Designer Dan Hallagan Publisher Kayenta Games Players 1-4 Playtime 30-90 mins Suggested Age 14 and up Expansions Obsession: Wessex Expansion Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs Obsession: Promotional Tiles Obsession: Useful BoxObsession: Victorian Box Honors 2018 Cardboard Republic Immersionist Laurel Nominee Additional Info 231733/obsession http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/231733/obsession/forums/63 Note: For US customer, please check with Kayenta Games for ordering info.New Features in the Second PrintingThere are several new features in the second printing of Obsession: Tile Numbering System The builders’ market is populated with improvement tiles according to their rank. The sorting system in the first edition of Obsession proved non-intuitive and made setup, as well as in-game refreshing of the market, a daunting task. The 2nd printing of Obsession introduces a numbering system that eliminates the needs to memorize or look up the tile rankings. Each tile now has a small number in the lower right quadrant. Tiles drawn for initial population or a market refresh are then placed in numerical order. Consider these six tiles drawn randomly from the tile bag during a market refresh; normally, the rank of these tiles (two service, two prestige rating 3, two prestige rating 5) would have to be looked up in the Glossary. Player Board Upgrades: The player boards (family boards) have received a facelift. The Order of Play has been expanded to include a check of pre-turn events/actions, and the boards are now two-sided, one which has an intregral country estate organiser (pictured below). Modified Extended Play Round Track: The Extended Play side of the original Round Track had the National Holiday located on round 17, which is not an ideal location. The Extended Play side will now feature the National Holiday on round 11, which greatly improves the flow of play. Additional Enhancements to the game include: Four Objective Cards have been balanced and one card removed and replaced. The value 6, 7, 8 Victory Point Cards have been eliminated; all VP values are 3, 4, and 5 and the frequency of certain cards adjusted. The Box has been increased to be 76mm deep (up from 68mm deep) which will make it possible to store all expansions in the main box, if desired. The white cardboard box insert will be eliminated (there will be a stretch goal for an alternative storage system). You are the head of a respected but troubled family estate in mid-19th century Victorian England. After several lean decades, family fortunes are looking up! Your goal is to improve your estate so as to be in better standing with the truly influential families in Derbyshire.Obsession is a game of 16 to 20 turns in which players build a deck of Victorian gentry (British social upper class), renovate their estate by acquiring building tiles from a centralized builders' market, and manipulate an extensive service staff of butlers, housekeepers, underbutlers, maids, valets, and footmen utilizing a novel worker placement mechanic. Successfully hosting prestigious social activities such as Fox Hunts, Music Recitals, Billiards, Political Debates, and Grand Balls increases a player's wealth, reputation, and connections among the elite.Each turn, players choose a building tile representing a room or outdoor space in and around their 19th century British country house. The tile chosen dictates the event that can be hosted and the guests to be invited. Players must carefully plan, however, to have the proper staff available to service the event and support guests as needed. The reward for success is new investment opportunities, permitting further renovation of the estate (acquisition of more valuable/powerful building tiles), an increase in reputation in the county, an expanding circle of influential acquaintances, and a larger and highly-trained domestic staff.Throughout the game, a competitive courtship for the hand of the most eligible young gentleman and lady in the county presents specific renovation and reputation objectives. The player who best meets these objectives while accumulating victory points will win the hand of the wealthy love interest and the game.—description from the publisher
