A New Obsession Solo Nemesis: Toppled by the Tottenhams
Settle into the idyllic countryside of Derbyshire and wage a battle of prestige and social significance in the world of Obsession.
Back to my favorite solo game! Obsession is always at the top of my list, and I rarely think twice when I’m asked about it. Perhaps it’s a little ironic that I don’t constantly play it, yet it’s one that’s fun to return to even after a little while! My determination to topple the Tottenham family was rather great, and I was soon ready to host events and manage an estate!
Gameward Bound Update
Apologies for the absence! I fractured my elbow earlier this year and although all looked good, I managed to aggravate it near the end of August. Maybe my exciting day of excavation and masonry was a little much… Ha ha! I’m mostly good now, though, and regular posts should be back on track. Here’s to hoping we all stay healthy and injury-free for a long time!
Game Overview
Game Name: Obsession
Publication Year: 2018
Designer: Dan Hallagan
Artist: Dan Hallagan
Publisher: Kayenta Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Managing a family in Victorian England entails a little bit of everything, from utilizing the staff efficiently to keeping a close eye on a social circle. The estate itself is built up as exciting events put the spotlight on a family. But is it enough? It rarely is, yet the stories are always the greatest!
First Play
January 25, 2019
Complexity
3
Latest Play
August 23, 2026
Expansions
6
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
120
Play Time
50 Minutes
High Score
248
Game Area
24" x 28"
Low Score
82
Looking to Alderley
I’ve used my copy for ages in a very specific configuration, yet the playmat offered me some new layouts. As much as I like neoprene mats, I couldn’t part with my cardboard!
So I ended up overlaying a lot of components, which I rather enjoyed. It was funny to see the Ponsonby family set up near a depiction of Alderely Hall. Ambitious, right from setup. Ha!
Other expansion content continues to wait for me, yet I have a system, and there was a new family next… Tottenham.
Part of me was immediately on guard over them. Something reminded me of the Gladstones, and I wasn’t wrong. Yikes!
Tottenham Disaster
This expert-level solo opponent didn’t seem to be awful on the surface, but there they were… A nemesis. These scores were difficult to overcome during the courtship rounds.
I also think the Fairchilds were tampered with, probably via poison pen letters or some foul garden party gossip. The Ponsonby estate just never lived up to their standards!
While some solo games feature historical battles, I felt like this one somehow qualified with my incessant plays.
Over and over again I reset, playing over a week and spending all my free time fighting the Tottenhams!
Never Good Enough
It was actually my first attempt that was the best of the bunch, believe it or not. Victory was a mere handful of points away, and this glorious estate simply couldn’t cut it.
Charles Fairchild was even in the Ponsonby social circle, and still… The Tottenhams were the best. Historical research probably would reveal a close familial tie to the Gladstones.
Remember that family?! They seem to be a rival all solo players know well. Put the Tottenhams on that list. Ugh!
I had moments of frustration when it felt like I would never win, yet onward I went. Get out of here, Tottenhams!
Unashamed Funding
While at first I tried to shoo away the flocks of unsavory American heiresses, it was soon quite apparent that the Ponsonby family needed additional funding. Money, please!
Coralee Porter was one such friend who damaged the family’s reputation, but allowed monuments to be built.
I employed every strategy I could with this series of plays, trying to adjust to the changing seasons in Derbyshire.
Alas, it was not meant to be. The Tottenhams were victorious each and every time. A short break is in order. I think the Tottenhams might just all be American heiresses!
Where Frustration Becomes Determination
Perhaps this is one of my main solo games where I feel like I’ve developed rivals and nemeses over the years. Each solo opponent might simply be a name, coat of arms, and some numbers… But what stories I could tell! The Gladstones always stand out as the absolute worst. The Hanovers and Warleggans also come to mind. And now, the Tottenhams!
These are the sorts of frustrating matchups that I enjoy. First, that frustration really does turn into determination: It takes a mixture of strategy and luck to win, and the journey to get there is fraught with failure. Second, these entirely fictional families are great to get mad at! I make fun of them, spread gossip only the meeples hear, and hurl hilarious threats.
Stories develop about how everything has been tampered with, too. The Fairchilds? Bribed or threatened by one of the unsavory family members. Or maybe the new maid my butler hired came from the Tottenham estate, hiding her past in order to pass along gossip. My goodness, what if that maid is an American heiress in disguise?! Ha ha! Always a great time.
Session Overview
Play Number: 107-120
Expansion 1: Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs
Expansion 2: Obsession: Useful Box
Expansion 3: Obsession: Wessex Expansion
Accessory: Meeple Source Characters
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Standard Play with Closed Courtship
Outcome: 14 Losses
I shall return, Tottenhams! There were glimmers of hope and I had a great strategy every now and then… Just need to figure out how to overcome my latest social nemesis!
%
120 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)
- There are many different solo opponents at various levels, and a handful of memorable rivals often develop over time.
- Creating little stories along the way is very easy to do during play so that each activity or character comes to life.
- A full experience is found in the base game, while the expansions help add new elements to maintain the challenge.
- Play time moves along at a nice pace with very little overhead for the solo opponent, allowing strategies to develop.
- Different tiles create unique activities and bonuses, and only some tiles are used with each play for lots of variety.
- Managing a family involves a lot of moving parts that work together nicely both mechanically and thematically.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Some luck is involved with scoring well against some of the most difficult solo opponent families, and it can fall apart.
- Identifying the best decisions can become difficult as the game progresses and more activity options open up.
- Remembering the special abilities of some servant types can be tricky, even with the reference cards nearby.
- Objective cards can occasionally feel unbalanced with a nearly impossible chance of achieving certain combinations.
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 have a nemesis in Obsession? Have you managed to defeat the Gladstones and Tottenhams? My battle shall wage on! I was close once, which means there’s hope for the Ponsonby family. This one continues to lead the charge as my favorite solo game. It doesn’t need to be played frequently, either: It demands little, unlike the horrible Tottenhams. Ha ha!
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