danieldukai wrote:
I think that all the stuff you do in the lab is cool and all, but it requires additional actions at a Research Station. Doesn't that slow the game down too much, or doesn't it make the game too difficult?
As stated in other replies, it is the change in mindset that really provides the difficulty increase. You have to change how you think about lab station placement and usage, character role strengths and usage (the Medic, for example, can be a major liability in the Lab Challenge), player card usage and player movement. The thematic aspect of the Lab Challenge, however, more than compensates for the difficulty change from the simplicity of the card set collection from the base game.
As for length in gameplay, most of that comes from the learning curve at the beginning (and having to “rewind” players’ turns because you forgot to transfer a sample to the lab or to move to a lab to do actions). Once you get the hang of the rules, I don’t find it lasts any longer than the base game.
The main reason I enjoy the Lab Challenge is because it involves everybody when you play 3-5 players. Almost every turn, a player will be doing something to contribute towards the cure. I find this promotes more independent thinking by each player and counteracts the “quarterbacking” issue.
danieldukai wrote:
I just want to know more about it, because it looks awesome and the box/insert really makes me want to buy it.
I have all three expansions and I store almost everything in the “In the Lab” box. Unfortunately, I still need the base box, though, because as another poster mentioned, sleeved Player Decks and Infection Decks don’t fit well in the insert (not to mention the 23 total Event cards). Carrying two boxes is a little inconvenient, but the In the Lab box typically generates discussion with new players after teaching them the base game.
This expansion is also great for the cure vials. We use them all the time even when just playing the base game.