Obsession: Derbyshire’s Finest Families and Estates
Step back in time to the Victorian age of high society where estate improvements and social circles rule in Obsession.
The least newsworthy announcement? I absolutely love Obsession! It stormed into my collection last year. Little did I know that it was everything I could have imagined in a solo board game! Yet over the weekend, I tore into my brand new second edition copy, complete with everything. I could hardly contain my excitement as I returned to my favorite game!
Game Overview
Game Name: Obsession
Publication Year: 2018
Designer: Dan Hallagan
Artist: Dan Hallagan
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
What a beautiful scene! I could have just upgraded my first edition… But I had to go all in. I was happy I did, too, for all of the new organization and noticeably thicker tiles. Now I’ll never be without my beloved game! At the same time, I wanted to save the newest expansion content for a later dive. I had some expert-level families to destroy…
First Play
January 25, 2019
Complexity
3
Latest Play
October 15, 2025
Expansions
6
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
106
Play Time
50 Minutes
High Score
248
Game Area
24" x 28"
Low Score
82
Stunning Organization
A few years ago, I couldn’t care less about the included storage solution. Bags? Sure. Cardboard insert that didn’t fit anything? I made it work. But that’s no longer the case.
With the way time is limited, quicker setup and cleanup has become more of a priority. And look at this!
Each of the 6 families has a gorgeous storage box. There are also a pair of large boxes to hold the building tiles, cards, and other components. It all fits so nicely.
Granted, I may change things up because I dislike putting cards in with components. But still! These are amazing.
Fire the Housekeeper
My word! I looked closely at every component as I put everything together. The joy of punching out the thicker building tiles was excellent. Could I be more excited?!
And then, I leaned in to examine the front of the box for the expansion, Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs.
See that? Sticking out like a sore thumb: A white spot where the ink somehow didn’t sink in. Oh, no!
This is the only thing “wrong” with my copy. Ha! I shall imagine that the cook had a fight with the flour that stained the wall forever. Or the housekeeper is bad.
Thematic Context
As I perused the new rules, I was thrilled with the changes. I’ll likely make a separate post going over those at some point. After I’ve played. A lot. Because… It’s my game!
If you own the second edition, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read the very last page.
It’s tucked out of the way so as not to interfere with the rules. Yet in terms of importance? The thematic details are the reason why the game feels so real for me.
My own stories often stem from concepts in this section. I may have ideas to write even better in the future! Or now?
Into Expert Territory
As it happened, I last left off after I defeated the last intermediate solo opponent. Onto the expert difficulty!
So it was the Brunswick family. Managing the seasons and types of improvements is a major challenge. It comes down to finding ways to selectively pull ahead.
With closed courtship, every season’s theme is hidden. No advantage is earned from planning ahead, as it comes down to strategically picking specific areas.
Very good, Brunswick clan. Derbyshire was about to witness a rivalry that would sweep across the county.
Simple, Classic Beauty
At a glance, the components may seem text-heavy with a limited amount of artwork. Although true, this is a major strength of the game’s design. It’s all in the imagination!
I love thinking of what each estate looks like. The starting tiles may be identical, but the improvements differ quite a lot from play to play. It’s very interesting and fun.
Even the way the estate changes gives a personality to the family. Prestige and sporting tiles are very different.
I used to wonder why the families lacked flavor text. Now I know why… It comes down to what happens during play!
The Asquith Way
So it was that I chose the Asquith family to play as. Every family has a unique starting bonus. This might be my favorite. Another family member: The Dowager Countess!
Did I mention how lovely these storage boxes are? They make some gorgeous props, too! Quite the coat of arms.
Another small but major improvement is with the player boards. One side now contains an integrated organizer to save some table space. Smart, and very practical!
This setup process always gets me so excited as I start to plot and examine the building tiles in the market.
A Close Inner Circle
Although every family is basically the same, a pair of starting gentry provides a random way to begin.
In this case, the Asquiths were well-acquainted with Alice and Agnes. As close friends of Lady Eleanor, they had sound advice going back nearly a decade. Although…
There was the carriage folly of 1873. Never mind that debacle across the countryside. All had learned and healed.
Was I ready? More like was Derbyshire ready?! There were some deliciously discounted service tiles just ready for the taking. The Hanovers would never know what hit them!
To the Bowling Green
As the Asquith manor began to untangle itself from a rather vicious mat of vines, attentions spread to the grounds. The countess ordered the bowling green cleared.
On a pristine spring weekend, the manor played host to a humble game of bowls. Light clouds scudded across the sky, but thankfully held back the threat of rain.
The talk of the village centered around the countess and her warmth towards Miss Agnes. That frightening stare…
Young women of Derbyshire were nothing like Miss Agnes, though there was kindness behind her eyes.
Whistful Ladies
The formidable Dowager Countess was a whirlwind of a force in the county. She knew the value of honor, for she was once an up-and-coming young woman in her day.
Slowed by the confounded passage of time, she preferred to live comfortably indoors, surrounded by visitors.
It was on one such occasion that the unremarkable Miss Barstow stumbled into the front parlour. Much too shy for the social activities, she nearly bowled Maud over.
Recovering deftly, the odd pair bonded over whist. Alice managed a grand slam, yet handled the win gracefully.
To the Hunt
Little by little, the Asquiths grew immensely in social standing. The Brunswicks could often only watch in envy, although they were far from idle in their activities.
The Fairchilds were exceedingly difficult to track down. It was far into the following season when Elizabeth dared to venture forth for a long weekend of fox hunting.
It was a dashing affair, indeed. Lady Eleanor saved her peer from the insufferable Viscountess Abernathy.
As the guests left, the staff bade them all good riddance. What outrageous demands! Normalcy was most welcome.
A Perfect Estate
Seasons came and went. The Fairchilds’ interests waxed and waned, often settling on the Brunswicks. The rivalry was deep, yet the Asquiths knew when to concede.
Conceding simply set their sights on better things. The Fairchild wealth might have been claimed by the Brunswick family, but there was a greater prize ahead.
The Dowager Countess watched it all from her parlour. She knew the county’s fickle social preferences.
And even after the Brunswick heiress made her way to Alderley Hall, the Asquiths remained the county elite.
Stepping Back from the Story
It’s a rare day when I just want to play without documenting each and every turn. Apologies… I simply had to! After not playing for so long, I got immersed within the game and had a chance to hone in on my strategies. I won by the tiniest of margins against the Brunswick family, and it felt amazing and challenging! Just what I wanted.
Don’t think that I plan to shun my storytelling, though. There’s something of a balance. Sometimes, I want to devote all the necessary time to bring the characters and activities to life. At other times, I like to just keep a personal narrative going during my own plays. Both are fun, and alternating usually gives me a chance to enjoy every aspect of a game.
The Darker Side
After gaining some confidence, I went onto the next expert family: The Hanovers. I believe they are the scourge of Derbyshire, full of underhanded tactics and gossip.
I’m not bitter. Not like I absolutely fell apart against them and lost by a considerable margin. Nope! Nothing like that.
Alright. It’s exactly that. Ha ha! I don’t know what it was, but as the Wessex family, I couldn’t find a way to pull ahead. I do believe I’ve currently met my match.
The expert solo opponents seem to be just right for me! But Derbyshire better watch out. I don’t lose gracefully.
Session Overview
Play Number: 19-22
Expansion: Obsession: Wessex Expansion
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Standard Play with Closed Courtship
Required Play Space: 24″ x 28″
Setup Time: 5 Minutes
Play Time: 40 Minutes per Play
Outcome: 132-128, 113-131, 95-136 & 98-141 (1 Win, 3 Ls)
Even after the Duke of Longford stayed in the Lionheart Suite to double all of his favors, I still lost by a terrible amount. It’s those Hanovers. Simply AWFUL!
%
100 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
+ Pros (Positives)
- The mechanics mirror the theme in a cohesive manner that easily creates a unique story with every play.
- Each family starts off with a different bonus, yet this seamlessly transitions into a specialized strategy.
- There is an enormous amount of content in the base game in terms of building tiles and guests.
- Every decision is important and has long-term consequences that might ultimately lead to victory.
- The component quality is excellent, as is the new storage solution that holds everything perfectly beautifully.
- All of the rules are easy to learn and memorize, while additional thematic details can be found in the glossary.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Bad luck with the theme cards can sometimes lead to poor outcomes, even when playing the odds correctly.
- A handful of guests have very minor typos in their flavor text that’s barely noticeable, but still present.
- The servants are some of the most important people in the game, yet they have no names nor personalities.
- Objectives can be frustrating when nothing seems to come together, although this is a normal part of gameplay.
Victory Conditions
Score the Most Points
- Overall Goal Progress 60%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 200 points.
Score at least 240 points.
Win at least 1 game against each base game family.
Score at least 280 points.
Win at least 1 game against each Up, Downstairs family.
Continue the Conversation
Do you own Obsession? What do you like or dislike about the solo mode? This continues to be my favorite game. There is something so fun about managing a Victorian family’s standing in the county! It’s challenging with a deep narrative. There are all sorts of books I want to read just to learn more about the history now! And those Hanovers… I’ll be back.
0 Comments