My favourite solo games, bar none are the games that have minimal to NO changes from multiplayer to solo.
Yesterday, after finishing my saved game I posted about here in the Loner's Lounge, I asked my daughter if she wanted to join me for a game of This War of Mine and help me, help our characters survive these times of war. I find it's more often a "yes" from her when they are co-op games like this. Granted, she will play competitive games with her Dad too. 😊 I like teasing her that I think I'm moving back into "Cool Dad" phase. 🤣 (Despite her turning 16 next Tuesday!!! 😫).
In This War of Mine, when you play with others it's the EXACT same game as solo. The only difference is, you have another mind to help you figure out how to survive the struggle. No player is any designated character. It's a game of thinking, conversation, listening to the story as you dive into the "Book of Scripts" based on cards drawn and/or your decisions.
We had some tough choices at times (as expected). I told her before we started that she was the "Leader" (suggested in the rules). Which means, SHE had to make the final decision based on things we talked about. I always enjoy playing these tough decision games with her because I can feel the moment it clicks for her and she starts really getting into it.
She compared this game to Frostpunk very early on, which is a wonderful comparison. You're going to LOSE more than WIN in these games. Every game is different. Every game has very tough decisions. And every game keeps you wanting to get it to the table again!!
This shot of the empty game board (standard side) depicts how we felt on Day 5, when Emilia (a Lawyer) died from her wounds while guarding our shelter. We were down to her and Anton (a Mathmatics Proffessor whom we sent out to scavenge). We would've been fine, however the event card on this day had us drawing TWO Night Raid cards instead of one. 😮 That meant, no one was available to guard the shelter after Emilia had died. No guard = Game over. 😣
My daughter brought up the irony of the whole game realizing that Anton was our last character before we lost. He was our "worst" character throughout the game (due to his ailments or lack of abilities compared to our other initial two characters - one of whom wandered off without a trace and took our pistol with him 😳).
Once again, the game threw new choices, new situations and some brutal storylines at us that I had yet to have encountered. It's amazing how such a dark game, can make you smile. It's strange even typing that. Yet it's true. This game is so creative, and so much fun. At the same time, it helps teach us and remind us that war is awful - and in the end, NO ONE WINS.
That's great that your almost 16-year-old daughter enjoys playing such a game with her quasi-cool Dad. 🙂 It looks like one of your usual games of 500+ components, too.
16. That might mean Driver's License time. Have fun with that, Derek. 😉