Obsession

PRIDE, INTRIGUE, AND PREJUDICE IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND

England, mid-19th century. Obsession begins with you as the head of a country house in ill repair; many rooms have been closed off to save on upkeep and heating, outside grounds are not manicured, and the façade in places is in desperate need of restoration. It is far from the glory days of the estate, but you have new hope. A significant inheritance has made possible the restoration of the grand old estate and rehabilitation of the family’s reputation.

Changes are afoot in Derbyshire, England, where four families - all possessed of eligible young gentlemen and ladies - find themselves embroiled in romance and intrigue during a time of optimism.

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.

AWARD-WINNING THEME: Obsession is set in 1860s England, but it is a passionate tribute to much more—from Jane Austen’s Regency era through the Industrial Revolution and the evocative literature of the Victorian period to early 20th century Edwardian England. The affection for this period is not for the high and mighty, but for the underdog. It is Lizzy Bennet and John Bates, Jane Eyre and Elinor Dashwood, David Copperfield and Mary Thorne.

AWARD-WINNING STRATEGY: Obsession is a strategic Victorian era Euro-style board game that requires players to carefully manage their domestic staff, household renovations, social connections, and the family’s emerging reputation in the county.

NEW IN THE 2nd EDITION: Unique to the second edition (indicated by 2.1E topped by a crown in the upper right-hand corner of the box) are two hybrid improvement tiles: The South Lawn and Green Room. Hybrid tiles refer to a room or outdoor space that is multi-purpose; as a result, the tile category changes with the activity, a power that greatly impacts courtship!

THE BUILDERS’ MARKET RESERVE: New management of the Builders’ Market prevents it from stagnating and increases access to service tiles.

THEMATIC STORAGE SYSTEM: An entirely unique 8-box storage system with six boxes dedicated to the Obsession families and two large internal boxes for storing major components; supports storing the game flat or on its side.

—description from the publisher

AWARDS & HONORS:
2018 Cardboard Republic Immersionist Laurel Nominee.

COMPONENTS: 2nd Edition

Boards:
1 Supply Board
1 Round Track
4 Player Boards
4 Organizers

Meeples:
4 Butler
8 Valet
4 Housekeeper
8 Lady’s Maid
2 Underbutler
13 Footman

Tokens and pieces:
20 Reputation Wheel Counters
4 Reputation Wheel Markers
1 Linen Draw Bag
4 Reminder Tiles
2 Pawns
1 Solitaire Die (d20)

1 Scorepad

Money:
30 £100 Coins
11 £500 Coins

Cards:
4 Theme Cards
30 Victory Point Cards
12 Two-sided Player Aids
30 Objective Cards
17 Family Cards
2 Fairchild Cards
15 Starter Guest Cards
30 Casual Guest Cards
25 Prestige Guest Cards
89 Gentry Cards
12 Solitaire Opponent Cards
1 Solitaire AI Card

Builders Market Tiles:
14 Essentials Tiles
14 Service Tiles
14 Estate Tiles
13 Prestige Tiles
16 Sporting Tiles
6 Monument Tiles
3 Suites Expansion Tiles

Rulebook

2-4

750958294968

Kayenta Games

90

2020

14+

Obsession

2021-12-31 21:30:22

~£47.55

2026-04-11

2021-12-31 21:30:22