Under the Microscope of British Society with Obsession

Step back in time to the Victorian age of British society and elaborate country estates with Obsession.
My trouble with getting Obsession to my game table is that it typically doesn’t leave! Like an unwanted member of the gentry so enamored with my cabinet of curiosities or French garden, it cries for continued attention. By the way, I own neither of those examples. Ha! Still, jump into a closer look at the inner workings of this fantastic solo board game!
Game Overview
Game Name: Obsession
Publication Year: 2018
Designer: Dan Hallagan
Artist: Dan Hallagan
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
The truth of the matter is that my cleanup routine often morphs into a reset routine… Just one more play!
Managing a country estate and social circle may sound pretty mundane. Yet the entire experience is wreathed in theme and creates its own story with little effort.
First Play
January 25, 2019
Complexity
3
Latest Play
December 21, 2024
Expansions
4
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
96
Play Time
50 Minutes
High Score
219
Game Area
24" x 28"
Low Score
82
An Extended Play
One of the main features of the setup process involves standard play vs. extended play. It all boils down to the number of rounds, but this has an important role.
Each solo opponent specifies which side of Alderley Hall to play with. This time, I was up against the Orange family.
If you look closely, you’ll see “EP” mentioned with the difficulty level and family. Time for an extended play!
Just a few more rounds can create different situations. Improvements can be even grander, and the final arrangement of the building tiles is often bigger.
Exceptional Building
I ignored the narrative this time around so I could focus on the mechanics. They work extremely well, but it still felt like something was missing. I love my stories!
Granted, this saved me a little time in terms of not taking dozens of photos and dramatizing every moment.
I managed to put together a pretty lovely country estate. “Estate” was the name of the game, in fact! The Fairchilds were very impressed by my continental gardens.
All of the bonuses paid off, too. The improvements made sense and helped attract the top echelon of society.
Double-Sided Building Tiles
The vast majority of the building tiles look relatively identical. A lack of artwork might not be appealing to all, yet I find that it encourages creative ways to think about the appearance of the manor. Quite a bit of fun! However, there is more to each building tile than the basic text and other information. You won’t see it here… It’s on the other side.
That’s right! Almost every building tile is unique on each side. The activity, favours, and point value are all subject to changes. A tile may only be flipped once, and its final side is indicated by the rose icon in the upper right.
It might seem prudent to host different activities all the time to flip as many building tiles as possible. This is an excellent strategy, yet it has its exceptions. The Private Study is worth fewer points when flipped, but it provides bonuses during the village fair rounds. Other times, it’s worthwhile to host the same activity over and over again.
Beyond strategic considerations, I always enjoy seeing what changes come with a flipped building tile! Just the difference between a morning ride and afternoon ride at the stables offers up some additional story threads.
Rotten Oranges
This was such a lost opportunity for creating a ridiculous rivalry with the “rotten” Orange family! Next time…
The main element of gameplay is the theme card chosen during each courtship round. Be sure to play with closed courtship, which makes these cards a surprise.
Every type will appear 0-2 times, and I had service show up twice. The solo opponent has a set value for each season. The goal is to compete against these numbers.
The final season takes a unique turn, in that all of the chosen themes are added together. I won rather handily!
More to the Story
Included with the game is an amazing glossary. It covers game terminology and clears up most questions.
More than that, though, it includes historical information about different concepts. Before I played my first game, I was completely absorbed in the details.
Theme can’t carry a bad game, but it can enhance a good game quite a lot! And it’s the little things, like optional background information, that make a difference.
It’s obvious that a lot of love went into this game. I still enjoy flipping through this lengthy booklet now and then!
Lost in Society
Nearly every member of the gentry includes a little piece of information. These short sentences often help spark my stories. They’re amazing and quite clever!
Miss Elizabeth Fairchild, along with her brother, is the main prize in the county. Yet I’ve always seen more to each character when I write up my stories.
My historical knowledge is extremely limited, so I make up a lot! Yet it’s not far-fetched to imagine the era.
I always feel a little bad for the Fairchilds… Their wealth and position are pretty much all anyone is after.
Another Attempt
I was in the process of cleaning up when my mind refused to cooperate. Back to the beginning for another play!
This time, I had a nice time putting together a very service-oriented household. These tiles are rare in the solo game, and often confer some lovely benefits.
My household wasn’t exactly the nicest… That rumour mill was rather rude, but I needed it! I. Needed. It.
Yet again, this is where a story can make the building tiles come to life. Gentry, other servants, and family members often provide the basis for coming up with these rumours!
Session Overview
Play Number: 16 and 17
Expansion 1: Obsession: Promotional Cards
Expansion 2: Obsession: Wessex Expansion
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Extended Play with Closed Courtship
Required Play Space: 24″ x 28″
Setup Time: 10 Minutes
Play Time: 1 Hour per Play
Outcome: 183-159 and 159-180 (1 Win and 1 Loss)
It was the Grosvenor family that utterly defeated me. I’ll forever be the talk of the town’s rumour mill! Oh, dear.
%
90 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
10
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
10
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
10
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
10
Victory Conditions
Score the Most Points
- Overall Goal Progress 60%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 200 points.
Win at least 1 game against each base game family.
Win at least 1 game against each Wessex family.
Score at least 220 points.
Win at least 1 game against each Up, Downstairs family.
Continue the Conversation
What are your thoughts about Obsession? Do you also create stories when you play solo? If I made videos, it would be hilarious to listen to my terrible British accent as I narrate each “scene” to myself! One of the main reasons why I play is to have fun, and this one delivers. But I see I need to pull things together to beat those frightful Grosvenors…
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