Always appreciate you Mark and 2024 had some FANTASTIC games come out so having Mythwind on your honorable mentions list is AH-MAZING. Thanks so much and can't wait to hear how our expansion, Friends & Family, integrates into your Mythwind playing sessions.
Your energy, organization of thoughts, and positive presentation comes out every time I see your videos. This is just a wonderful show with that continued enthusiasm. I can't help to repeat this. Your enthusiasm is very catching. Thanks for dropping this 2024 solo top ten.
I ordered The Last of Us the day before this video came out. I own the previous two Escape The Dark games and really enjoyed them. They are even simpler than this one. I though "ok, this game is not for him, but why so much hate?" You were absolutely right in every statement. The previous ones took two minutes to set up and felt like half an hour party games. The flavour in them, besides the almost amature-ish old school like art, was the beautiful text in the cards that felt like someone was reading an RPG setting for you. Again, a dice fest but every time it was a wild ride. They never failed. This one completely lies for what it offers. It pretends it has a big, evolving world to explore, which it doesn't and the cards' text is basically "you see this monster from the video game, will you attack it directly or not?". They are planning to milk the IP and sell small expansions with 15 cards each for 20€. Just finished my first game and immediately put it up for sale.
Thanks Mark, another fantastic video! My no1 is your no.2, I just love Primal. Andromeda edge, I would like to try it someday although I was not a fun of dwellings solo. Happy New 2025!!
Thank you for pointing out the mechanics in games that appeal to you, but may not to others amd clearly acknowledging them. I think we have quite different tastes in what we enjoy but i appreciate the way you describe games and the structure of your videos, an easy subscribe. Your review of Elder Scrolls was the final push I needed to order the game and ive revisted it a few times since. Your enthusiasm for these games is infectious and while some of your list doesnt sound appealing to me, I will still look into all of them after hearing your comments.
Never felt so conflicted as I do about Primal. It looks like the kind of gameplay I'd love. But Im trying to cut down on physical bloat and its just so unnecessarily big. I don't even dislike minis. Just wish standees were optional. Or better yet, chips. A rotating disc makes perfect sense for primal. Chip Theory can fit so much content into reasonably sized, reasonably organized boxes thanks to that.
I have the exact same issue. I like and even paint minis. But for me, too much of this game is giant pieces of plastic that functionally, are all spinning pointers of which you need only one. Maybe if they were smaller scale? Gameplay and theme are awesome.
I’m in the same boat. Would be an instant buy if there was a standee version. I’ve learned I’m not a minis person and don’t want to dedicate space for all of it. One of the reasons I love Chip Theory and have become a fan of games with acrylic standees.
What a great video Mark 👍😊 I love your reasons for Andromeda's Edge being number 1! You also saved me some bucks, as I had The Last of Us on my buying list 😃
Andromeda’s Edge RETAIL/BASE GAME DOES NOT HAVE SOLO!! It’s part of an expansion. People might be disappointed after they pick up just the retail/base game version.
Man, I would love to get many of these big box games like Primal. Money is not the biggest issue here, it’s space. Multiple massive boxes that’s overflowing all over. I’m far enough into the hobby here where I think I’ve reached the limit of space.
2024 wasnt near as good as 2023 for my tastes. my most anticipated games either didnt blow me away or didnt deliver (go figure) There were a few standouts for me though. Freedom Five - in all its fantastic glory. really fun. not as deep as some of my others, just a fun game Dawn of Madness - totally took me by surprise how good it is Union City Alliance - Superhero themed deckbuilder/map builder that is just a blast to play and doesnt get enough eyes on it Another fantastic video Mark! love your honest approach!
@@NotBoredGaming ya, and it takes a lot of plays to actually get through it all. i did like the mechanics a ton more than I anticipated, and of course the story is amazing
One added to the wishlist, two that are on the way (got in on 2nd Crowdfundings), and lots that were already on the wishlist - but then my wish list is ludicrously long... & I definitely need to learn more about Andromeda's Edge if combat isn't the only way to 'progress'.
Absolutely agree with you on Andromedas Edge as no. 1, Unity is great an fun to throw in when low on players 🤗 and like we talked about at Essen, i WANT ESO too!!! 😅
I really wanted to enjoy primal, but I just found it was to big an cumbersome for my dining room table, set up, playtime an tare down took way too long I felt, so much I got bored toward the end on the first fight, an so I had to sell it on as it would have just sat on a shelf doing nowt. I did back chip theorys elder scrolls but if that has similar issues it will also be out the door, with 4 kids running round the house an me only being able to play on sundays with work once a week, I've found I'm unable to enjoy these larger games now, an its a shame
Let's go to Japan was a miss for me as well. The simple drafting mechanic and the puzzle of getting the right icons was just boring to me. Its never a good sign when the thought "am I missing something" gets in your head. The theme is integrated pretty nicely into the cards but I can't help but just seeing a bunch of icons
I enjoyed playing Hunted: Kobayashi Tower (2024 edition) - small footprint and quick to set up and play. I also enjoyed Harakiri. This an awesome looking game but the writing is a little disappointing - I believe this is due to it being translated from Spanish.
It seems that this ranking is based primarily on the how complicated each game is, and more complicated games are being ranked higher. That’s not how it works. Just because a game is more complicated, that does not make it “better” than a less complicated game.
The “it” you are referring to is my personal preference, there’s no set rules for that. I’m not saying any game is “better” than any other game. I clearly state that these are the games “I” have enjoyed the most this year. It’s true, I skew towards more complex games - that’s a personal preference.
@@NotBoredGaming I understand opinions differ, but I urge you to play Cthulhu Death May Die. It’s not a very complicated game but it’s incredible! You may be surprised how great a less complicated hobby board game can be.
I absolutely disagree with you about The Last of Us board game. I think it’s highly thematic, extremely immersive, and has fantastic artwork and components. IMO, it’s a masterpiece!
@NotBoredGaming I don’t think think most people would find Andromeda’s Edge nearly as thematic and immersive as The Last of Us. Yes, Andromeda’s Edge is more complicated with a lot more things to manage, so if someone is looking for that, then they would definitely prefer it over The Last of Us. But IMO, immersiveness and theme matters a lot for solo games because you are playing the game by yourself so it needs to keep you interested, hold your attention, and make you think you are living in that game world. And IMO, The Last of Us does that extremely well.
@@rickytattoo I disagree. I think The Last of Us is more thematic and more immersive than Primal and Andromeda’s Edge. And IMO, theme and immersion is very important for solo gaming. A game doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be excellent. The Last of Us is a masterpiece!
@@boriskirov3953 The correct terms are: Amerithrash (meaning you destroy things in the game) and Eurotrash (meaning it’s a pretentious bland dull Euro game).
Your Elder Scrolls review helped push me over the edge to sell all my Too Many Bones stuff (nearly everything) as i wait for Elder Scrolls, TMB was enjoyable for me but didn’t knock my socks off
Always appreciate you Mark and 2024 had some FANTASTIC games come out so having Mythwind on your honorable mentions list is AH-MAZING. Thanks so much and can't wait to hear how our expansion, Friends & Family, integrates into your Mythwind playing sessions.
Your energy, organization of thoughts, and positive presentation comes out every time I see your videos. This is just a wonderful show with that continued enthusiasm. I can't help to repeat this. Your enthusiasm is very catching. Thanks for dropping this 2024 solo top ten.
Thank you so much for your very kind words, they really mean a lot. 👍
Great list Mark - agree very much with all your comments on Unconscious Mind. Looking forward to Elder scrolls though I am not a backer!
Your #3 is my #1. Absolutely love Unconscious Mind. Thanks for the great list--and all best for the new year!
That's amazing! Thanks much for giving our game a try. We're honored you liked Conquest Princess that much
Some great games on here. Thanks for doing this.
Great list Mark. Thank you for the content this year. Hope you had a good Xmas and have an even better new year
Excited for this video I LOVE SOLO games!
I ordered The Last of Us the day before this video came out. I own the previous two Escape The Dark games and really enjoyed them. They are even simpler than this one. I though "ok, this game is not for him, but why so much hate?" You were absolutely right in every statement. The previous ones took two minutes to set up and felt like half an hour party games. The flavour in them, besides the almost amature-ish old school like art, was the beautiful text in the cards that felt like someone was reading an RPG setting for you. Again, a dice fest but every time it was a wild ride. They never failed. This one completely lies for what it offers. It pretends it has a big, evolving world to explore, which it doesn't and the cards' text is basically "you see this monster from the video game, will you attack it directly or not?". They are planning to milk the IP and sell small expansions with 15 cards each for 20€. Just finished my first game and immediately put it up for sale.
Thank you for the time stamps, they are really informative.
34:26 Thank you for the incredible Shout Out! #AndromedasEdge
Thanks Mark, another fantastic video! My no1 is your no.2, I just love Primal. Andromeda edge, I would like to try it someday although I was not a fun of dwellings solo. Happy New 2025!!
Thank you for pointing out the mechanics in games that appeal to you, but may not to others amd clearly acknowledging them. I think we have quite different tastes in what we enjoy but i appreciate the way you describe games and the structure of your videos, an easy subscribe.
Your review of Elder Scrolls was the final push I needed to order the game and ive revisted it a few times since. Your enthusiasm for these games is infectious and while some of your list doesnt sound appealing to me, I will still look into all of them after hearing your comments.
Love the list! Really wish I hadn't canceled my Agemonia 😞
Always look forward to your picks. Lots of variety in the gameplay but most align with my tastes as well.
Great list, thanks.
Nice list! Thanks for sharing!
Never felt so conflicted as I do about Primal. It looks like the kind of gameplay I'd love. But Im trying to cut down on physical bloat and its just so unnecessarily big. I don't even dislike minis. Just wish standees were optional.
Or better yet, chips. A rotating disc makes perfect sense for primal. Chip Theory can fit so much content into reasonably sized, reasonably organized boxes thanks to that.
I have the exact same issue. I like and even paint minis. But for me, too much of this game is giant pieces of plastic that functionally, are all spinning pointers of which you need only one. Maybe if they were smaller scale? Gameplay and theme are awesome.
@@Dratio or Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs sized minis would do just fine for me lol. Easier to paint too
I’m in the same boat. Would be an instant buy if there was a standee version. I’ve learned I’m not a minis person and don’t want to dedicate space for all of it. One of the reasons I love Chip Theory and have become a fan of games with acrylic standees.
What a great video Mark 👍😊 I love your reasons for Andromeda's Edge being number 1!
You also saved me some bucks, as I had The Last of Us on my buying list 😃
Andromeda’s Edge RETAIL/BASE GAME DOES NOT HAVE SOLO!! It’s part of an expansion. People might be disappointed after they pick up just the retail/base game version.
Mark is showing the Deluxe Edition of the game, which does have solo mode !
Thats good to know
Solo is included in the escalation expansion.
@@lukelaurie Congratulations on your game. People seem to love it!
Primal and Andromeda’s Edge were my best games for 2024 also! Great choices.
Man, I would love to get many of these big box games like Primal. Money is not the biggest issue here, it’s space. Multiple massive boxes that’s overflowing all over. I’m far enough into the hobby here where I think I’ve reached the limit of space.
Where did you get the Voidfall hoody 😂
From Mindclash
2024 wasnt near as good as 2023 for my tastes. my most anticipated games either didnt blow me away or didnt deliver (go figure)
There were a few standouts for me though.
Freedom Five - in all its fantastic glory. really fun. not as deep as some of my others, just a fun game
Dawn of Madness - totally took me by surprise how good it is
Union City Alliance - Superhero themed deckbuilder/map builder that is just a blast to play and doesnt get enough eyes on it
Another fantastic video Mark! love your honest approach!
Thanks for watching. I really like Dawn of Madness it’s just that lengthy playing time which stops it from being great.
@@NotBoredGaming ya, and it takes a lot of plays to actually get through it all. i did like the mechanics a ton more than I anticipated, and of course the story is amazing
Andromeda's Edge is probably my number 1 game this year but Ascendancy 4x is a good contender too.
One added to the wishlist, two that are on the way (got in on 2nd Crowdfundings), and lots that were already on the wishlist - but then my wish list is ludicrously long... & I definitely need to learn more about Andromeda's Edge if combat isn't the only way to 'progress'.
Would you retire Dwellings because of how good Andromeda is?
What do you look for in a solo game? This might help viewers know *how* their own list would differ from yours.
It’s a good idea for a video - I’ll put some thought into it.
Does Andromeda replace Dwelings in your collection?
Nope - there’s space for both
Have you played Shackleton Base?
I’ve not unfortunately. I would like to though.
Absolutely agree with you on Andromedas Edge as no. 1, Unity is great an fun to throw in when low on players 🤗 and like we talked about at Essen, i WANT ESO too!!! 😅
I'm dying to receive my copy of Elder Scrolls!!
I really wanted to enjoy primal, but I just found it was to big an cumbersome for my dining room table, set up, playtime an tare down took way too long I felt, so much I got bored toward the end on the first fight, an so I had to sell it on as it would have just sat on a shelf doing nowt.
I did back chip theorys elder scrolls but if that has similar issues it will also be out the door, with 4 kids running round the house an me only being able to play on sundays with work once a week, I've found I'm unable to enjoy these larger games now, an its a shame
Do you think Primal has overtaken KD:Monster in your opinion?
Not quite - I will play Primal more because KdM is a major time sink, but KDM is still an amazing game .
Let's go to Japan was a miss for me as well. The simple drafting mechanic and the puzzle of getting the right icons was just boring to me. Its never a good sign when the thought "am I missing something" gets in your head. The theme is integrated pretty nicely into the cards but I can't help but just seeing a bunch of icons
Primal is… amazing.
I enjoyed playing Hunted: Kobayashi Tower (2024 edition) - small footprint and quick to set up and play. I also enjoyed Harakiri. This an awesome looking game but the writing is a little disappointing - I believe this is due to it being translated from Spanish.
I have Hunted: Kobayashi Tower (first edition). It’s a fun game.
It seems that this ranking is based primarily on the how complicated each game is, and more complicated games are being ranked higher. That’s not how it works. Just because a game is more complicated, that does not make it “better” than a less complicated game.
The “it” you are referring to is my personal preference, there’s no set rules for that. I’m not saying any game is “better” than any other game. I clearly state that these are the games “I” have enjoyed the most this year. It’s true, I skew towards more complex games - that’s a personal preference.
@@NotBoredGaming I understand opinions differ, but I urge you to play Cthulhu Death May Die. It’s not a very complicated game but it’s incredible! You may be surprised how great a less complicated hobby board game can be.
@@zimbo5521I e played it. It was in my Top 10 list for the year it was originally released (2019/2020?). This list is games released only in 2024.
@@NotBoredGamingI like his comment because it tells you you are doing your opinion wrong. I respect that
I absolutely disagree with you about The Last of Us board game. I think it’s highly thematic, extremely immersive, and has fantastic artwork and components. IMO, it’s a masterpiece!
Yeah - we are poles apart on that game but that’s ok - I’m glad you are enjoying it.
@NotBoredGaming I don’t think think most people would find Andromeda’s Edge nearly as thematic and immersive as The Last of Us. Yes, Andromeda’s Edge is more complicated with a lot more things to manage, so if someone is looking for that, then they would definitely prefer it over The Last of Us. But IMO, immersiveness and theme matters a lot for solo games because you are playing the game by yourself so it needs to keep you interested, hold your attention, and make you think you are living in that game world. And IMO, The Last of Us does that extremely well.
@@zimbo5521I agree with @notboredgaming
Great video Mark - completely agree on Last of Us, such a waste of time
@@rickytattoo I disagree. I think The Last of Us is more thematic and more immersive than Primal and Andromeda’s Edge. And IMO, theme and immersion is very important for solo gaming. A game doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be excellent. The Last of Us is a masterpiece!
I'm so out of touch
I have only heard about a couple of them
@revolutionhk that’s not a bad thing. It’s great to spend time with games we already own
Not a fan of ameritrash in general (which is half of your list I think?), but the non ameritrash choices are very solid.
@@boriskirov3953 The correct terms are: Amerithrash (meaning you destroy things in the game) and Eurotrash (meaning it’s a pretentious bland dull Euro game).
Your Elder Scrolls review helped push me over the edge to sell all my Too Many Bones stuff (nearly everything) as i wait for Elder Scrolls, TMB was enjoyable for me but didn’t knock my socks off