Best Solitaire Games

[PanzersEast]

So...Ottoman Sunset or In Magnificent Style? Anyone have either/both?

I have Ottoman Sunset and is a game I enjoy.... I initially was unsure of the States of Siege engine, but I really liked Ottoman Sunset and the decisions you are pressed with... you feel the strain to keep the old Ottoman Empire glued together.... however Cruel Necessity is my favorite.

I have not played Magnificent Style.

PE

[BanzaiCat]

Interesting. I looked at Cruel Necessity too, having followed some of the discussion here, but it looks like Ottoman Sunset might be more appealing...although CN looks bloody tougher, which is appealing in and of itself too.

Magnificent Style is pretty focused and not nearly as strategic as either of those, but it's yet another Victory Points game release, so it's bound to be decent (it has two 4-star reviews on Amazon's US site now). It is a game that simulates Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg. VP has too many cool products.

I have a $50 Amazon card burnin' a hole in my pocket, but i should probably be responsible and adult-ish and apply it to the prescription mask and fins i need for vacation instead.

[PanzersEast]

I have a couple on my to-buy list:

• Victoria Cross II
• Operation Barbarossa (2nd Edition)
• Infection: Humanity's Last Gasp
• Field Commander Nimitz
• Level 7 [Omega Protocol]


• Labyrinth: The War on Terror (still not sure about solo-play)

PE

[Nefaro]

• Labyrinth: The War on Terror (still not sure about solo-play)

At some point, I'll get around to playing this solitaire.  For some reason I've been avoiding learning the thing.  May just need to be in the mood for the theme, which hasn't been the case. 

The programmed 'AI' flowchart looks like a mess at first glance but I'm sure it will feel intuitive once it's familiar and may even provide an interesting style of solitaire play if it's decent.  The main learning curve for the game is probably memorizing all the rules terminology.

[BanzaiCat]

I looked at Hapsburg Eclipse also, and noted that BGG says it is a sister game to Ottoman Sunset, and that they can both be combined together into one "Combined Game."

I dunno. The more I look at Cruel Necessity the more I like it, but I can either get that one game or I can get two others...the pull of more is always stronger.

[PanzersEast]

I looked at Hapsburg Eclipse also, and noted that BGG says it is a sister game to Ottoman Sunset, and that they can both be combined together into one "Combined Game."

I dunno. The more I look at Cruel Necessity the more I like it, but I can either get that one game or I can get two others...the pull of more is always stronger.

I think either way you cannot go wrong.... Those are the only 2 States of Siege games I own, but enjoy both and for right now those two satisfy me for the engine style of play.


PE

[Nefaro]

I looked at Hapsburg Eclipse also, and noted that BGG says it is a sister game to Ottoman Sunset, and that they can both be combined together into one "Combined Game."

I dunno. The more I look at Cruel Necessity the more I like it, but I can either get that one game or I can get two others...the pull of more is always stronger.

I chose Cruel Necessity over the others simply because it had some kind of battle resolution gameplay.  Frankly, the rest of the system (other than the card driven events) is just a matter of spending actions to move a few counters up and down tracks.  Which isn't all that interesting when you stop to think about it.  The card-driven stuff is what keeps it interesting, of course, but the battles were what pushed me out of the fence-sitting on the series.

[BanzaiCat]

The side battles are what's interesting to me for this particular game. Every other State of Siege game is pretty much the same thing, in different wrappers, but adding this element (and reading some of the session reports on BGG) helps add color to the game. I will probably go with Cruel Necessity...

[PanzersEast]

The side battles are what's interesting to me for this particular game. Every other State of Siege game is pretty much the same thing, in different wrappers, but adding this element (and reading some of the session reports on BGG) helps add color to the game. I will probably go with Cruel Necessity...

I think you are making the best choice.... Ottoman Sunset is the only other SoS game I own, but I feel like the engine has evolved  with Cruel Necessity.....  After watching LPs on the other SoS games I decided against picking any of them up... and Ottoman Sunset was the best in the series until Cruel Necessity was released.  I think you will be very happy with your purchase and was in Ricky's Top 10 solo games at 6 and plays it below.

[BanzaiCat]

Thanks, PE. I'll check that vid out now.

[Nefaro]

Thanks, PE. I'll check that vid out now.

Ricky has a lot of great LPs. 

I practically learned how to play the Mage Knight Boardgame from his YouTube series, and got some great primers on other titles too.  O0

If publishers were smart, they'd offer him a free copy of their games in the hopes that he'd do a YouTube series on them.  Not only interesting to see how they play out, but he does a good job of quickly explaining the rules as he goes.  Makes starting your own first game far easier after watching.

[BanzaiCat]

That's definitely passion with that guy. The whole time I'm watching, I'm thinking how long it takes to do those cut shots, the different angles, how many times he had to change the camera's position and zoom, and ultimately, how smooth his transitions were between shots and the sound. I would love to do something like that if I had time.

Anyway, I just ordered Cruel Necessity and In Magnificent Style through Amazon and the healthy goals gift cards I got. I got the last copy of Cruel Necessity, I think...it was funny, I've been looking at it all week in anticipation of ordering and slowly but surely the number of copies left kept dwindling...lol. It still says "1 left in stock" so hopefully it wasn't lying to me. I might get a game in before we go on vacation...that's IF I finish my other reviews first...ahem.

[PanzersEast]

Well I forgot I had left over giftcard funds from the holiday's as well.... so here are the list of potential purchases and feedback would for sure help.  Well to be honest.... it would pay for 3/4 anyway.  The game I had really been looking at for solo play was Asgard's Chosen, however I have heard mixed things about the solo play.  Infection: Humanity's Last Gasp was another one near the top of my list for something different and a fast play and another VPG game.

• Asgard's Chosen
• Infection: Humanity's Last Gasp
• Level 7 [Omega Protocol]
• Mage Knight Lost Legion Expansion

PE

[DennisS]

I showed my son-in-law Mage Knight, and he didn't seem real interested. Surprisingly, as he has been a D&D GM for about 15 years, and knows more about fantasy gaming than anyone I know.

My daughter told me this last Saturday that she caught him watching Ricky Royal's videos on Mage Knight...and all of a sudden, he quietly asked if this was possible for Father's Day! Sure enough, they came over Sunday, and he and I played a solid four hours in a co-op game. GREAT fun. Just enough complexity, and with solid mechanics and challenges.

[PanzersEast]

I showed my son-in-law Mage Knight, and he didn't seem real interested. Surprisingly, as he has been a D&D GM for about 15 years, and knows more about fantasy gaming than anyone I know.

My daughter told me this last Saturday that she caught him watching Ricky Royal's videos on Mage Knight...and all of a sudden, he quietly asked if this was possible for Father's Day! Sure enough, they came over Sunday, and he and I played a solid four hours in a co-op game. GREAT fun. Just enough complexity, and with solid mechanics and challenges.

That is good to hear.... I think Mage Knight is one of the best solo games available.   The mechanics are solid and the gameplay is quit fun and provides some interesting decisions.  The Lost Legion is suppose to be hear today so I am interested to see how the game changes. 

Rickey does a great job breaking down games and giving you that feel of actually playing the game.....


PE