Zee, thanks for taking the time to delve into the solo mode. That sold this version for me. You've been the one to champion solo gaming the most of the Dice Tower crew and its appreciated that you make it a part of your TARGET system for reviews. I like to solo the Forbidden games and Flashpoint, but playing multiple characters is a bit of a chore. I'm glad they found a good workable system for this game.

I would have totally bought this had the art style been more akin to the Total War games or BBC TV series. i.e. something more gritty, dark, without pastel colours and demure box art. The game should evoke the end of the world, the destruction of civilisation itself, and the corruption of the ruling class/emperors in Rome. From what I see here, I don't think it did a good job of that. Yes, it looks "family friendly", but I don't think all games suit such a style. Nice review, Zee!

I love that you are still using the Target audience system but speaking more freely in your reviews. You seem less restricted when doing your reviews based on the order of the T.A.R.G.E.T system and just feels more organic 👏🏽

This really seems like a great version to be miniaturized. Would be amazing.

Well done... this one is on my list for sure.

Thank you! Pandemic brought me back to board games. Love Coop play. I like the theme of this one and might just pick it up!

Very Cool! I can't wait to play :)

Whenever Zee reviews a Pandemic it’s a weird balance between me wanting to see a surprise negative and wanting what SHOULD happen.

I like that all the components (except the dices) are made of wood. But come on, should the player meeples have been upgraded? Love love love the game btw

Played this one solo last week and wow i love this one. The solo version is perfect and will try to play this solo version in the original pandemic. But i like Rising Tide as much as this one and think that one is harder

Thanks for the review was looking forward to you doing this one. Have a question about the special power when rolled. Lets say you roll 2 specials does it effect once or twice? Thanks Keep the great reviews coming.

Paolo is a fantastic designer

Great game, great review

Question: When "eradicating" a barbarian tribe, i.e. no tribe cubes on the map, do you need to continue to block them from invading, or are they "eradicated" as in original Pandemic?

Thanks for the review! Which pandemic spinoff/system do you think are the best @zeegarcia after all this year? Is your opinion still the same? Where SW clone wars goes in this rank?

I allready bought this game and read the rules. The only thing that was a bit unclear at first was what happens after you ally a barbarian tribe. Good that Zee mentioned that they keep revolting and invading, but can be recruited now. Other than that i found everything else feel really well explained in the rules.

No surprise here

I have to say i have never had any interest in any of the pandemic games just not my thing, the legacy versions peaked my interest but not enough to buy one. This version however does look like one i may pick up, i really like the theme and how its implemented, it looks really interesting to me. I would of liked little mini's as opposed to cubes to really push that theme but an owner can easily replace those i suppose if they choose to. It would of been nice to see them flesh out the politics side a bit more too with some back stabbing and political maneuvering which would of been a staple of the ancient era (maybe an expansion there interacting with barbarian leaders as well.).

I've never heard of this 'Pandemic' with which you speak of. Should I check into it? HAHAHA! j/k I could hear Zee fall off his chair all the way up here in Michigan.

I think I'll buy this one ! Next I want Pandemic : Rise to Valhalla with viking theme :D

10:25 would there still be Vestalis existing if Constantiopolis was already founded? Constantine and his successors basically banned pre-Christian religion (one of the many factors that contributed to the fall of Rome was the death of its original culture).

Seems like a version of pandemic my wife would like

Saying the Netherlands was the "low point" is a little on the nose, no?

Is it irrational to be bothered by the fact that it's called Pandemic but is neither A) having to do with a disease or B) global?

Oh my, another Pandemic, is anyone afraid to open the fridge yet?

Is this game co-op?

Zee, it seemed like a couple of your points should have been without a plus. Ease of Play definitely did not come off like it deserved a plus. I don't think original Pandemic would get a plus for that and this is certainly more difficult than that game is to learn.

My one concern with this game is that you use the same nine cards every game for determining starting cubes on the board. It seems like the “hot spots” will be largely the same every time you play.

You were excited for this one to come out, weren't you? :p

This is rising sun all over again.

The Pandemic games are starting to horn in on COIN territory.. I may pick up this game and Falling Sky and try to transition people..

So basically it’s Pandemic.......

I find this very unattractive. Would much rather just play defenders of the realm I think.

Sounds just like any other Pandemic to me. Z-Man Games needs to focus on different games instead of going down the Monopoly-variant route. That's just a waste of everyone's time, their money and an environmental waste. Skip!

I disagree Zee, it’s not a good looking game at all.

Ugh, why is it SO ugly?

I still don't understand these "Pandemic" games. Sure, the first one has a legendary status in the hobby, and the Legacy version was revolutionary for the industry (although I found it relatively boring and repetitive). However, I don't know how they keep getting away with making different games and calling them "Pandemic". The very definition of Pandemic has to do with the theme of the first game(s) + expansions, but I don't understand the Netherlands, Cthulu, etc (and now Rome?!?) themes that literally have nothing to do with the word "pandemic". You say it's a branding thing? So these games are only getting attention because they slap the word "Pandemic" on there? Ok, well that seems like the game wouldn't hold water on its own then. Similar mechanics? Oh, you mean like 51st State and Imperial Settlers? Or do you mean like the first time they re-did Pandemic with a different theme and called it "Defenders Of the Realm", which stood on it's own two feet without a different name's brand to crutch it up? It's like CMON coming out with a game called Zombicide: My little Pony, where the game could have very similar mechanics to the Zombicide series, but not have any zombies or even anything close to zombies in it. I mean, am I just missing something here? This Pandemic madness has got to have an end sometime, right? Before it become an "Epicemic" ha ha! (Coincidentally, that is the correct word that they should have used, since the word "epidemic" can actually be used outside of a medical theme, while "pandemic" can not really. Too late to change it now.) I'm not saying that these spin-off games are bad - I don't know, I was never a huge fan of the original (or Legacy) and haven't played any of the spin-offs. I've always just never been interested enough in them to understand the hype. And it's just annoying they come out with a "new" one each year that has the appearance of having to rely on the name brand and popularity of the original to get any traction. Just call your game "Fall of Rome" and see if it's good enough to get any attention.

Is this game based on what happening right now in Europe? Because hordes of heathen barbarians are at our gates, the problem is noone is fighting them, and traitors even invite them.