Obsession (2nd ed)

This game has been described as Jane Austen meets Downton Abbey, which gives a good idea of what the game's about – and you do feel this when playing.

It's all about managing and, crucially, expanding the family estate in Victorian Derbyshire. The family's guests bring prestige and valuable information and encourage other gentry to visit. All of which allows you to expand your estate by adding rooms to the house (another library?) and features to the grounds (cricket pitch, anyone?). As long as you have the cash to do so – and the servants to look after your guests!

Not forgetting the goal of wooing the most eligible heirs in Derbyshire on the way to becoming the most prestigious family.

I was smitten by Obsession when I first played it and it's had a similar effect on most people I've introduced it to. There is a clever game of hand management underneath a gorgeous layer of theme. And I don't just mean managing your cards (guests), but also the nice wooden pieces (staff) and solid cardboard tiles (estate improvements).

Note that there are some changes between first and second editions.

The Wessex expansion allows a fifth player (or just adds variety to the choice of families), Upstairs, Downstairs provides a sixth as well as adding different servants, improvements and guests, the Characters expansion introduces some gentry who provide additional activities. And there are some promotional tiles. The latest (and last, says the designer) expansions are the Universal Rules Compendium (all the rules), Victorian Box (holds all the components) and playmat.

For 1-4 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-90 minutes: £53.00 (£44.17tax free outside the UK)
 

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Obsession was designed by Dan Hallagan and is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession at BoardGameGeek

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Wessex expansion

This is simply another family to add to the fun. The start bonus for Family Wessex is an additional (level 2) improvement, which can be very useful. The box also contains additional guest cards and adds to the solitaire game.

With base game: 1-5 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-90 minutes: £20.00 (£16.67 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession: Wessex expansion was designed by Dan Hallagan and is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession: Wessex expansion at BoardGameGeek

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Upstairs, Downstairs

This is a substantial box that adds some different servants: cook, chief housemaid, hall boy and "Useful man". Hence there are also improvement tiles that use these servants, guests that need them and Objective cards that feature them. Plus the Howard family, whose advantage is that they start with a Cook.

The new components give players lots more options and ways round some of the limitations they face in the base game. Plus a co-operative team game and different solitaire challenges.

With base game: 1-5 players (6 with Wessex as well), aged 14+, playing time 30-90 minutes: £32.00 (£26.67 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs was designed by Dan Hallagan and is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs at BoardGameGeek

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Characters expansion

There are some useful additions in this expansion. The characters, to start with, can be invited as part of a Pass turn and let you do things like swap an Objective card, remove undesirable guests or add an 'eccentric' guest. There's a new deck of Objective cards to take account of these.

The Second Chance servants option lets you hire temporary servants as part of your turn. You can use these on your following turn – at a cost in Reputation. Then there are Distinguished family members – alternative cards with slightly better rewards. Everybody can choose to replace one of their family at the start of the game.

There are also some new gentry cards and new activity tiles. My favourite is the new, improved Charles Fairchild – he provides £300 and 3 Reputation, making him a better alternative to his sister. (This card has gone straight into my copy.)

This has all been carefully designed to fit in with both the game and the setting and provides players with some useful alternatives.

With base game and expansions: 1-6 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-180 minutes: £34.00 (£28.33 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession: Characters expansion was designed by Dan Hallagan and is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession: Characters expansion at BoardGameGeek

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Obsession promo tiles

This is a set of 20 extra improvement tiles, featuring a couple based on players' ideas (I particularly like the Parish Church, but there's also a chance of spotting a comet with the Garden Observatory). There's also an intriguing 'experimental' tile that adds an event early in the game. The idea being to give players an early opportunity to add a Prestige guest to their hand.

With base game: 1-4 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-90 minutes: £10.00 (£8.33 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession promo tiles was designed by Dan Hallagan and is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession promo tiles at BoardGameGeek

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Universal Rules Compendium

It is what it says: all the rules in one place. Yes, that's all the rules. With a comprehensive index and appendices covering cards and tiles. It is a substantial book, of course, but spiral binding makes it easy to use. Given the number of pieces of paper I have accumulated in my copy of Obsession, getting this was a no-brainer.

With base game and expansions: 1-6 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-180 minutes: £20.00 (£16.67 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession Universal Rules Compendium was designed by Dan Hallagan and is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession Universal Rules Compendium at BoardGameGeek

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Obsession Victorian box

I'm not sure what's Victorian about this box, but it is big enough (50% deeper than the original box) to hold the base game and all the expansions (including the Rules Compendium and the playmat). And if, like me, you're wondering just how to fit everything in, there's a suggested arrangement on the inside of the lid.

Note: The box has a lot of packaging to minimise the chance of damage in transit, so must be ordered separately from any other items.

With base game and expansions: 1-6 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-180 minutes: £38.00 (£31.67 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession Victorian box is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession Victorian box at BoardGameGeek

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Obsession playmat

The mat combines both the Standard and Extended round boards with the Supply board and the Characters sideboard. It's illustrated with a landscape including the Fairchilds' mansion and the folly belonging to the Eccentric Dowager Marchioness (also from the Characters expansion). And looks terrific.

With base game and expansions: 1-6 players, aged 14+, playing time 30-180 minutes: £16.00 (£13.33 tax free outside the UK)
 

In stock

Obsession playmat is published by Kayenta

Find out more:
    Obsession playmat at BoardGameGeek

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