Pandemic fans are in for a real treat. Game designers Chuck D. Yager, Matt Leacock, and Z-Man Games have unveiled Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu, a new version of Pandemic with a Lovecraftian twist.
Two to four players take on the roles of investigators attempting to seal a series of portals before monsters of unspeakable horror pour into our world. Of course there is also a high risk of the investigators losing their own minds. The game is said to play similarly to its predecessors, but in a Lovecraft-style horror facing the Old Ones. Instead of curing diseases like in the original Pandemic, players will be sealing portals and shutting down cults in the classic New England fictional towns of Arkham, Dunwich, Innsmouth, and Kingsport.
In the 2008 original Pandemic, players work together to gather resources and treat outbreaks of nasty diseases before they spread. 2015’s Pandemic: Legacy offered a similar game, but it’s played out as an ongoing campaign in 12-24 sessions, with each session covering one in-game month. The folks over at UnGeek found that Reign of Cthulhu will indeed share some traits with the previous two games, but it will, however, have some kind of sanity meter commonly found in other Cthluhu-oriented games. Images show three of the seven investigator characters, which will include a Magician, Hunter, a Reporter. The game also has twelve Old Ones cards that include Shuddle M’Ell, Azathoth, and Cthulhu.
It’s unknown exactly how closely Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu will follow either of Pandemic‘s earlier styles. Z-Man games will have more official news on February 15 and plans to debut the game at GenCon 2016 this summer. What do you guys think so far? Are you looking forward to this version? Let us know in the comments!
Image Credits: Z-Man Games via EscapistMagazine.com