Thank you so much for including The Plum Island Horror on your list! I am truly honored and very glad that you enjoy the game so much. I especially appreciate the fact that it has persuaded you to dip your toes into the wargame pool a little more, as that was one of the goals that GMT and I had for this design. As you say, it is an unusual subject matter for GMT but we felt that it was the perfect design approach to get mainstream gamers a glimpse of how entertaining and fun wargaming can be for players. Thanks again!
You are a great designer. I've bought it and I'm about to make a start. Dawn of the zeds is one of my fave games. Keep up the awesome designing. I'd love to see you do an "escape from tarkov" style looter shooter extraction type game.
@@dogtags2010 Oh, wow - thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words and support. An Escape from Tarkov style game does sound like an interesting challenge. I will definitely look into it. The next game in the Plum Island Horror world will actually be a dungeon-crawl type game, as the story will evolve under Plum Island and the players will be doing some scary dungeon diving. Thanks for the idea!
Mission accomplished! Thank you for the wonderful game. It was Impactful enough that I found myself at Circle DC earlier this year (War game convention put on by Fort Circle Games)
This review has decided me. I haven't sat a table top game in a good 30 years. I grew up the military games that were so in depth you had to read rule books for a month before the first game. My thanks to the both of you for rekindling an old flame!
Hi from France! I'm a solo player, at the moment I'm reading some rulebooks: Wyrmspan, Distant Skies and Final Girl. I don't know which one I'll play! Otherwise, I like Everdell, Zombicide, many roll/flip 'n write, Aeon's End, Cascadia and Calico, etc. Thanks for the video! (I subscribed)
Incredible list! Final Girl and Witchcraft (Resist's sequel) both are in my top 10 for solo. Maquis seems really interested and I need it, as well as Plum Island Horror!!! Thank you for the recommendations!!
Thank you for checking out video! Hope you get a chance to play Maquis, it's such an awesome game in a small package. P.S Love your stuff on Tablenauts!
Thanks for the heads up! I adore it co-op and will have to give that a shot. A video exploring fan made solo variants could be an interesting discussion.
AH is awesome;) I only played it with 4P;) Anyway - one does not neeed two LCGs I think;) LOTR is interestingly more "darker". Definitively more challenging. A lot more
Great list, definitely going to look to try some of these! If you haven't played them, I really enjoy Sentinels of The Multiverse (Definitive Edition) as a Solo Game, Wyrmspan, and Ark Nova. Sentinels of the Multiverse is similar to your Akrham Horror explanation, but you play as multiple roles, but the decision making trying to compliment the card that each of your heros are going to play is so much fun. Wyrmspan I find one of the best games that is just as fun solo vs multiplayer, there isn't a lot of player interaction to be fair, but it does a great job of desigin an automated opponent to keep the same feel and intensity between the two. Ark Nova is different, it feels more like a time crunch or race than the multiplayer game, but a lot of fun trying yo build your engine and build it quickly. Also in regards to your Spirit Island honourable mention, Spirit Island is one of my favourite games, but personally I find it loses some of the fun in the solo mode. Since you dont have that interaction and coordination, and many of the Spirits have glaring weaknesses that it becomes immensely harder to complete solo, with some spirits I would almost argue it is impossible solo.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment! Sentinels of the Multiverse is one I really want to try out. Have you tried playing spirit island two-handed so that you still get the experience of spirits interacting?
First time watching one of your videos, I’ll have to check out the rest of your content. AHLCG is my favorite game and I’m one of the people that prefer true solo over two-handed solo. There are some scenarios that are exponentially more difficult with only one investigator, but there only a few of those in the 100+ scenarios in AHLCG. I recently got Sleeping Gods Distant Skies and can see why people love SG. There is sooo much fun content in that one box.
Sometimes true solo is swingy. A hard scenario might be easy or vice versa, but 80% of the time it’s typical of the multiplayer experience. The deckbuilding is the biggest change as all of your decks need to be flex decks.
Hi Jared, First-time viewer of your channel, and I really enjoyed it. You have a very smooth delivery and do a great job of summarizing games succinctly. The images of the boxes and games adds a lot to the presentation. Your tastes seem to match mine except for the notable exception of horror/cthlu based games. I will definitely check out more of your content. Keep up the great work.
hi there, first time watching your top 10. and i really enjoyed your narrative, enthusiasm, like the fact that you show the box and the board game. also a great list, some games i havent heard about but unfortunately some of them are not available on amazon. thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! Glad you were able to learn about some new games! Hopefully, you can find some of those games at your local shop or other online shops!
Great question. I think the bones of Final Girl are still great. The action card play, dice rolling, and variable set up are still tons of fun. It tells an interesting game play narrative even if you aren't a horror fan. However, if you are averse to dice rolling & luck you might be less forgiving if you don't connect with theme.
Hey Jared, awesome list. Just borrowed Maquis from TTG and it's on my list. Highly recommend The Last Lighthouse from Button Shy also to fit the creepy theme. Is Witchcraft available for sale yet? Heard of it awhile back but can't find where to get it.
I love The Last Lighthouse, it was actually my #2 pick if not for Naturopolis. Witchcraft was on a reprint campaign 25th Century did a few months ago so it might be more available soon. You are welcome to borrow my copy down the road though!
Absolutely Final Girl is one of the best solo games ever. I always debate whether it or Mage Knight should be all time best solo boardgame. Mage Knight wins for me just because it has way more things going on for a richer experience. But Final Girl nails it for the superb horror survival decision-making gameplay.
@@boardgameapprentice it’s an older game but recently there has been great new tutorial content for it from folks such as Paul at Gaming Rules and Shaggy at Totally Tabled
@@boardgameapprentice From series 1, it’s Frightmare. From series 2, it’s the Alien one. Which one from series 3 are you looking forward to the most? Btw, appreciate the response!
Great reviews. Wonder on your views on Dark Tower and Return to Dark Tower? Both are single-player or competitive. Return to Dark Tower is also a team player game, which plays really well. Edit* Firefly is my 3rd to list again solo or competitive. 4th is forbidden island. 5th is Magic the Gathering (not a solo game) but I have the 3 solo campaigns released a few years back
Great list! Just discovered Final Girl and killed Hans after 3 plays. Great number one. Marvel Champions is high on my top 10 list. Did you ever played MC?
Nice job beating Hans! I haven't played MC yet, I'm so invested in Arkham Horror I hesitate to get into another LCG. But I really need to at least try it.
Great List! Dieson Crusoe sounds interesting to me. I'm just now getting around to playing Resist! and it has been good so far, but difficult, no ranking of it yet, but I'm definitely enjoying it. Marquis and Under Falling Skies are great games and I really enjoy them as well as Warps Edge. Have you solo'ed the Bloody Inn?
I just don’t get the love for Final Girl. I got it based on all the gushing praise from various game reviewers and top ten lists. It’s ok but that’s it IMO. There are far superior solo experiences out there but of course that’s based on my own taste…Mage Knight, Renegade, Robinson Crusoe, Heat, Samurai Spirit, City of Kings, Ghost Stories…..to name a few.
Perhaps i see it a little different but if Zombicide and the like are in than have you been able to play Kingdom Death: Monster yet? This is hardcore solo amazballs.
@@boardgameapprentice What I did: For Northwood, the Lost Expedition, Friday (I think you did), possible Enchinstone Dragons, 20 Strong. What do I suggest: "After the Virus", "The Wilds of Leviathan", "Kinfire Delver", "The Button shy ("Food Chain island", "At the Helm", "Ragmore"), "All is a Bomb", "Red Rain. Ashes Reborn", "Skoventir", "Horde of Heavenly Beasts",.. and much, much more...)
I’ve played a lot of Final Girl and I can assure you that the dice rolling can very much be mitigated by the way you play. Don’t try to do too much on every turn, try to build a hand for a big turn with less chances of failure, etc. That said, it’s true you can occasionally lose due to bad luck… but it’s less frustrating, for me, when it happens because the game often created a great story around that as well.
Final Girl is a cool little game, but top 1 is a heavy stretch, man... I mean, I know it's your opinion and I don't wanna be THAT guy, BUT we have Pax Pamir, Mage Knight and at least some 20 other soloable games that are on a whole other level of gameness...
Totally fair! I admit Final Girl is a game that just really hits the spot for me specifically. Mage Knight is a big gap I need to get played. Never, thought to try Pax Pamir solo. What is on the top of your list?
@@boardgameapprentice I think my top 5 solo games nowadays would be: 1- Mage Knight 2- Pax Pamir 2nd ed 3- Robinson Crusoe 4- Nemesis 5- Dune Imperium Uprising My main gripe with Final Girl is actually the cost/benefit, I think it's too expensive for what it is (at least where I live). But hey, I'd try to grab some of the games you mentioned! Thanks for the video!
Thank you so much for including The Plum Island Horror on your list! I am truly honored and very glad that you enjoy the game so much. I especially appreciate the fact that it has persuaded you to dip your toes into the wargame pool a little more, as that was one of the goals that GMT and I had for this design. As you say, it is an unusual subject matter for GMT but we felt that it was the perfect design approach to get mainstream gamers a glimpse of how entertaining and fun wargaming can be for players. Thanks again!
You are a great designer. I've bought it and I'm about to make a start. Dawn of the zeds is one of my fave games. Keep up the awesome designing. I'd love to see you do an "escape from tarkov" style looter shooter extraction type game.
@@dogtags2010 Oh, wow - thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words and support. An Escape from Tarkov style game does sound like an interesting challenge. I will definitely look into it. The next game in the Plum Island Horror world will actually be a dungeon-crawl type game, as the story will evolve under Plum Island and the players will be doing some scary dungeon diving. Thanks for the idea!
Mission accomplished! Thank you for the wonderful game.
It was Impactful enough that I found myself at Circle DC earlier this year (War game convention put on by Fort Circle Games)
This review has decided me. I haven't sat a table top game in a good 30 years. I grew up the military games that were so in depth you had to read rule books for a month before the first game. My thanks to the both of you for rekindling an old flame!
I have all 3 Kinfire Delve. It's so well designed and the value of the gameplay/components/price on market is insane.
I'm so hyped to get the other two sets!! That's great to hear.
Great list! Good to see some smaller games on here
Thanks for watching! Small box solo games are some of my favorite, nothing beats a quick set up :)
Hi from France!
I'm a solo player, at the moment I'm reading some rulebooks: Wyrmspan, Distant Skies and Final Girl. I don't know which one I'll play!
Otherwise, I like Everdell, Zombicide, many roll/flip 'n write, Aeon's End, Cascadia and Calico, etc.
Thanks for the video! (I subscribed)
Thank you for watching and the fantastic recommendations! Aeons End looks really interesting.
Thanks for this. I'm always wanting to find good solo games. You've given me some to check out next time I'm at my local game store.
Thank you for checking out the video! Happy gaming 😁
Great video! I bet your chair is green! 😂
Thank you! It isn't, just carefully cropped out of video haha
Thank you for this video. I like Siege of Valeria as a solo boardgame
Thank you for checking it out and the suggestion! I haven't played any of the "Valeria" games but this one looks fun. Wish listed!
Appreciate the video, great list.
Thank you so for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Incredible list! Final Girl and Witchcraft (Resist's sequel) both are in my top 10 for solo. Maquis seems really interested and I need it, as well as Plum Island Horror!!! Thank you for the recommendations!!
Thank you for checking out video! Hope you get a chance to play Maquis, it's such an awesome game in a small package.
P.S Love your stuff on Tablenauts!
I've been really enjoying Sky Team with the solo variant on BGG.
Thanks for the heads up! I adore it co-op and will have to give that a shot.
A video exploring fan made solo variants could be an interesting discussion.
Im enjoying This War of Mine quite a bit currently
I love the video game, didn't realize it had a board game adaptation!
@@boardgameapprentice yes! It is fantastic solo!
Great list. My absolute Nr1 is LOTR LCG
Need to give that a try! I'm so far the Arkham hole I haven't played the other LCG's.
AH is awesome;) I only played it with 4P;)
Anyway - one does not neeed two LCGs I think;)
LOTR is interestingly more "darker". Definitively more challenging. A lot more
Great list, definitely going to look to try some of these! If you haven't played them, I really enjoy Sentinels of The Multiverse (Definitive Edition) as a Solo Game, Wyrmspan, and Ark Nova.
Sentinels of the Multiverse is similar to your Akrham Horror explanation, but you play as multiple roles, but the decision making trying to compliment the card that each of your heros are going to play is so much fun. Wyrmspan I find one of the best games that is just as fun solo vs multiplayer, there isn't a lot of player interaction to be fair, but it does a great job of desigin an automated opponent to keep the same feel and intensity between the two. Ark Nova is different, it feels more like a time crunch or race than the multiplayer game, but a lot of fun trying yo build your engine and build it quickly.
Also in regards to your Spirit Island honourable mention, Spirit Island is one of my favourite games, but personally I find it loses some of the fun in the solo mode. Since you dont have that interaction and coordination, and many of the Spirits have glaring weaknesses that it becomes immensely harder to complete solo, with some spirits I would almost argue it is impossible solo.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment! Sentinels of the Multiverse is one I really want to try out.
Have you tried playing spirit island two-handed so that you still get the experience of spirits interacting?
Good video. I like Warp's Edge for solo. Greetings from Spain.
Thanks for watching! I've heard great things about Warp's Edge.
This is my first time watching the channel and I subscribed based wholly on your #1 choice… Final Girl‼️😃
Heck yeah!! I love making videos about Final Girl :) thanks for watching
First time watching one of your videos, I’ll have to check out the rest of your content. AHLCG is my favorite game and I’m one of the people that prefer true solo over two-handed solo. There are some scenarios that are exponentially more difficult with only one investigator, but there only a few of those in the 100+ scenarios in AHLCG.
I recently got Sleeping Gods Distant Skies and can see why people love SG. There is sooo much fun content in that one box.
Really? I might have to try to give true solo another shot.
Sometimes true solo is swingy. A hard scenario might be easy or vice versa, but 80% of the time it’s typical of the multiplayer experience. The deckbuilding is the biggest change as all of your decks need to be flex decks.
Love your background!
Thank you for the kind words!! I've been experimenting with green screen backgrounds recently and wasn't sure how it'd be received.
My fave solo games are Rove, Spaceshipped and expansions, At The Helm, and Pavlov's House.
I love the sequel of Spaceshipped - FantasyForm!
Thanks for letting me know about Pavlov's House, also designed by David Thompson who did "Resist!"
Hi Jared,
First-time viewer of your channel, and I really enjoyed it. You have a very smooth delivery and do a great job of summarizing games succinctly. The images of the boxes and games adds a lot to the presentation.
Your tastes seem to match mine except for the notable exception of horror/cthlu based games.
I will definitely check out more of your content. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for the kinds work and I'm glad you enjoyed video!
If you have any suggested games you think I'd like please feel free to share :)
hi there, first time watching your top 10. and i really enjoyed your narrative, enthusiasm, like the fact that you show the box and the board game. also a great list, some games i havent heard about but unfortunately some of them are not available on amazon. thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! Glad you were able to learn about some new games! Hopefully, you can find some of those games at your local shop or other online shops!
@@boardgameapprentice im based in new zealand so on some rare titles or early releases rely on amazon :)
Would you recommend Final Girl for someone who is not into horror movies?
Great question. I think the bones of Final Girl are still great. The action card play, dice rolling, and variable set up are still tons of fun. It tells an interesting game play narrative even if you aren't a horror fan. However, if you are averse to dice rolling & luck you might be less forgiving if you don't connect with theme.
Hey Jared, awesome list. Just borrowed Maquis from TTG and it's on my list. Highly recommend The Last Lighthouse from Button Shy also to fit the creepy theme. Is Witchcraft available for sale yet? Heard of it awhile back but can't find where to get it.
I love The Last Lighthouse, it was actually my #2 pick if not for Naturopolis.
Witchcraft was on a reprint campaign 25th Century did a few months ago so it might be more available soon. You are welcome to borrow my copy down the road though!
Absolutely Final Girl is one of the best solo games ever. I always debate whether it or Mage Knight should be all time best solo boardgame. Mage Knight wins for me just because it has way more things going on for a richer experience. But Final Girl nails it for the superb horror survival decision-making gameplay.
I need to get Mage Knight played!!!
@@boardgameapprentice it’s an older game but recently there has been great new tutorial content for it from folks such as Paul at Gaming Rules and Shaggy at Totally Tabled
Seeing FG at the top is refreshing! Love it even I lost a lot of times more than I won. 🤣
Win or lose it's always a good time! What is your favorite feature film?
@@boardgameapprentice From series 1, it’s Frightmare. From series 2, it’s the Alien one. Which one from series 3 are you looking forward to the most? Btw, appreciate the response!
@@krittapastt.95 Hmm, probably "Hell to Pay". It looks like it'll have modular map tiles and I'm excited to see what they do with that.
Great reviews. Wonder on your views on Dark Tower and Return to Dark Tower?
Both are single-player or competitive. Return to Dark Tower is also a team player game, which plays really well.
Edit*
Firefly is my 3rd to list again solo or competitive.
4th is forbidden island.
5th is Magic the Gathering (not a solo game) but I have the 3 solo campaigns released a few years back
I haven't played RtDT yet, my local shop has it and have been meaning to get a game going! Will report back after playing.
Witchcraft is a better, more streamlined version of Resist! with awesome combos.
I played a bunch this October and am in love. Playing though the scenarios now 😁
Great list! Just discovered Final Girl and killed Hans after 3 plays. Great number one. Marvel Champions is high on my top 10 list. Did you ever played MC?
Nice job beating Hans!
I haven't played MC yet, I'm so invested in Arkham Horror I hesitate to get into another LCG. But I really need to at least try it.
Great List! Dieson Crusoe sounds interesting to me. I'm just now getting around to playing Resist! and it has been good so far, but difficult, no ranking of it yet, but I'm definitely enjoying it. Marquis and Under Falling Skies are great games and I really enjoy them as well as Warps Edge. Have you solo'ed the Bloody Inn?
I haven't played Bloody Inn yet, been keeping an eye out for a used copy but no luck.
I just don’t get the love for Final Girl. I got it based on all the gushing praise from various game reviewers and top ten lists. It’s ok but that’s it IMO. There are far superior solo experiences out there but of course that’s based on my own taste…Mage Knight, Renegade, Robinson Crusoe, Heat, Samurai Spirit, City of Kings, Ghost Stories…..to name a few.
I can totally see the reasons for someone not enjoying Final Girl. My love for horror is also a huge factor of why I enjoy it so much.
Nice list! Have You tried Halls of Hegra?
I haven't! Thanks for the recommendation, too bad it might be tough to find 😂
@@boardgameapprentice backed it! Have to get Plum island of my Shelf of oportunity! 🙂
Resist! is not a WW2 game. It's set during the Spanish Civil War which happens before WW2.
Thank you for the correction! Your comment also lead me down a fascinating rabbit hole learning about the Spanish Civil War.
Witchcraft! Is the best!
It is! Played a lot of it this October
You need to play Nemo's War (second edition)
It's now on my radar, thanks for suggestions!
Perhaps i see it a little different but if Zombicide and the like are in than have you been able to play Kingdom Death: Monster yet? This is hardcore solo amazballs.
Ahhh, another game on my "wish to play list". It's so stinking expensive though, need to find a friend who owns it to give it a try first.
When I started watching and saw that your tastes are similar to mine, I thought that Under Falling Skies should be on this list)
Now I am even more convinced that I need Dieson Crusoe
Thanks for watching video! Any game suggestions based on my tastes?
@@boardgameapprentice What I did: For Northwood, the Lost Expedition, Friday (I think you did), possible Enchinstone Dragons, 20 Strong.
What do I suggest: "After the Virus", "The Wilds of Leviathan", "Kinfire Delver", "The Button shy ("Food Chain island", "At the Helm", "Ragmore"), "All is a Bomb", "Red Rain. Ashes Reborn", "Skoventir", "Horde of Heavenly Beasts",.. and much, much more...)
Iron helm, also)
Invincible: the card game
True solo is Arkham is absolutely not busted at all. Completing campaigns is very possible
Another commenter shared the same sentiment, I'll need to give true solo another try.
uno can also be played solo
Are you serious??
@@boardgameapprentice no HAHAHA
Your favorite film in Final Girl?
Ahh that is a tough question.
Series 1 favorite: Geppetto/Carnival of Blood
Series 2 favorite: Intruders/Wingard Cottage
@@boardgameapprentice thanks
Hide your cord my man!
Hahaha I know, I recorded this and realized I had awful lav etiquette but it was too late. I've started to be more mindful of this
You can tell he's never played Mage Knight!
You got me there! I really need to get it played.
So is inal irl really that great? I'd never even heard of it.
Yes, yes it is. Remind me to lock you in a room and force you to finally play it sometime
I should really give Final Girl a try. I’ve been scared off because I don’t like randomness, but I do love Arkham LCG and that has randomness too.
FG has a lot of dice rolling, and feels more random than pulling from the chaos bag. Don't want to discourage you from trying it, but beware!
I’ve played a lot of Final Girl and I can assure you that the dice rolling can very much be mitigated by the way you play. Don’t try to do too much on every turn, try to build a hand for a big turn with less chances of failure, etc. That said, it’s true you can occasionally lose due to bad luck… but it’s less frustrating, for me, when it happens because the game often created a great story around that as well.
Final Girl is a cool little game, but top 1 is a heavy stretch, man... I mean, I know it's your opinion and I don't wanna be THAT guy, BUT we have Pax Pamir, Mage Knight and at least some 20 other soloable games that are on a whole other level of gameness...
Totally fair! I admit Final Girl is a game that just really hits the spot for me specifically.
Mage Knight is a big gap I need to get played. Never, thought to try Pax Pamir solo. What is on the top of your list?
@@boardgameapprentice I think my top 5 solo games nowadays would be:
1- Mage Knight
2- Pax Pamir 2nd ed
3- Robinson Crusoe
4- Nemesis
5- Dune Imperium Uprising
My main gripe with Final Girl is actually the cost/benefit, I think it's too expensive for what it is (at least where I live). But hey, I'd try to grab some of the games you mentioned! Thanks for the video!
Bought Under Falling Skies maybe 3 years ago - and still have yet to play it.... ..
Worth breaking out! Rule book is great for walking you through the 1st game.