Obsession Board Game - Wessex Expansion

Product Information

There are plenty of games set in 19th Century England, and some are fantastic. Brass: Birmingham is a great example. All too often these games are very industrial in nature. They’re about the businesses, the resources of the time, and the Industrial Revolution. Few games take on the people of the time, and it’s a gap that Obsession gratefully squeezes itself into. The solo mode in Obsession works well and is smoothly implemented. There’s a choice of opponents, and the reality of playing it means rolling a D20 and removing the matching tile from the builders’ market. There’s a little more to it than that, but what I want to stress is how easy the solo mode is to run. It’s one of those games which doesn’t alter the goal to make solo gaming fit. You can play using the same ideas and tactics you would if you were playing against real people, and that’s a really nice touch. Final thoughts Regardless of which camp you’re in, the answer is a resounding maybe. Obsession is a great game and no mistake. It may just be a little troublesome for someone unaccustomed to a modern board game’s disposition. The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrevocably gone At the end of the game, a final courtship phase considers all four phases. The player with the estate that appeals to the Fairchilds most will win the final matchmaking event. This, combined with an accounting of points related to estate improvements and social connections, will decide the ultimate winner regardless of who enticed the final courtship. The Cavendish family is ready to make some improvements. Game Experience: Obsession The Board Game. To be honest, the name is pretty appealing if you ask me – it’s a game I see myself being obsessed with personally. Maybe that’s what they was aiming for?

Obsession is a worker and tile-placement game comprised of four courtship phases. Each phase finds players hosting an activity based on their available staff, hand of gentry cards, and accessible buildings. The goal in hosting these events is to gain favors such as money, reputation, or additional social connections, which build your hand of gentry cards and provide more hosting options. Once a gentry card is used during a round, it is discarded and cannot be used until players take a pass action to refresh their hand. Those of you who revel in multiplayer-solitaire games will love Obsession. The only real competition is in the scrapping over the buildings on offer, and the odd tile that lets you recruit a worker from another player’s board. Other than that, it’s just you against your own brain. To be honest, that’s just as bad for me, my brain is my own worst enemy. That sort of game should be a natural fit for a good solo game, and guess what – it is. Rotate service: Move all your Servants one box to the right. (Only those in the "Available Service" box will be available for use on your turn.) As a note, this expansion works best in conjunction with the Wessex expansion. The base Obsession game is needed for this expansion as it is not a standalone game. Last but not least is the inclusion of three new ways to play the game. This expansion will open the game up for Solo Estate Challenge, Team Cooperative Play and Tableau Obsession.As such, the tug-of-war of gaining esteem sits at the heart of Obsession. As you invite guests to your estate and provide repairs, you’re constantly watching your neighbor from over the hedge to see how many points they have in each area of appeal. If I host afternoon tea with the lady of the house, it will improve my estate Prestige but may see me falling behind on Service. Or maybe I really need to work on village fair planning to improve income, but then my butler will be indisposed to help me hire more staff next round.

For example, we prefer to play the game with closed courtship. This means that we do not know what appeals to the Fairchilds until the end of a phase. This requires us to maintain a close race for estate points without knowing which area of appeal will turn up. But the game allows you to play this as an open option, so you’re aware immediately what to work towards, or even a random option in which a die determines when this information appears. Obsession with this (and the Wessex expansion) makes the game playable from 1-6 players of ages 13+ and will play in approximately 30-90 mins. Enjoy favours given by the event tile and the played gentry cards. These are all compulsory, with the exception of "Dismissing".The game invites a world of storytelling as you play. Each gentry card, including the family cards, are delightful as they include in-era photography and flavor detail. A picnic on the south lawn may attract a new guest. But look, it’s the local gossip Miss Beatrice Wilton, who upon future play will lower the reputation of the family. Why did Father wave to her as she passed by on her way to town? The scandal! Lady Cavendish and the Viscount are attended by the family footman. Rounds 4, 8, 12 and 16 (Extended Game: 5, 10, 15 and 20)are Courtship rounds. No regular turns are taken: instead, whoever has the highest score for that courtship's current Theme colour (shown by the most recent upturned card at the top of the board) may take either the Charles or Elizabeth Fairchild card into their hand, and draw a Victory Point Card. The final Courtship round is scored on the total for all four Theme colours, rather than just the fourth. (If a colour appears multiple times, it is counted multiple times.) Welcome to 18th century Derbyshire, England, where several influential families of neglected estates are anxious to change their fortunes. How, you ask? Well, the Fairchild progeny, Elizabeth, and Charles, have permanently moved into Alderley Hall and seek refuge from the melancholy of the lonely countryside. What better way to improve in both rank and status than by romancing these two respectful, and more importantly eligible, siblings?