Nemo's War has quickly become my go-to solo game in the past year. Really love it.

Great rundown of these games! I love playing solo tabletop games every now and then, and there are plenty here I havent even heards of. Rangers of Shadow Deep sounds like a must for me, its so unique and innovative! Sounds amazing :D

Yes! Love your #5! I got it just last year and have enjoyed it both solo and co-op. So much so that I haven't had any urge to play Pandemic since 😊 I also agree with your thoughts on the 'vibe' it gives as a co-op. The beauty is that because it's not fiddly, it's great fun to control a few characters when playing solo.

Joel, I really appreciate your reviews, and this top 10 was no exception. Great list! My tastes run in an entirely different direction, toward small, quick solo games such as Castles of Burgundy: The Dice Game, Mint Works, Tiny Epic Galaxies, Elevenses for One, Bowling Solitaire, Deep Space D-6,, Sprawlopolis, Palm Island, and Black Sonata. The one combat game I enjoy is Hoplomachus: Origins.

Finally a fresh view on these games!! 101% agree with your choices

Such a great channel. Probably my favorite!

Glad to see a top 10 that is different and includes miniature games rather than just containing the usual FFG type coop games.

Thank you! it's fun to have a top ten with different choices than the BGG top 10 solo . I'll check out Rangers of Shadowdeep and Blackstone tower. Keep it up, always a pleasure to watch your videos.

totally agree with your concept there bro, the best stories seem to be the ones that evolve naturally in the game, especially when the game has thematic elements that make sense/lend to storytelling..some of my best stories, solo or multiplayer, have come from arkham horror lcg elder sign the lost expedition ..i think my favorite solos have become the ones that play with multiple characters..because the interplay between the characters is amazing..and you never know who will be the last adventurer standing..

Love how you explained Marvel Champions. Too many videos out there comparing it to Arkham Horror LCG and it's campaign. You truly caught the essence of Marvel Champions and how it feels to fight against a villain. I'm having a blast regardless if I win or lose. If I lose, I would see what I did wrong and try again.

Enjoyed your list. I have been having fun with wargames solo recently. D-Day at Tarawa and Wars of Marcus Aurelius have been hits for me. I agree about chit pull activation; I have a very chaotic chit pull game, At any cost: Metz 1870, on my table now. I even enjoy Combat Commander solo-not looking at newly drawn cards generates enough uncertainty for me.

your diverse interest in board games spanning so many genres is as always a pleasure to watch and an inspiration to branch out more into the unknown.

Nice list and a good amount of telling your thoughts for your picks. Entertaining and learning about some new games 😉 I recently got d-day dice 2ed. And i have to say that it works very well for a light solo filler game. Also like for solo plays: - Mage knight - Eldritch horror (for the same reason you mention, more easygoing solo and fun to create the story in your head as you play) - Trickerion (A.I. is very good and nobody wants to play it with me after they heard the rules explaination, because that is a lot to proces) - Aeon's End (probably my favorite Deckbuilder)

Thank you for the video. I play Gaslands but now I'll check out Rangers of Shadow Deep. Cheers!

Dungeon is a decent solo game. Remember playing the original version back in the early 80's. The new Doom board game isn't bad either. Great list. Gave me a few ideas since my friends and I started fooling around with Hero Quest,which I'm glad we got with the expansions when it came out since it's expensive now.

Blackstone Fortress! Finally seeing some love for it. Gloomhaven solo also is pretty great.

'Darkest Night' is still one of my top solo favorites due to how relatively easy it is to break out and play, yet still has enough variety regarding facets such as varied player powers to keep the strategy interesting every time. So many other games I have to re-read a lot of the rules, but with this one it's easy to remember from the turn sequence summary even after a long hiatus. Despite owning Blackstone Fortress for awhile, I still haven't tried it. Feels wrong breaking that out while my minis have only been primed but not painted. Gotta light a fire on my painting soon and get it going.

I played the intoductory set of linked scenarios in Rangers of Shadowdeep with 3 friends as a co-op game over a few weeks, and it worked brilliantly - lots af great tales of derring-do and hilarious failures (I'm looking at you Sven, the alchemist with no fingers). I've also played a few missions solo while learning the rules and will get back to running through the rest solo when I get the time - I cannot recommend this game enough.

Rangers does work co-op, really good fun. Surprised how many of these I have.

Fantastic video... and great suggestions.

Thanks for the list Joel. As a mostly solo gamer, I loved hearing your thoughts about some of these games. I would say Shadows of Brimstone is my personal favorite, followed closely by Kingdom Death. I can't wait to give Rangers a try though once the deluxe book comes out.

I have never played a minatures game before, always seemed really intimidating. I have a ton of board games with minatures however. So I decided to pick up Rangers of Shadowdeep and make it my introduction into minatures, figured I could take my time and learn and digest things with no pressure. I got a basic grid and markers and I'm currently reading the book, going to start next weekend. Thank you for all the wonderful recommendations especially Rangers!

Loved the solo version of Horrified - unique concept. Excellent graphics and materials. Challenging game as a solo

You make such brilliant videos

HORRIFIED IS A GREAT GAME! I wish more people were talking about this game. My friend got it for me for Christmas and I've played it solo about 5 times and with friends about 4 times. One of my favorite games of last year. Rangers of Shadow Keep is really cool but I don't have the space for it at the moment. Hopefully when I move I can get into it. Mansions of Madness 2nd edition is high up on my solo board game list and Marvel Champions really has been awesome to go through.

Not sure if you have had a chance to take a look, but Four Against Darkness and D100 Dungeon may be of interest. Agreed on Rangers of Shadow Deep... FYI there is a deluxe edition of the book coming out by Modiphius.

Love your number 1 choice!!!!

Oh my god! I love solo gaming and have not played ANY of these. And now I really want to. especially Blackstone Fortress.

Great video. I like Rangers of Shadow Deep as well. With Joseph's permission, I converted into a Fantasy Grounds module (virtual tabletop) so people can play through the first couple of missions free.

I absolutely agree with Blackstone fortress, and even moreso with Rangers of Shadow Deep. Boardgames or wargames, when wanting to tell a coherent narrative, try as they might, fail. But when the story organically emerges - through mechanics AND through their version of enviromental storytelling, now that's a thing of beauty, and these two are excellent at it.

I think you would like Thunderbolt Apache Leader (or one of the other "leader" games which I believe are similar). Built as a solo game, as opposed to being a variant on a multiplayer game. It sees you command a squadron of aircraft and their pilots through a series of missions, keeping them as well repaired and stress free as possible.

Excellent list with a great selection of thematic solo games!

OUTSTANDING JOB !!!!!!!!!

I'm on wave 2 for Tainted Grail...now I'm nervous!

I was sitting on the fence for Blackstone Fortress but now I am definitely picking it up now and Rangers of Shadowdeep.

Just at the beginning of the video... but first you say you don't really like soloing competitive games... and 10 and especially 9 are just that! :) I can't wait to see what's next ;)

Very interesting list. One game I love solo you didn’t mention is Too Many Bones.

Thanks for mentioning our #Horrified game, Joel! We are honored.

Runebound is a great overlooked game. My #1 Adventure game.

Have you played Nemesis solo? It was a super tense experience for me. Great atmosphere and very difficult. Don't expect to survive ;)

Great list. Thank you! 🙌🏻

Thanks for sharing. I enjoy MC: LCG a lot too. And, it's a relatively new game. Hopefully it gets better and better with additional action packs, etc. Q - Have you played Nemesis? I have no personal experience with it, but I've seen it in a lot of Top 10 Solo lists.

I'd love to see a play example of rangers of shadowdeep being played on a smaller scale grid or dry erase.

Hi Joel! Renegade would be on my list (as one of those puzzles that vary a lot and yet pit you against challenges). I would also add Helionox - I was surprised to really dig into this one, but it is very quick to play (solo) and the possibilities end up feeling more varied than a number of games do for me, and the options are rather open. So end up liking it! I assuming you are not going to be into the solo challenges of Founders of Gloomhaven, hearing your intro. Too bad because they are pretty interesting (and mind blowing, too ;). I have also just resumed playing Imperial Assault with the app. I now want to test your number 1... except I don't have a lot of minis for it (but I should have some!) Oh well, I need time for it first. How do you feel about Heroes of the Aturi sector (for X-Wing)?

Blackstone Fortress, yeah! I see that this has influenced your choice of curtains as well :)

Great list! Looked into shadows of brimstone and blackstone fortress but their out of print so a little expensive💰💰💰. Might try and find a pdf though. Thanks again! 🥦🦖

Hi, I discovered your chanel a few months ago, and I really like it ! Your presentations and explainations are simple, clear and good. I like your choices, they join mine for some part. I also love playing Street Masters solo, did you try it ? I love Runebound too. Have a nice week ;-) Sylvain (from France)

Great list! I’m very interested In the #1 Game. Now..... what about Mage Knight? That is a great Solo game.

I love Edritch Horror solo and only solo! I'll have to look into Blackstone Fortress and Rangers of Shadowdeep. Sounds awesome. 😎😎 Very very good and interesting top 10. Dawn of The Zeds and Nemo's War are also tactical and give you that emergent story. Those two and EH are my current solo top 3. Side note: favourite competitive game these days is Dune. I can't completely explain why but the whole experience is just amazing to me 😊

Mansions of madness and AH LCG are two I like solo. Also weirdly enough War of the Ring but I just love that game - not sure it’s great solo due to hidden info haha

My friend turned Rangers into a full fledged RPG.We have a blast playing that one.

Joel -- no Mage Knight in a top solo list. Sacrilege. :) Sorry to see no love for Navajo Wars or Robinson Crusoe.

Great list man! Eldritch is my favorite. Do you keep playing black stone fortress with the same characters after you finish the campaign or do you start new characters?

We have very similar tastes, even regarding Tainted Grail. I went all in and I really don't like it much. I didn't find it much fun at all, but more like work.

I really enjoyed your list but I have a couple of questions. What do you think about Folklore The Affliction? I have been thinking about a D&D solo game for a while and have not been sure how to approach it. So it seems that Rangers of Shadow Deep is what I have been looking for. But what in your opinion puts this type of game above others that come with a complete system and all the props?

Eldritch Horror was my first “modern game” when I came into the hobby. Don’t play it much now, but has a special place in my nerd heart.

Look for the old Lone Wolf gamebooks by Joe Dever, which were unique in the sense that it formed a continuous campaign.

I couldn't agree more about Eldritch Horror. You lose so much detail and atmosphere when you play with other people. Much prefer it solo.

Oh man, you are slowly but stadily talking me into Blackstone Fortress...

I love shadows of brimestone. Own the base games, Fronter town, and one big box expanison. Can't play it anymore thought since my father in law died as we loved playing it together and he passed away last year. Would be my number one. Only downside is table space it takes up with the expansions....]

The only board game that has scratched the narrative+game balance ("dnd in a box") is Dungeon Degenerates, along with the 4 "Guide To" region books. With the right music and the added books, this experience is like no other imo, and is my favorite solo game by far.

I've been enjoying Nemo's War. Also just got Xia with the Embers expansion which I'll probably end up mainly soloing.

Wow - there are some games in your Top 10 I never ever heard of :-) Ok I am from Germany and some games aren`t published here, but your Number 1 sounds great and has 8.8 on BGG. Thanks for new input ...

Thank you for not putting the typical top games. I learned about new games that I havent heard of. Very interesting stuff.

I agree with you. The bleed over of 'rogue like' video games with constant resets creating a sense of "difficulty" into RPG-lite boardgames is not a welcome mechanic IMO.

You should look at Star Breach. It's a dice pull system and the rules are free (and not tied to any miniatures line).

You should check out fallen land with the journey into darkness expansion, it’s one of the best narrative driven games I’ve ever played and it’s great solo!

Thank goodness they’re reprinting/reworking defenders of the realm. My favorite co-op ever!

I started Blackstone Fortress solo, but then decided that I'm going to have to paint it up and play it with my friends instead. It's really fun so far though, and really atmospheric. Speaking of painting, I want to start Rangers of Shadow Deep but I feel like the experience will be lessened if I don't have some nice minis and terrain for it. It will still be waiting for me when I level up a bit as a miniatures gamer though! I wonder if someone has created a video or article with ideas on miniatures makes and models for this one, hmm.

What do you thing about mixing 2 different games ? Like Caran and eldritch horror? like a "bug house" house hule variant chess

I guess I should buy Blackstone Fortress... I skipped it because I'm more into AoS than 40k. I also love Rangers of Shadows Deep!!!

Check out Core Space! Also, you should play Five Parsecs from Home!

Hi Joel! Off topic but just wanted to know what is the music that is played at the end of all your podcasts?

Darkest Night 2nd ed. is an amazing game solo ... sadly, it's all but disappeared from public consciousness.

I absolutely agree with your opinions about the narrative elements on board games. Those should emerge, naturally, from the game mechanics and/or players interactions. That's why I prefer The Lord of the Rings LCG over Arkham Horror LCG.

Better "cuba libre" than "Andean Abyss"? I like the Andean theme better, but I don't know if it's good for solo.

I played eldritch horror for a week straight. It felt like I was getting kicked in the balls every time i played it. I just set my expectations to lose and just see how the game screw you each turn. Those mythos cards are just brutal. The only thing I hate about eldritch horror is when you win, nothing happens. You just stare at the board and say well its over, and pack up the game. But if you lose they give you an extra story bit to just drive in that you lost. I usually play as the sailor, because he gets a extra turn if you go move on the sea routes. I rather play Arkham horror 3rd edition. Because I love the main story and it feels more manageable to win. Eldritch feels like anything can happen, I mean anything. Which usually it's all bad. The game is basically an ouija board and knows what you are going to do next.

Joel, most everything you mention you love about Blackstone Fortress makes me think you would adore Core Space. It doesn’t have any of the weird side-quest puzzles. But it’s one of those games that springs alive when you play it, especially when played with one of the expansions or the automated crew module available on BGG.

Great review Joel! I just bought the game I had my first solo game and I loved it. Would you say that the first expansion is a must right away or should I wait a little bit more? Thanks!

What do you think about Arkham Horror lcg? Would you rank it above or below Marvel Champions?

You have to give Battlespace: ultra modern a try. it's fully solo.

Defenders of the realm is my favorite co-op. It needs to be expanded and revisited.

Nemo's war have a really good solo adventure game

Seems like Rangers of shadow deep and other miniatures solo have would totally bank if they just released a core box with minis or standees and terrain

Blackstone Fortress Curtains!

A veteran watcher of DTR, I almost-always find Joel's tastes dovetail with my own. So when I queued this up, I assumed I would see a bunch of games I either loved already, or needed to get. Thank goodness for Cuba Libre, because otherwise, the recommendations here interest me... zero. Maybe the #1, although it being a mini game will probably preclude me from ever trying it.

Marvel Champions is incredible. I played this game over 100 times in 3 months time... Endless challenging, endless replayable, endless varaiability. A TRUE Masterpiece design.

cheers for this

Where I can find Warlords of Erehwon?

You have a Lot of Miniature Games on this list, When I think of Solo games I don't think miniatures, when I buy games I don't wanna have to shell out a bunch of $ for accessories (miniatures) two you missed I like Are Terra-forming Mars and Outer Rim!!!

24:28 He said De-Fight. LOL

played 5 own 3 all great games fab its not just boardgames, I think marvel might go on the xmas list

Well done Joe McCullough! Modiphius are releasing the Collectors Edition of Rangers of Shadow Deep in retail this month or grab it from www.modiphius.net/collections/rangers-of-shadow-deep or you can get it from DriveThruRPG :-)

I was expecting something from DVG - maybe Phantom Leader, but I prefer Thunderbolt Apache Leader.

Rangers of Shadow Deep is downloadable for free as a pdf file ...

I thought I was going to see Arkham Horror LCG because of the tentacles Joel uses in his intro. Oh well I guess Eldritch Horror got the honors. Vert interesting list. Thanks!

No Gloomhaven or Mage Knight?

The Deluxe Rangers book is gorgeous. And I TOTALLY use D&D minis and play on a grid.

What about D100 Dungeon?

Dawn of the Zeds, just sometimes you end up with too many characters to handle/remember abilities solo.