Excellent rounded cooperative game with high-quality components

As the gameplay works exactly, has already been described. If you still like to again have an introduction, in which were the Youtube videos of Wil Wheaton's tabletop and board games provider StarlitCitadel recommended.

Balance of chance and players influence in the game mechanics:
I knew in advance no game in which the mechanics so fine tuned precisely simulate the scenario that they are intended to represent and so wonderfully intertwine. All actions of the player based on planning, so that there is no moment in which depends the own idea of ​​cubes or the like. Only the tightening of action cards is based on chance, but this is related to the finding antidotes logical.
But the biggest random factor have infections or epidemics, and they can range from one moment to the other extreme increase the stress level. But the fit and perfectly simulates the scenario against which we try to tackle as a player. Any coincidences in the game thus serve the scenario and not the mechanics or as a justification, it is difficult to make the player because you need the yes.
It is really fascinating: the intrinsic mechanisms of the game that are not overly affect random variable, while the players get a lot of opportunities to respond, and to plan, yet the game is so demanding. In one sentence: the game is consistent.
There is only one mechanism that bothers me: the swapping of cards to each other is possible only in the cities, which adjusts the map. This is important for developing the antidote. It is the only mechanics in the game, the bulky feels and performs for the withdrawal of a star. It's almost unfair, because that was also solved later with the "laboratory" excellent. But there is always in the game at some point the point at which this swap has a role and you are then forced to trains that simply unlike the rest of the game does not feel logical and therefore annoy me at least.

Difficulty:
The game is difficult, at least initially, and you will rarely win. But that devalues ​​the game in any way. The game also comes with three difficulty levels, so you can adapt it for themselves. At least when I play alone but I manage medium mode now almost without problems. This means, unfortunately, that it is a little boring by now. But this is every game sometime and I really played it very often.

Cooperation aspect:
But even if you lose: the game is still fun. We had a night where we played 5h long, once won, yet were totally thrilled. Ultimately, it is also the shared experience that this already excellent game is the last kick. The cooperation is so well implemented (added JA: also the swap) through the roles that have the players and the shares that it may therefore contribute to the game, as well as the mechanisms that intertwine that really fast comes a sense of community ,
Therefore, it is an excellent game to learn cooperation and thereby just to lose sometimes. Therefore, it satisfies my opinion a not insignificant educational component regarding social skills.

Components and player introduction:
The components are all of high quality and and nice to look at, especially since the second edition (there are in the reviews other opinions that are well-founded and comprehensible. Since I can not agree with anyway, so this is also a matter of taste.) That's all there to also not to say. Also, I had every player as introduced by the end of a game that he could then move freely in the game and participate in the co-operative component. It is one of the games that you learn while you play it.

Conclusion and final judgment:
The game is therefore my opinion is a must for those who love board games. I do not know whether it is out there somewhere because a better cooperative play. I have seldom found such a coherent game. I have recently begun to explore the hobby of board games and also spend money for what is not to say that I let myself be overcome easily. Still, I was previously interested or did not like the type of employment, so showed me this game, why you love board games and can get lost in it so. Even now, after further research other also good to very good games of this impression is maintained. It is therefore a very good match to current non-players or pure angry Monopoly Risk-me player to lead to new horizons and to make you curious to previously unseen.

I realize that the devaluation of the game for the exchange mechanism is a little unfair. But the expansion makes the game a 10/10, so one may forgive me that I strictly logical here no 10/10 may be for this reason. Feels like it is a 9/10

Either way, you can make the game may like it or not. However, it is overall a round thing and sublime craftsmanship over almost every doubt. From me, saying a clear recommendation, which has a tendency to buy command.