Star Wars The Clone Wars Pandemic Solo REVIEW - Star Wars Pandemic REVIEW - SBGK

Another franchise has received the Pandemic System treatment. This time, it’s Star Wars The Clone Wars! Does the Pandemic System do Star Wars justice? Watch the review and find out!
It’s been a crazy week for me but even with all the craziness, I was able to create this review for your viewing pleasure! I hope you enjoy it! I wonder if this review will make you laugh. You’ll know what I mean when you see it. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by and hang out with me! Take care, Solo Knights!
Sincerely,
Solo Board Gaming Knight

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Does the next iteration of Pandemic do Star Wars The Clone Wars Justice? Watch the review and find out! Timestamps below: 0:00 Intro 0:58 How Much Table Space 1:31 The Box 1:50 Box Insert 1:56 Great Looking Miniatures 2:19 The Rest JUST THE BASICS 2:30 Phase 1 (READY) 2:37 Phase 2 (ACTIONS) 4:02 Phase 3 (VILLAIN ACTIVATES) 4:25 Phase 4 (INVADE PLANETS) 5:01 Win/Lose Conditions REVIEW 5:16 Execute Order 66 5:26 PRO 5:53 CON 6:23 MIX 6:43 PRO 7:17 MIX 7:51 PRO IN CLOSING 8:51 Final Thoughts 10:28 Upcoming Videos 10:40 Final Chance Not To Laugh This really was a crazy week for me but I’m glad I was able to make this review. It kept me busy and I had fun making it for you all! Did you laugh? If you saw it, you know what I mean. I’m always grateful that you take the time out of your busy day to hang out with me for a few minutes. I hope you enjoyed it. It was one of my shorter videos but I hope you found it helpful! Thank you, Solo Knights, for all of your support and for spending time with me! Take care. Sincerely, Solo Board Gaming Knight

[@aquarius5719]

I tried to imagine how to remake the board and I found thst current design us the best. Trying to add sectors like in Rebellion would make things confusing. And to clutter the game with so many okanets, there was no other option.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

There is another game I’m going to review very soon that has a very similar board. You are correct, I believe this was the best choice for this type of game. It keeps the board clear and avoids unnecessary clutter. After having played the current game I’m about to review, I have come to a realization that this board was well implemented. That is actually a comparison that I will be making in my upcoming review and I though it was interesting that you happened to mention this in your comment.

[@NikoTeaJay]

Looks like a neat spin on the Pandemic system. Excellent theming and a decent mix of heroes and villains. I have the original Pandemic and it's enough Pandemic for me. Pretty drab game for me and none of the IP spinoffs have changed that. But there's some neat design and I can see the appeal. Well functioning simplicity in its various forms.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

@@NikoTeaJay This one throws cardplay into the mix and it truly makes the game feel different. However, if you’ve had your fill of Pandemic then it’s pretty safe to say that you may not enjoy it as much. It is my personal favorite Pandemic game and I don’t see myself buying another spin-off unless something drastic is changed gameplay wise.

[@NikoTeaJay]

@@SoloBoardGamingKnight I'm sure my kid would appreciate the Star Wars theme. I'd certainly enjoy the game at least for few plays. But limited collection means I need to mindful of what gets added.

[@scottturner3831]

Man, I want this just for the artistic design... Not even necessary to play...

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Since you enjoy the art, I think you’re going to appreciate it even more since the gameplay is also very enjoyable! I love it when board games include art on cards that don’t repeat. The cards look great in this game (as well as the minis)!

[@aquarius5719]

Just for the art it is worth buying in my opinion. The gameplay is an extra. Any Clone Wars fan should have it. To me, it was made with love.

[@mikeysboardroom]

I really liked WOTLK. I think I have had my fill of the pandemic system for now, but it sounds like this one should be on my radar

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Yeah, I get it. There’s a lot of Pandemic out there already. It is nice to see new mechanics like cards being unexhausted and reused. Makes the game feel fresh.

[@10hitscombo]

How big is the board?

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

It’s about 2’x2’ not including the space needed for the cards around the board as well as the character cards and player area. It’s not the biggest board but it does require a decent amount of space to play.

[@canebro1]

Great review, gonna pick it up now. One piece of constructive criticism: when talking about table space, consider having a ruler or yard stick on the table to aid in proper perspective.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the review! The next 2 videos are already in the pipeline, however, I will take you advice and include that information in all of my future videos. My upcoming review that will be uploaded soon, turned out to be one of my favorite board games of this year. Hopefully I’ll see you there! Take care.

[@aquarius5719]

Things only a fan notices: * Missions correspond to actual episodes. * The type of cards you need correspond to the type of units in that episode. * Final villain missions correspond to the places when each villain was defeated in the lore. * Darth Maul was defeated in Mandalore, yes. But it was not a final defeat. I would expect an expansion if he is defeated moving forward... * Aside of mother Talzin and Savage Oppress there are no significant villains that could pose a threat. Villains like Cad Bane did not work consistently for the separatists. Cad Bane was more in a mission and faced Jedis if rhey were in the way. So Cad Bane may not fit as a fame villain. Pandemic system is about infection rate vs response rate. If the game focused on that mechanic it would be dull because it would be a hack and slash game. Those who conplainnabout pandemic system here not being like pandemic Iberia did not realize that the core of Star Wars is the characters. Too difficult in the droid front and droid killing would distract from the missions. Advanced players complain about simple mechanics. If they want that, Rebellion with its expansion is the way to go, original trilogy in a box. I am pleased. I feel it was made with love and respect.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Yeah, I agree. The cardplay in this game, in my opinion, really strikes a cord with me making each action feel exciting and strategic. Out of the Pandemic games I’ve played, this has turned out to be my favorite. From what you pointed out, it makes the game even better! The devs definitely love the source material and it shows!

[@luiscbs.a.9433]

I'd love an expansion based on the order 66, Anakin being the enemy in the final mission

[@Takk224]

Great production on the video! Thanks for the review. Which do you prefer, Clone Wars or Wrath of the Lich King?

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Thank you! I’ll start by saying/writing that I enjoy both. I like the minis and the board in WoW more than Star Wars. Where I give Star Wars the edge come in it’s cardplay. You don’t discard cards when you use them (there are exceptions), you exhaust them. It’s like your growing your own Clone army and marching into battle with them. I really enjoyed that mechanic a lot. I enjoy WoW caredplay, as well, but Clone Wars did it even better. The other big difference comes in the mission variety. WoW had similar feeling missions throughout. The game is still fun but the missions feel the same. Clone Wars fixed that by adding the villains and the finale missions. Those missions, in my opinion, ultimately made Clone Wars the better of the two. With all that written, I still enjoy WoW a lot! Honestly, I’m glad I have them both in my collection. I hope this helped answer your question!

[@Takk224]

@@SoloBoardGamingKnight Your review made me buy WoW pandemic. Looks like I'm getting this one too!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

@@Takk224 If you ended up buying WoW and enjoyed it, I think you’re going to enjoy this one, as well. Especially if you enjoy Star Wars! Let me know what you thought about it, if you ever end up playing it.

[@cubsnextyear17]

Really enjoying this one. Even got a free promo box of gold colored droids from my local game store.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

That sounds like a really neat promo! I didn’t receive one, unfortunately. Glad you’re enjoying it!

[@Paper_Smith]

I love the clone wars animated show! And I’m always surprised at how many pandemic games there are out there 😂 and that ending killed me!! Hahaha

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Lol! Glad you liked it! I thought the clip I put together was cheesy but funny. I loved the animated Clone Wars. Before it was huge, there were 6 episodes that gave you an introduction to the show. Til this day, those 6 episodes ended up being the best story telling ever done in Star Wars (personal opinion, at least). It reminded me a lot of Samurai Jack having mostly silent protagonists and only speaking when truly necessary. You relied on their emotions and expressions. Awesome show! This Pandemic was actually neat overall. Thanks for watching and stopping by! I always appreciate it!

[@mickeymyers13]

Yooooo super Solo Knight, another EXCELLENT review my dear friend! Yes of course I laughed! 😂😂 out loud my brother, twice!! 🤣 That dude fallin off gets me ALL THE TIME! Well done, man, yet again! So good to see this, I was not expecting this to be the review,, but I was happily surprised. Star Wars, man! Your reviews are so helpful, buddy, you let us know exactly what to expect, you show us all the details we're looking for. Those minis look SWEET! Shame they're not painted, but I think I was spoiled by Scooby! 😉 I completely agree, the board looks... hmm.. not the most interesting thing to look at. There's SO MUCH they could have done with the space, but oh well. I do love pandemic, to be honest, it's one of those I always manage to convince my boys to play with me because of the simplicity of the system. My oldest is 8, so "easy to understand rules" are a bonus when it comes to playing it with the boys. But I can't help feeling there's something missing with this game... like, Star Wars is so amazing (the 'old' Star Wars for me 😂) that it feels like they could have added something more of the lore, perhaps. I'm not sure what, dear Knight, but it feels a little bare bones... Thank you so much for trying this out for us, buddy. It's not one I'll be adding to my collection but I could have if I hadn't watched your review! I'm again going to be looking forward to your next vid like crazy! 😉 Thank you buddy, and have an awesome weekend!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Thanks, MickeyMyers! I agree! I don’t think many games will beat the Scooby-Doo minis! Those minis are outstanding (Spoiler: there’s an upcoming video that will showcase them again)! The Clone Wars is expensive! If it doesn’t resonate, save that money for something you know you’ll love (Scooby-Doo 😜). I did like the finale missions, the cardplay and the squad cards but it’s still Pandemic, at the end of the day. Also, shelf space is limited and only the best board games you want to play should make it on the shelf! Man, you really pump me up when I read your comments. It’s a big reason as to why I make these videos! To talk about board games with you all! Thanks for your support! I appreciate it a whole bunch!

[@mrmeow2297]

This game looks solid. A bit pricey though. For 60€ I’d expect at least 6 villains. I’ll pick it up second hand probably for around 30€ or so.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Yeah, both this and World of Warcraft are both pricey. I think it’s due to the minis and IP. I think the Clone Wars era limited the options for which villains (from the movies at least) were available. Looking for it 2nd hand sounds like a good plan, too.

[@aquarius5719]

Clone Wars does not have many villains. At most Savage Oppress and Mother Talzin are not there.

[@GeeEmm81]

Waiting for my copy to arrive. Never played Pandemic, although did play the WOW version. Liked it but hated that you had to play three characters so sold it. Looking forward to this one.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

You need to play 2 characters but it’s really easy to do so. The finale missions edge this version over WoW but both are fun. I think you’re going to enjoy it!

[@zdelorean]

Great review, the game isn't for me as I'm not a huge fan of Pandemic and rather play the Marvel United/Pandemic system. I'm also not a fan of the design as I'd have preferred the Clone Wars animated stuff be used for it. Can't wait for your next review, keep 'em coming!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Yeah, in my opinion, nothing beats the animated Clone Wars! I was just commenting on that with someone. There were 6 pilot episodes done over a decade ago that were in the vein of Samurai Jack. Til this day, it remains as my favorite storytelling experience in Star Wars! There’s definitely a lot of Pandemic out there already so I completely understand you. Thanks for always stopping and having conversations with me! Take care.

[@thesolitairegambit2556]

Thank you so much for the review! I bought the base game a few days ago and I had a great time! I’m definitely buying this version b/c of Star Wars. I only going to be cautions and not go overboard by buying many Pandemic games LOL

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Thank you for stopping by! Yeah, Pandemic has a very fun gameplay-loop. I wouldn’t recommend going overboard with too many versions, either! However, it is nice to get a spin-off every now and then, especially if you enjoy the franchise it’s based off of. They’re usually done very well and don’t feel like cash grabs. Clone Wars had great cardplay and I really enjoyed those squad cards! Thanks again for stopping by and adding to the conversation! Take care.

[@JamesBlackburnExperience]

This board game looks really cool. I may need to find a copy eventually. Thanks for sharing!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

It’s a fun Pandemic-style game. The cardplay along with the Sith and their final acts really stand out. Thank you for watching!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Hopefully you were able to finish a full game of Outer Rim!

[@JamesBlackburnExperience]

@@SoloBoardGamingKnight We've played it several times since then and absolutely love it!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

@@JamesBlackburnExperience I honestly believe Outer Rim is the best Star Wars board game. Rebellion is also really good, however, I’ve only been able to play it once. I’m glad you enjoyed Outer Rim!

[@jaycareno5379]

How awesome would this be in the Cartoon Network Clone Wars artwork?!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Yeah, it seems that a lot of people would like that. The original 6 pilot episodes were amazing!

[@aquarius5719]

The animated series was not canon for George Lucas. So I think they needed to choose.

[@michaelcacchillo7003]

I agree with what you said about the board and cards. I keep wondering how cool the cards would look foiled

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

They would look awesome! I’m currently reviewing Dice Throne Adventures and there are some promo cards that were foiled and they look great! More board games should do that with their cards.

[@michaelcacchillo7003]

@@SoloBoardGamingKnight recently started playing Dice Throne and love it

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

@@michaelcacchillo7003 I know!! I wasn’t expecting much from DT at all and it really is awesome! I guess you already know what my review is going to be like.

[@Biodelic]

Nice video and review Sir, as usual. Thank you for the work and effort. Did you change something in your light setup or color grading? That board looks like somebody spilled a bucket of old fashioned glass marbles. Since neither Star Wars nor the pandemic system tickle my fancy, this one would be a hard pass for me. I am busy anyway with ISS Vanguard for the coming months.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

You’re lucky! ISS Vanguards’ campaign came out just as I spent a lot of money on Etherfields and a few other games. I couldn’t afford it at the time but hopefully my local shop gets their hands on a few copies so I can buy one. The lighting is the same in my room. However, the colors in Clone Wars have a very highly saturated contrast and it was throwing my camera off at points. Also, many of the images on the cards focus on the forefront and do a slight blurring behind and around the images. That also caused my camera some trouble. I’m also guessing the card sleeves didn’t help, making it slightly worse. Yeah, there’s a lot of Pandemic out there so I completely understand. If Star Wars doesn’t do it for you, definitely stay away. Either way, I appreciate you stopping by, watching and joining the conversation! It’s always fun! Take care.

[@Biodelic]

@@SoloBoardGamingKnight They have still active late pledge on Gamefound for a reasonable price (core pledge is US$99.-) in relation to what the game offers. Never played Etherfields so far, but it's on my list. After Vanguard I have Middara waiting for me.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

@@Biodelic That’s not bad for a core pledge. That’s what Etherfields core cost (although I went all-in) and there was a lot of content included in the core alone. Middara is awesome! You’re in for a treat! It takes a while to learn but it’s not nearly as difficult to learn as it seems. It has great exploration, combat and story. You’re going to love it!

[@Biodelic]

@@SoloBoardGamingKnight The content you get for your money with ISS Vanguard is just amazing. But a warning, that game feeds on table top space.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

@@Biodelic I think it’s an Awaken Realm thing because Etherfields was the same way before I bought a horizontal playmat from Etsy.

[@chrisw942]

Woohoo for a fantastic review! The theme, artwork, and versatile game mechanics make this game worth purchasing. I'm putting this high on my list. Just seeing Count Dooku and General Grievous on cards makes me want to play!Thank you for this review, and May The Force Be With You, Always!

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

Thanks, Chris! By what you wrote, I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it immensely! Not only are you going to enjoy facing-off against Count Dooku and General Grievous but I think you’re going to enjoy the Squad Cards and the cardplay. May the force be with you, my friend!