Boy, talk about bad (or good) time.
Epidemic: Hot Zone – North America it is a very new game in the long run The plague series, the best-selling Classics list that has been entertaining people around the world for years.
This latest installment is on display at the Toyota Fair in February, it apparently began to develop long before that that (March 2019), and is thus scheduled to be released for more than a year.
Then, you know, in the middle of a game that was designed and hit the shelves, all this it happened.
In all my time on this project, I have never received an email from PR similar to the one I received from publishers of Z-Man games about Hot spot
Knowing the pipeline for game development and history Of course I agreed to take a look, mainly because The plague fine, but in part because I'm totally surprised at the time involved and want to see how close this game is to Covid 19 & # 39; s bone.
Thimself The plague inspired by the SARS outbreak of 2003, and cared for itself — as was popular culture for the past 30 years—on the idea that in the face of dangerous, invisible enemies the nations of the world can work together to help eliminate viruses and find a solution.
And then it's almost sad to play a game based on that broad concept in 2020, now that we have a real epidemic to compare, when countries expected us to show global leadership and especially the United States They misinterpreted their answer in almost every way.
Aaaaaaaaanyway, that's enough Hotzone & # 39; s the awkward moment of the story below, let's go get into the game itself. The whole point of this Hotzone that short, short version of The plague, one that can be played in 20 to 30 minutes and, given my current locking status, with toddlers ages 8+. If you've played A ticket to a ride in New York either London, you'll get used to this brief: this game is very much like your big brother, rather than just a little bit of it.
Its both its pros and cons.
The benefits are great. The plague is one of the best board games of the last 15 years, and while this is a small and fast one, it is at its very heart. Hotzone it has always been about not taking every part of the game, or clarifying the complex rules, but simply sketching the numbers. There are less characters to choose from as well Reduced diseases are a cure, but all about them work the same.
Yes, almost. There are a few changes being made to the settlement this little design. You can never completely get rid of a disease; or you can cure it and wipe the map can come back, because you only need to find three ways to win the game in this case and that will make it a lot easier. Building research institutes have also moved, as you can now treat the d isease only at the CDC Atlanta.
This means play Hotzone it's very similar to playing big The plague games, as you travel around North America eliminating outbreaks, doing healing research, place cards and colleagues and trying to cure illnesses before you go out of control (and lose the game).
And so the experiences and feelings are the same. Hotzone she is beautiful, and cruel, and she often loses fashion that will break the heart, but the victory you make feel it it is amazing. Pandemic & # 39; s a feeling of movement and moment, that you rush around the map in unison the race against time, is still very much alive.
That's an incredible achievement, but it also misses the game. If it's an experience like big versions, it only takes a little time and is easy to explain, why not …just play big versions? Of course this is small, fast The plague, but it's still something you need to sit down with and get rid of all the bars, so somehow I guess Hotzone & # 39; s low power actually backs you up a bit.
It sounded less like a game of independence and more like a demo. Which, for publishers Z-Man, might be the whole point here. The complete type of The plague ready, modern board game, and I guess some people would scare me, and try to convince friends and non-gaming games to spend more than an hour on something similar it can be difficult. With Hotzone, however, everything is small and fast, so there are a few hurdles to getting them to play, and once they're done Hotzone, maybe they'll want to move on to the big The plague games.
Which if that's your special situation – and I'm honest, it's almost mine, because I've never had my seven-year-old son or my wife to play The plague if not then this is perfect. In many other cases where you want to play a The plague a game, however, maybe you can look at the full range instead.
ADDITIONAL TO BOARD GAMES:
