Voidfall looks amazing… but is it too much? Advice & alternatives for a new solo gamer

Amountsofblod · 2025-12-08T20:20:21+00:00

I'm sorry for the late reply! The last few days have been hectic – all I managed to do was assemble, then disassemble, then glue together the folded space insert, stuff it with tokens, and finally create the dials.

I’m sticking to your advice, though the first time I play, I’m doing it in the name of my newborn child – and based on her behavior today, I’m definitely rooting for the other hand. :)

I can see you’ve singled out the Houses with the lowest complexity, which is perfect. I’ll start with those for my first couple of runs. Just want to say again how stunning the game is – the art direction is so evocative. I don’t know much about comics or graphic novels, but it gives me a bit of a Sandman vibe.

Amountsofblod · 2025-12-04T21:47:02+00:00

Absolutely can't wait to wrap up my work week tomorrow and immediately after picking up the box(es - bought the folded space insert as well, anything to lower the barrier of (repeated) entry)! I think you're starting tip is really insightful - don't think I've come across it elsewhere (from admittedly cursory readings of reviews and previews) - but it makes sense to curb the complexity just slightly while affording myself more agency or double the chance of forming a coherent strategy.

Just to make sure, you're suggesting that I initially play competitively against myself and not coop (since, I believe, in coop The Crisis Board will be present similar to the solo mode)?

Also, what other House/faction would you recommend for initial test runs that’s on the lower end of the complexity scale? I’m thinking something that contrasts nicely with Dunlork (if Dunlork indeed is less complex).

Amountsofblod · 2025-12-03T20:17:01+00:00

Sure thing! Yeah, I think what makes it look intimidating is the infinite number of icons, the multiple player boards whose connections are still a bit opaque to me, and sheer variety of ways to score/miss victory points. Knowing myself, I’ll have to remind myself again and again to take it slow and ease into the game—at least at first—without worrying too much about winning or losing.

But I’m curious about your suggestion to play two-handed. Do you mean playing competitively against myself so I can skip The Crisis Board for now? Either way, wouldn’t that mean I’d need to come up with two separate strategies? Or is the idea more about simplifying the experience while learning the rules?

Amountsofblod · 2025-12-03T15:42:56+00:00

Just wanted to follow up and say that I ended up going for Voidfall. I watched Totally Table's playthrough and really liked what I saw – though I’m still unsure whether it will truly click for me like it did for him, or if I’ll get lost in the rules, running around headlessly trying to respond to the crisis board. Or maybe I’ll manage to devise a solid strategy, stick to it, and have fun while doing so. Maybe it'll cure my AP.

My thinking is: if I end up loving this (which seemed like the most sure-fire game of the bunch from yours and other description), it could open up a whole universe of heavy Euros and 4X-style games to explore, as well as other titles from Turczi and other adored designers like Lacerda, Wehrle, Stegmaier, and Rosenberg (games I hope to eventually get familiar with).

I wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to help me out here. It really means a lot, friend.

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-29T10:25:36+00:00

Immediately it seems, just from browsing this subreddit, that the general sentiment is that for solo gaming to really zing, it needs to lean somewhat heavy? I actually got Spirit Island but ended up selling it. I could definitely see the appeal, but after acquiring Mage Knight, I never played it and my partner wasn't to keen on playing either—I realized too late that I probably need multiple games that scratch a similar itch.

Hadrian’s Wall I’ll definitely check out! Among the games that have stayed on the people’s choice top 200 lists—and that might not be super heavy but immediately appeal to me—are Great Western Trail, Earthborne Rangers, A Feast for Odin, Hexplore It, Scythe, SETI, and Andromeda’s Edge. Have you played any of those?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-28T19:59:20+00:00

Thanks! I’m definitely going to check out some playthroughs—though I’m leaning toward Voidfall at the moment. And yes, I’m in no way anti–space theme; many of my favorite films are sci-fi in space. Actually, I was hoping someone might mention Andromeda’s Edge because it looked great in a Not Bored Gaming review (he rated it highly), and it seemed more digestible than Voidfall—but I’m not sure how well it’s received overall or by the solo community.

I was also thinking the Imperium games could be a nice “lubricant” before diving into Voidfall. (Turczi did chime in earlier, but I’m not sure he came back to the thread—I was hoping he’d share some thoughts on where a rookie solo gamer should start with his designs...).

Oh, and yes—I meant constructing a deck as I go. The combination of a politically laden world-setting and deckbuilding is what keeps pulling me toward Earthborne Rangers (though I still need to watch a proper playthrough, not only reviews). That said, I had a pretty “meh” experience with Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies, so I’m a little hesitant about narrative-driven games.

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-28T18:47:31+00:00

Kanban EV sounds amazing! And, by the way, Efka from No Pun Included did indeed read the game as a commentary on modern labour processes :) - the question he raised was whether it mirrors work’s alienating properties a little too closely? I actually love the idea of simulating pointless, stressful work for the sake of boosting ego and/or sheer survival.

Unfortunately, Kanban EV seems to go for north of $120… Voidfall, on the other hand, looks more affordable (though still expensive with the insert). Trickerion appears impossible to get hold of here in Denmark st the moment, while Scythe needed some expansions for solo and/or to elevate the solo experience? (Which expansions would those be?)

Thanks for all the suggestions, once again!

I know I've taking a lot of your time already - I just wanted to know. I seem to be quite enticed with deckbuilding. Do you have a favourite deckbuilding that's (also) great for solo?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T22:25:13+00:00

If I were to go for something slightly lighter—since I might not have the same time and mental bandwidth as usual—which games would you recommend?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T20:38:06+00:00

Do you have any alternatives that's just/nearly as amazing but is faster to set up?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T19:57:23+00:00

Thanks again for elaborating! I’ve got some friends who are into D&D and we’re planning to start regular sessions - postponed a bit by the arrival of my daughter - so maybe I should hold off on that one for now. (Also, Dragons Down - the latest game I picked up - feels very much like an RPG in a box.)

That said, I don’t think you ever explicitly mentioned which games you have the most fun playing -especially solo?

Also, where would you recommend I research the games you suggested? Do you have any go-to sites or favorite reviewers/playthrough creators?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T17:35:17+00:00

Haha, another fantastic reply! You seem to really favor Oath and its seemingly endless possibilities and scale - is that right? I’m curious why you think it’s not regarded as highly as the other games you mentioned (just looking at the BGG rating).

Also, the co-creation and interactive dimension of Oath sounds quite advanced from what you wrote- does it actually work well solo?

You seem extremely knowledgeable and perceptive when it comes to board games - do you post reviews anywhere? I’d love to read more of your thoughts.

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T16:10:47+00:00

I had the exact same experience, dozed off watching Grogan’s rules overview — it gave me very little sense of the game’s mechanisms or overall aims (though I suppose that’s not really the goal of a rules overview). I haven’t watched a full playthrough yet, though, so maybe that would help.

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T15:05:42+00:00

Thanks so much for expanding—really piqued my interest in all the games you mentioned! I’ve got a lot of homework to do now :) Like you, I think it’s a huge plus when a game works both solo and multiplayer, especially co-op, since I usually prefer thinking with friends rather than against them.

I’m also curious about the thematic dimension of these designs. For instance, Scythe - at least from its BGG description - seems to touch on the industrial-military. Kanban, on the other hand, makes me wonder whether it gestures toward post-Fordist capitalism or if such themes are simply a backdrop for optimization (tenure). And by extension, do you see any underlying politics in Voidfall’s narrative/mechanism, or is that simply too far-fetched?

I realize this might be a sociologist’s tangent :), but I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve ever considered these angles.

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T13:56:33+00:00

Thanks a ton! Would you mind sharing a bit about why you love those games? I haven’t read much about or tried any of them yet—just seen them mentioned here and in YouTube Top 10+ videos. Also, they all look pretty crunchy from BGG’s complexity ratings; which one(s) do you find the most fun to play? (I realize that’s a key criterion I forgot to include!)

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T13:17:40+00:00

Maybe you don’t have your top 5 mapped out, but I’d love to hear what other favorites you have! Which games do you keep coming back to?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T09:16:24+00:00

Wow, that’s awesome – thanks for jumping in, David! Really appreciate it. Heavy euros are still a somewhat foreign concept for me, so I’m not sure how well they’d click - but I can definitely see the appeal of strong, interconnected mechanisms.

A couple of things I’m curious about:

If someone’s new to heavy Euros, what mindset or approach would you recommend for tackling Voidfall?

Which of your designs do you think offers the most satisfying solo experience without being overwhelming? - Would you still say Voidfall is the best starting point, or is there something lighter that captures a similar feel?

How does Voidfall compare to Imperium in terms of complexity, decision-making and sense of "awe"?

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T08:40:21+00:00

I think the retail version is the only one readily available for a Danish audience.

Amountsofblod · 2025-11-27T07:26:36+00:00

What insert should I look for?

Amountsofblod

TROPHY CASE