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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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When I first started gaming I didn’t know solo was a thing (or co-ops or legacy) I usually play solo in order to get to understand a game better when I am going to play it multiplayer. It works quite well although you have to be careful as sometimes there are quite major rules differences.
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Usually I will only play a game one or twice solo. But there are a couple of notable exceptions including Tapestry and Everdell. I can see that solo gaming is more convenient. I struggle to find other people to play with and you can always play what you want to play. Being a member of a board game club I’ve played my fair share of games I am not interested in.:strip_icc()/pic5303202.jpg)
But in general solo gaming is not very interesting to me. Take The Castles of Burgundy. I’ve played this solo a few times. You still have to try and finish contiguous areas. The aim is to cover all the hexes so you are particularly on the look out for opportunities to combo actions together. You are looking to leverage knowledge tiles. These are all thing I enjoy about this game but playing solo it loses something. Turn order is no longer important. Tiles are being removed as a result of a dice. Whist you are still disappointed if the dice mean that final castle you wanted as gone, you don’t get that same feeling if a real life opponent were to take it. You can’t race with someone to get a colour bonus. I am glad it has a solo option, playing it solo a few times improved my game but it doesn’t hold my interest enough to play it solo again. Whereas I would jump at the chance to play it multiplayer.:strip_icc()/pic6158558.jpg)
I’ve also played it on Yucata. It’s great if you get a fast live game but again it’s not quite the same. I’ve realised the social aspect is very important to me. I think if a solo games has multiple paths to victory, lots of cards to discover then I more likely to enjoy it solo. Agricola is my most played solo game. But I always play it on the app as set up and upkeep are a bore solo.
I used to do a lots of jigsaws and in a way solo gaming is a bit like that. I think I would enjoy solo gaming a bit more If I could leave the game set up.
It’s always a bonus if a game offers a solo variant. I know if it has a solo option this will lead to it getting a couple more plays. I have yet to buy a solo only game. Actually that’s not true I did briefly own Friday but I didn’t enjoy it. I have been thinking of getting Coffee Roaster.:strip_icc()/pic5069623.jpg)
I think the bag builder type solo game works quite well. I like the way the white cubes in Snowdonia move the game along and stop players hoarding resources. Some games just lend themselves to a solo option. Underwater Cities for instance or La Granja.:strip_icc()/pic6157673.jpg)
I am not a big fan of the event deck. It means you are responding to events each turn so if a way the game sort of plays you. This is how the solo option of Villagers works.
I think the new official solo option of Carcassonne works quite well. It’s funny as there have been many attempts to come up with a solo option. Like Carc Island for instance but actually the official variant nailed it giving a similar feeling to multiplayer.:strip_icc()/pic4150713.jpg)
The Dyslexic Gamer
A blog about Euro’s with wonderful art and components
Archive for Solo
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Sun May 23, 2021 10:42 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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I have posted about my solo endeavours before. I am not a great solo gamer. I much prefer playing multi-player. I have however been buying more solo games. As lock down continues I have been making sure the games I buy include solo options.
I have been indulging in games I wouldn’t normally buy. I recently bought Fire in the Library. I love the production values of this. I have a couple of games now that look like books.
This is a push your luck game. I really like that it has not one but two solo options. It really quite addictive. Such a shame I missed the Kickstarter on this as I would have loved the Meeplesource books. I have even taken the advice of the readers of my blog and ordered the technology expansion from US Amazon.:strip_icc()/pic5954115.jpg)
Another game I bought predominantly for its solo play is Cartographers. This is a flip and write game. Again my first foray into this genre. This is a really smooth game which I am totally useless at. I don’t seem to be able to position my trees, houses, woods and farms in the right place. I keep blocking myself in. I’ve got the skills expansion which really adds to the strategy. I posted some maps to my friends and we have been playing this on Zoom.
I must admit I went a bit crazy and Kickstartered the expansion Cartographers Heroes and a new map.:strip_icc()/pic5813015.jpg)
I have been playing Underwater Cities solo on Yucata. Whist I enjoy it solo, I have consistently lost multiplayer. I like the cards in this. There is so much variety with instant actions, end game scoring, production and special A cards you can activate from your claimed cards. I’d like to see this game in the flesh.:strip_icc()/pic5177855.jpg)
Another game I am considering getting us a solo only game Maquis which is actually from 2013 but on Kickstarter now. This is about the French Resistance which is such a different theme for new. I quite like the art as well. This is currently on Kickstarter.:strip_icc()/pic5463337.jpg)
Finally I have succumbed to NEOM. This is right back in my comfort zone. A city building tile layer. It has all the usual mechanics I enjoy. Card drafting, adjacency bonuses, with a little direct player interaction thrown in via the disasters. I am not sure about these so might consider the designer variant that removes them.:strip_icc()/pic4502492.jpg)
Wed Feb 3, 2021 9:49 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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I did a post back on the 1st of July regarding my favourite solo games. But with Coronavirus limiting multiplayer opportunities my solo gaming continues.
Everdell has been my favourite solo game of late. The solo variant is quite simple and plays similar to the multiplayer game. I’ve been having fun trying out different combos of cards and getting my engine going.
I have also explored the new official solo variant for Carcassonne. The new variant is quite different to other solo variants I’ve played. Not least because it’s mainly about just trying to stay in the game. I really like that publishers took the time to develop solo variants or add content to their games during Covid. I still need to play the free Kingdomino expansion. I’ve got plenty of resources I could use for the resources including my Key Market (Second Edition) fish.
https://mcusercontent.com/8dde54add11fbd24609db38a8/files/54...
I played Petrichor solo a couple of times. I find this game really opaque. I need to play it again.:strip_icc()/pic5473744.jpg)
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I’ve been revisiting Tapestry. I bought the new expansion Tapestry: Plans and Ploys. Tapestry is an extremely replayable solo game due to the different Civilisations available. The new expansion adds some new ones and gives us what we have been craving; a purpose of the buildings.
What I like about the solo game is that it really gives you a multiplayer experience. Not only do the bots nab buildings but they explore and conquer too.
It’s lovely to have some new buildings. I especially like the skyscraper and the game store. I like the new tie breaker of the tallest building although I can certainly say I have never had a tie in Tapestry. Normally we are talking a fifty point spread. I even managed to get all the extra expansion content into the base game box which was great, although I came up with my own storage solution.:strip_icc()/pic5682776.jpg)
Era of Kingdoms has a smooth solo option. As I think I have said before I was blown away with this game when I first played it. The artwork is lovely and I really like the positive interaction. I immediately went out and bought it. Since then I’ve played 7 Wonders and a can see how similar they are. But nevertheless I won’t be parting with my copy.
The solo option is really simple. For every era the Shadow Empire collects cards. He doesn't need resources and simply scores their point value. However for every action card there is still an action the Shadow Empire does which takes a card from you or messes with your plans. I really hope that the expansion for this game Era of Kingdoms: Inquisition doesn’t introduce too much take that.:strip_icc()/pic5682782.jpg)
My next solo project is Obsession. I’ve played this solo two handed. I mainly play solo games in preparation for teaching multiplayer games. So far I’ve really enjoyed Obsession. I think the theme is great and I really like deck building as a mechanic. It reminds me a bit of what Seize the Bean is supposed to be (if it ever delivers). I’ve been implementing the suggestion from a reader of this blog to play two player rather than the solo variant in preparation for teaching games. I have found it easier as I don’t gave to unlearn the solo rules.
I’ve got to say at heart I am not a solo gamer. But as I spend all day on my computer (I am still working from home) I can’t face playing on line. So as the U.k. faces another lockdown I am actually considering buying a solo only game!
Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game seems the most interesting. Although I can only find this for pre-order. I try never to buy pre-order. Pre-order equals we will take your money now and then deliver the game when we feel like it. I waited four months for The One Hundred Torii. I think some on line retailers offers pre-orders as a way of generating cash flow.:strip_icc()/pic5250814.jpg)
Coffee Roaster also looks interesting and I love coffee. But it’s a bag builder. Which adds too much luck for me. Not sure about this.:strip_icc()/pic5427718.jpg)
Another game I have been eyeing up is Village Green. Which also has a solo option. So many choices but I guess with lockdown looming I will probably invest in all three.:strip_icc()/pic5625159.jpg)
Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:07 pm
- [+] Dice rolls
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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Solo gaming is such a huge topic. It’s not something I had ever considered prior to joining Board Game Geek. My first modern board game was Carcassonne and it’s not a game that particularly lends itself to being played solo although obviously there are solo variants.
The first game I played solo was Agricola. I bought it intending to play multiplayer but then noticed it had a solo option. It is now definitely my favourite solo game although not one that I own anymore. There is way too much upkeep in Agricola playing solo so I now only pay on the app. The sheer variety of cards makes this a fantastic solo game. I like the solo campaign where you get to keep an occupation each game slowly building up seven occupation which enables you to build a fantastic farm with a large stone house, fields full of crops and pastures full of animals. Just sublime. I live the way certain cards completely change the game. Cards can introduce a new worker placement space or change one of the basic premises of the game, like the House Goat which means you can’t keep an animal in your house. I would actually say Le Havre plays better solo than multiplayer.:strip_icc()/pic5507634.jpg)
I’ve invested in a couple more Uwe games off the back of Agricola to play solo including At the Gates of Loyang and Nusfjord. Both are nice quick solo experiences with less upkeep than Agricola but with a similar sense of escalation. I love the components on both.:strip_icc()/pic5507549.jpg)
Viticulture Essential Edition is a great solo game which again benefits from plenty of card options. The Mama and Papa cards gives every game a different spin. I like that you get a bonus every turn. The automa deck works quite well./pic5507563.jpg)
In general I am not a big fan of automa decks. Although they try to give a good representation of a multiplayer experience, I find them a bit complex sometimes. The Tapestry one is a little tricky and I am never sure if I am playing it correctly when it comes to exploring or conquering. The one in Architects of the West Kingdom is less complex and I like the way you build extra cards into the automa deck. On the whole all the West Kingdom and North Sea trilogies offer good solo options.:strip_icc()/pic5507617.jpg)
Some of the best solo games are the more abstract games like Limes and sprawlopolis. They play so quicky that they come a bit addictive. There are a couple of games that I just play simple solo variants for including Kingdomino and Miyabi.
I quite like solo games that have different goals. Fields of Green has solo rules included in the expansion and makes for a great solo experience. I think this is such an underrated game anyway.:strip_icc()/pic5507586.jpg)
One of the best solo games I have played is Oh My Goods!: Longsdale in Revolt which has a story with different paths. It’s incredibly difficult to achieve the points required though especially in the first round. This has now been released as a board game but I’ve not tried it./pic5507558.jpg)
Sometimes the multiplayer game feels completely different to the solo game. Tang Garden plays completely different solo multiplayer although I like both. The Isle of Cats has a very good solo option although it plays a bit different to the multiplayer game.:strip_icc()/pic5507591.jpg)
Whilst a solo option is more likely to make me part with my money than a game without a solo option, I’ve got to say that I only tend to play solo games a few times. With the exception of Everdell and Agricola solo games just lack replayability for me. I realise to a certain extent that is my own playing style as I often play the same way and don’t experiment with different playing strategies.
Sagrada had a good solo option but just lacked replayability for me./pic5507601.jpg)
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On the Underground: London/Berlin has a simple solo option whereby there is already built lines that the passenger can use. Simple but effective. Only played once so can’t determine yet whether this has any replayability.
I like solo options for learning a game. It’s great to be able to launch into a game when you get it rather than than wait until you have someone to play with. But for me the real reason I play games is the interaction with other people. I rarely play two handed it just doesn’t feel like playing for me although I’ll obviously play a few turns in preparation to teach a game.
Wed Jul 1, 2020 7:12 pm
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