The Lost Expedition regularly makes an appearance at lunchtimes here at Osprey HQ, with groups of us clustering around a table and trying to navigate our way through the jungle to the Lost City of El Dorado. With the cards laid out in front of us, the decisions that we make each game have taught us a lot. Our conclusion – we probably shouldn’t go on any real expeditions together!

Never leave your campsite unattended

When on an expedition, it seems that the concept of ‘ownership’ goes out of the window. If we stumble upon an abandoned camp, you’d better believe we're going to rummage through any bags we find and make off with whatever we can. How long the camp has been abandoned really doesn’t matter – it could be 5 months, it could be 5 minutes. We don’t care, we just want your stuff!

If it gets us somewhere faster, we’re happy to let Piranhas nibble on our toes

We’re also OK with walking along rickety rope bridges, fording mighty rivers, taking on local tribes, and navigating steep or ancient pathways. Basically, it seems that no matter what the obstacle is we will try to plough through, even if it costs us a toe/hand/leg/our fellow explorers.

Hookworms have no redeeming qualities

We kinda knew this already, but The Lost Expedition has reinforced it. Hookworms are gross. It’s good to know that they can be burned away with gunpowder, but there is absolutely nothing to like about them and the grossness of the card reflects that!

We are incredibly bloodthirsty

Whether it be our willingness to shoot the nearest thing that moves in the hope of getting food or the blasé manner in which some of us are willing to sacrifice our explorers, what is undoubtedly true is that as we venture through the Amazonian rainforest we leave a trail of destruction behind us. I guess the idea that you should take only photographs and leave only footprints is a little lost on us.

Real-life explorers are pretty bad-ass!

All jokes aside, The Lost Expedition gives us a taste of the excitement of exploration without facing any of the dangers ourselves. The real-life explorers who go out and grapple with dangerous beasts, traverse perilous paths, battle with the elements, and forage for the food to survive must be some tough cookies!

Have you learned anything about yourself from The Lost Expedition, or any other game? Let us know!