first three games of Pandemic Legacy today, I can't. Legacy IS an adrenaline rush. It IS addictive. It IS exciting. I fully understand how come it's racing up the BGG charts and if my buddy rings me up and says: shall we do April too, I'd be over at his place in a heart beat. It is time to eat humble pie because I would not be surprised if we finished the entire campaign this year.
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So, what is it that makes Legacy so interesting? It is the surprise of course. Not knowing what will happen next. The excitement of discovering how a game that starts out as the rather brilliant Pandemic becomes something more, something different. It's the idea of creating your very own and very unique game. The experience feels almost as if you are not only writing but also taking part in a movie.
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So is it all roses?? My heart says yes, but my head has second thoughts. The one thing Pandemic Legacy has not delivered yet (Jan, Feb & Mar were easy wins) is a real challenge. But I suspect/hope it will deliver on that too. Pretty soon.
For now: 2015 has been a wonderful year, board gaming-wise. And Pandemic Legacy seems to be the icing on the cake.