Top 10 Stressful Solo Board Games

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  • Опубликовано: 4 янв 2025

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  • @garyfaust6769
    @garyfaust6769 Месяц назад +6

    I appreciate the effort to get these high quality videos published as often as you do. They are the absolute best! Thank you! Marquis, Robinson Crusoe, & The Grizzled are among my most favorite. I find these a pleasure to play and not so stressful. I would like to get Resist! & Hall of Hegra which I think would be stressful for me. My friends that I play X-wing with have This War of Mine & Nemesis that I hope to play soon.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      I appreciate those kind words. Thank you. Ah, the Grizzled is tough and bleak. I've played it once or twice a long time ago and found it depressing but clever. An underappreciated card game. Thanks for checking out the video!

  • @sanniray
    @sanniray Месяц назад +2

    I recently got Resist as a first foray into solo games (and board games in general) and it really does emulate that feeling of being an outnumbered and dwindling resistance. That being said I think I'll check out your cozy games list for my next game😅

  • @mattd3359
    @mattd3359 Месяц назад +9

    Another great video, thank you! This morning I actually just finished my 4th play of Halls of Hegra, and got a win! Probably the most stressful game I play (I actually put it above Final Girl, due to the game taking longer).

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      That's a good point. The length of the game definitely contributes to the stress. Final Girl is a bit of an outlier because it is comparatively quick -- at least compared to This War of Mine, Halls of Hegra and Frostpunk. It always hurts more to die after 3 hours rather than 90 minutes. Thanks for watching!

  • @czystybog
    @czystybog Месяц назад +13

    I haven't played any of the games from your cozy list but own/played/wishlisted almost every single one from the stressful list. Not sure how I feel about that 😅

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      I bet most players favor one group of games over the other. I definitely lean more towards this list -- these are some of my favorites of all time. But I mostly don't game for relaxation but rather entertainment, so I enjoy exciting, tense decision making with high stakes. Thanks for watching!

  • @JesseLynnRucilez
    @JesseLynnRucilez Месяц назад +27

    Never apologize, brother. It's your list. My favorite game of all time is Euphoria, but that never even pops up on anyone's Top 100 games. So, to each, his own.

    • @Retax7
      @Retax7 Месяц назад +1

      I've always wanted to try it. But not only it isn't sold in my country, but also I've never seen it at a reasonable price.

    • @TimothyRiel
      @TimothyRiel Месяц назад +1

      In my top 5. I hear you… get a lot of eyerolls for that one.

    • @JesseLynnRucilez
      @JesseLynnRucilez Месяц назад

      @@TimothyRiel Maybe people don't connect with the theme, but I enjoy dystopian settings. I think it's one of Stonemaier Games' best, but it gets overlooked due to Scythe, Tapestry, Wingspan, etc...

    • @Retax7
      @Retax7 Месяц назад +1

      @@JesseLynnRucilez I own most stonemaier games and while most of them are good, none is great. IMHO, wingspan is mediocre at best, and red rising is probably its best game, though I haven't tested euphoria.I expected nothing of red rising and it's pretty good.

  • @bertdekimpe8511
    @bertdekimpe8511 Месяц назад +3

    Is 'Under falling skies' already mentioned? The constant threat of ships coming down at you and the mothership slowly approaching... You're always in need of energy and fire power, while at the same time you want time for research, now that's stressful! But very satisfying when everything works out.

  • @blairblack281
    @blairblack281 Месяц назад +11

    it's long out of print, but Space Hulk: Death Angel remains my ultimate stressful solo experience. cheers!

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +2

      Great call! I forget about that one and it hasn't hit my table in a while, but I should bring it back out. It's a wonderful game. Thanks!

    • @mattkutrik
      @mattkutrik Месяц назад +1

      Learning the rules from the provided manual is a stressful activity in upon itself. 😉

    • @blairblack281
      @blairblack281 Месяц назад +1

      @@mattkutrik lol so true.. ten or so pages of pure confusion.

    • @Wild-Coma
      @Wild-Coma 11 дней назад

      This war of mine is my favorite solo game of all time.. 1000s of different scenarios has made each run feel new.. very very stressful, your plans can change in an instant at about 3 different points in a ingame day. and you have to survive 7-10 days on easy

  • @jumpmaster82nd.
    @jumpmaster82nd. Месяц назад +3

    "Black Orchestra " has an ebb and flow for me that gets tense then lessens then builds again.

  • @jcdc9437
    @jcdc9437 Месяц назад +1

    What a list! Usually, I don’t feel stress when I play BG, but you open my eyes. I think my favorites games are in that list. Frostpunk, TWOM, Nemesis, Final Girl, etc. Just WOW! I play ISS Vanguard now and it’s kind of a mix of cozy and stressful game, pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing. 👌

  • @nobuthatsme9201
    @nobuthatsme9201 Месяц назад +3

    You nailed this list man. I won’t play some of these because of the tension.
    Lol I mean- coffee roaster vs this war of mine.
    It’s an obvious choice for me haha.

  • @orangetoucan148
    @orangetoucan148 Месяц назад +1

    Great list. Halls of Hegra just arrived at my favorite store, it seems more wildly distributed now. A great game will make its way to the top naturally!

  • @2emersons
    @2emersons Месяц назад

    Great video! These kind of games can be very cathartic in overcoming them finally IF you can enjoy the challenge.

  • @adriang6259
    @adriang6259 Месяц назад

    What an awesome list. Just what I'm looking for. I'll have to keep rewatching this list , great idea.

  • @ralfn9629
    @ralfn9629 Месяц назад

    Great list. I think you covered pretty much all the goodies. (Final Girl, Nemeses, This War of Mine, Frost Punk) Only editions I could think of are the 7th Continent/Citadel series (which one could like Robinson Crusoe play as comfort game, and City of the Great Machine.

  • @Tomas-pm7mn
    @Tomas-pm7mn Месяц назад +1

    Oh another soothing video from TT. I really appreciate your solo "whatever" videos. Thanks for making my evening more relaxing 😉👍

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Thanks for the kind comments. I appreciate your support and I'm happy you enjoy the channel.

  • @goldengriffon
    @goldengriffon Месяц назад +1

    One of the most stressful things about solo gaming is how expensive even a modest solo game can be, what with relatively tiny print runs.

  • @mickeymyers13
    @mickeymyers13 Месяц назад

    Great list, brother, and awesome video as always ❤

  • @gunneykanu
    @gunneykanu Месяц назад

    This War of Mine, Halls of Hegra, and Final Girl are solid stressful picks. Others to consider would be Soldiers In Postmen's Uniforms and Castle Itter by David Thompson, and published by DVG. Any version of Dawn of the Zeds, and maybe Plum Island Horror, too.

  • @zgodla
    @zgodla Месяц назад +2

    City of the Great Machine co-op certainly qualifies for that for me. Firstly, it is set into a sort of victorian city, ruled by a human build machine (AI), that is trying to slave all its residents. Secondly, it is a hidden movement game where the AI is hunting you while you try to stimulate a rebellion. Although you don't lose on the spot if your hero is caught, you still get punished for it and you are soft limited on how many turns you have before the Great Machine finalises its plan.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      That definitely sounds stressful. Hidden movement is a stressful mechanism pretty much every time. I've been meaning to try City of the Great Machine and just haven't managed to get it to the table yet. Hopefully soon. Thanks so much for commenting and watching the video!

  • @alois257
    @alois257 Месяц назад

    Tiny towns! Yes, definitely very tight and stressfull. But I love it.

  • @krittapastt.95
    @krittapastt.95 Месяц назад

    The mention of Robinson Crusoe got me cracked up! 😂 Though won’t be surprised if it appears on this list as well.

  • @johndavidharding
    @johndavidharding Месяц назад

    Love the creative theme for this list!

  • @diablosrouge
    @diablosrouge Месяц назад

    I do love Final Girl, and the game it takes its mechanics from, Hostage Negotiator is also quite stressful. There's not as much set up, the dice are a little meaner, and the theme is more harrowing than the fun horror tropes of Final Girl. Fuse & / or Fuse Countdown make for a fun, quick (10 minute timer), stressful solo play, though the scoring system doesn't really mean anything due to variables.

  • @CiboFidian
    @CiboFidian Месяц назад +2

    This is exactly the list i hoped for after the cozy game list. 😁
    Arkham Horror is on my top spot. I enjoy the game but sometimes things are going horribly wrong.
    Dawn of the Zed is on my second spot.
    Your lines are really well defended but you still have to roll these two dice.... 😱 How many times i rolled snake eyes and yelled at my cardboard defenders how incompetent they are. 😤

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      I really need to play Dawn of the Zeds -- that is one that has slipped through the cracks. Great suggestion! Thanks so much for checking out the list!

  • @GrizzTactix
    @GrizzTactix Месяц назад

    well added Resist to the games I should get, thanks for showing it and as much as I want nemesis I can't pull the trigger on something like that I feel like it's a lifestyle game where you keep buying and buying more of it. For a game for you should look up "Iron Helm" by Jason Glover, it's a hard push your luck card game.

  • @AeronwyD
    @AeronwyD Месяц назад +2

    I've played This War of Mine the video game and it's soooo good. Really need to get a copy of the board game!

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      Yeah, it feels quite different than the video game. Check out my playthrough video to see it in action. Thanks for watching!

  • @mariac_campos
    @mariac_campos Месяц назад +3

    Besides the stress that Final Girl puts me through, it’s my favorite solo game.. can’t wait to get season 3. Have you tried some of the other scenarios?

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      I have tried several other scenarios, all from season 1. I have a couple boxes from season 2 but I don't think I've played those yet. I could be misremembering. I plan on filming a season 3 scenario when they come in. Thanks for watching!

  • @silo_fx3182
    @silo_fx3182 Месяц назад

    Sees title of video and thumbnail of This War of Mine, nods in agreement. Great list and run through. I have Frost Punk and really want Halls of Hegra (along with most of this list 😞).

  • @ronansheridan848
    @ronansheridan848 Месяц назад

    Great idea for a video! The most stressful games for me are the tight games with really consequential choices… (the ones that induce high levels of AP! Top of the list foe me would be (dis)Spirit Island. (the waves of invaders 🥵)

  • @violettiplady3113
    @violettiplady3113 Месяц назад

    Nemesis is brilliant. Never played it solo. I just played it again tonight in the harder side and we had enough players for one person to be the intruder player. It was brutal. I died. Everyone lied on their resume. I was a soldier running away the mech was not fixing things. The scout was missing their shots, the captain doing nothing but attracting aliens and the pilot horsing their ammo and being the only player that got off the ship and won. 🤣

  • @valzalel5203
    @valzalel5203 Месяц назад

    Currently playing Once Upon a Full Moon for the first time with Final Girl!

  • @snake_plant
    @snake_plant Месяц назад

    Lux Aeterna for me - even with the "easy" (BS!) 15 minute time limit i still find myself getting flustered due to the firefighting. Speaking of firefighting The A.R.T Project also needs a mention!

  • @jeremiahhammer2282
    @jeremiahhammer2282 Месяц назад

    I own most of the games on this list, and yeah, definitely a lot of stressors here. This War of Mine is my favorite game of all time, and I suppose it’s because it feels like an experience to me almost more than a game. Arkham Horror and Frostpunk would be my #2 and 3 respectively, but my number 1 is easily Freedom The Underground Railroad. Oof.

  • @ex1stgames
    @ex1stgames Месяц назад

    Excellent follow up!

  • @jvomkrieg
    @jvomkrieg Месяц назад

    XCOM: The board game solo All 4 stations, real time, nothing like it.
    great list by the way, I've enjoyed 8 out of 10 of these and would have 9 if frostpunk didnt cost and arm and a leg.

  • @edencandelas
    @edencandelas Месяц назад +3

    Added a few entries to my wishlist ...

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      I hope you find a game you really enjoy. Check out my playthroughs to really get a good sense if the games will work for you -- or if you want to learn how to play. Thanks for watching!

  • @rogerr2796
    @rogerr2796 Месяц назад +1

    I don’t have most of the games on your “stressful” list. But I’d personally rate Maquis high on that list. The theme is great. But it seems like the designer did everything possible to make you lose.
    As just one example, the town’s morale drops every turn even if nothing bad happens. So often you’ve got to ignore your goals and just concentrate on propping up morale. Ugh.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Yep, that was so close to making the top 10. A very stressful little game but a great one. Thanks for watching!

  • @ForAllTheMeeples
    @ForAllTheMeeples Месяц назад +1

    Mike, I love your channel!

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      I'm happy you enjoy the channel. Thanks so much for the kind words!

  • @darbyl3872
    @darbyl3872 Месяц назад +1

    None of these type of games stress me out, unless they have a timer. Games like Taboo, Stay Cool, and Magic Maze, those can be stressful unless you decide ahead of time that it doesn't matter, it's just a silly game.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +2

      I don't think I play any solo games with timers (in fact I cannot think of one off the top of my head). Certainly, multiplayer opens up a host of different options, like Galaxy Trucker. I find the Crew weirdly stressful because you don't want to let down the team. Thanks for watching!

  • @b.2194
    @b.2194 Месяц назад

    Of all of these games I have only played Arkham Horror LCG, but it didn ´t catch me at all. I found out that the whole Cthulhu theme is not for me, I thought the game was rather boring, so: no stress for me 😂 Agricola was a very stressful game for me: farming the right way and feeding your family - I hated it. I prefer cosy games, life is stressful enough. But I do have to admit: the more I hear about This War of Mine, the more intrigued I am by this game, although it is not a game for everyday, as you said, you have to be in the right mood for this experience. Thanks for showing the games 🎉

  • @hiho8084
    @hiho8084 Месяц назад +1

    Now I know what games NOT to get...🤪🤪 although I already have a couple of them. I have found that I don't want to be stressed out during game play, which is why I find myself avoiding games like final girl, even though the concept looks exciting.... I have Season one, and haven't broken down and played it yet!

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      I totally get that. I personally have moods where I want something intense and other moods where I need something more mellow. It's all a matter of taste and what you want to get out of gaming. I think a lot of people use gaming as a way to unwind after a long, hard day, and games like Frostpunk and This War of Mine are the worst picks for that job. Thanks for watching!

  • @SPQRKlio
    @SPQRKlio Месяц назад +1

    All my fave solo games are on the high-stress side. Resist. This War of Mine-I’d have been so disappointed if that wasn’t number one. I don’t know what this says about me and what I do in my spare time to “relax” 😂

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Some people use games to relax but not everyone. I mostly watch comedies or sports or listen to music to relax and mostly prefer high stakes, exciting games. But sometimes I'm in the mood for a cozy board game, especially at night. Lucky the hobby caters to all tastes. Thanks so much for checking out the video!

  • @thesignatus
    @thesignatus Месяц назад

    I think I just realised why I disliked Final Girl so much - it's stressful! I think I can manage Resist levels of stress but clearly not Final Girl!
    Thanks for the video, always great content in your channel.

  • @kosterix123
    @kosterix123 10 дней назад

    You should try those tower defense games ..

  • @ErictheCleric-RPG
    @ErictheCleric-RPG 29 дней назад

    I need your help! There is no decent solo tutorial for War of the Ring the card game with the solo Against the Shadow expansion. I’d love to see you do a video on this as I know you’d do the game and the community a big favor! Please……

  • @jdogbemple1
    @jdogbemple1 Месяц назад

    Kingdom Death Monster definitely belongs on this list

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  28 дней назад

      I haven't played it, but it seems like a perfect game for the list. Thanks for watching!

  • @ShineOnYouCD
    @ShineOnYouCD Месяц назад +1

    In Nemesis, does it make thematic sense for noise markers to stay there long after your character caused them to appear?

    • @czystybog
      @czystybog Месяц назад +1

      Yes, it's not the noise caused by your character. It's the sound of intruders creeping nearby that your character heard.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +2

      That's a good point. I always think of it as the noise I'm making but you are right. It is the noise the aliens are making around you based on your movement. Either way, it feels very dramatic and intense. Love it. Thanks!

  • @marcodaveri
    @marcodaveri Месяц назад

    i enjoyed the video! one question: i own nemesis lockdown, do you prefer the first nemesis? and why?

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      I have yet to play Nemesis Lockdown, though I recently acquired it and hope to try it soon. So no preference, I've just been playing the original for years now. Thanks for watching!

  • @malixcorvin777
    @malixcorvin777 Месяц назад

    This war of mine isn’t too stressful. It’s an easy game to play with some interesting decisions. I don’t think I’ve ever felt “stressed” playing it.
    Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever felt stressed playing anything but Frostpunk.
    This war of mine flows nicely and is easy to play. Tough to win but it plays smooth. The stories are interesting and well written. But it’s just cardboard and plastic at the end of the day.

  • @Jagostekspade
    @Jagostekspade Месяц назад

    Duuude you need to try Space Hulk: Death Angel! I promise you it will go right into this list! 😉

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Yeah, I played that a long long time ago and haven't played it since. Definitely need to get it back to the table. I remember enjoying it. Thanks for the suggestion.

  • @bmrigs
    @bmrigs Месяц назад +1

    Robinson Crusoe comfort food? You lie. 🤪

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      Ha, well you need to play it like 60 times and then it becomes comforting. :)

  • @soloflo
    @soloflo Месяц назад

    In fact it is Robinson Crusoe that gets stressed whenever you play it 😂 and win (unlike the rest of us mortals 😆)

  • @laurencesingh3948
    @laurencesingh3948 Месяц назад

    Pandemic is definitely up there! And Robinson Crusoe. But I understand why you didn't put it on there. I'd say two big ones for me are Voidfall and Marvel Champions. Both have that feeling of trying to overcome overwhelming odds and seeing your enemies' power grow while dishing out multiple things for you to try and deal with at once. And there can be that feeling of there's no way for me to do everything that I need to.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Marvel Champions is a really good one. I think boss battlers in general are pretty stressful. I've been playing a lot of Primal and I should have put it on the list. These challenge scenarios are super tense. Thanks Laurence!

  • @nihlify
    @nihlify Месяц назад +1

    I tried Last Bastion (Ghost Stories re-skinned) a handful of times. Lost horrible, not worth the stress :P

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      I can totally understand that. Games like Ghost Stories go from bad to worst to not quite as bad to hopeless. You never get a chance to catch your breath (or maybe I'm just not very good at it). Thanks for watching!

    • @quesoblanco444
      @quesoblanco444 Месяц назад +1

      I had no idea that was a re-skin. Thanks for hipping me to that info dude.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +2

      I believe Last Bastion also has streamlined rules compared to Ghost Stories, so not a straight re-skin but close.

  • @stormburns
    @stormburns Месяц назад

    Tiny towns ?! 😂

  • @berserkley
    @berserkley Месяц назад

    I was wondering when Ghost Stories would show up...

  • @aorakis5795
    @aorakis5795 Месяц назад

    Unfortunatly, most of those stressful games, just came from the pure randomness from random tokens, randoms cards, random dices...
    I wish there was an other way to be hard, without being too much based on luck, like in those Final girl, Resists and ghost stories... etc...
    To me, most of those are just lacking developpement and ideas to make them hard, yet not based on pure luck most of the time to do so..
    Gears of war - the boardgame, is another exemple of an excellent game, yet really hard and based on dice rolls for the most part of the "hard / stressful" part of it...
    Final girl was the last of those "unfair" boardgames i tried, and the bad stuff and losing just based on dice rolls... was enough for me to get rid of it. Wich is a shame, coz the theme and materials are great

  • @slimyweasel
    @slimyweasel Месяц назад +2

    I, too, find Robinson Crusoe comforting!
    My number one is definitely Arkham Horror LCG. The tension in the butthole it provides is impeccable.
    Spirit Island stresses me out too, for different reasons.
    Honorable mentions: Nemo's War, Dawn of the Zeds, John Company, Pavlov's House and Navajo Wars. But still I find them comforting and laid back.

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +1

      That's a great list of games. I still need to play most of those. Spirit Island was on the short list for sure. Thanks so much for checking out the video!

  • @jbo2471
    @jbo2471 Месяц назад +3

    Bullet stress me the hell out

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Good one! That can be super stressful, especially towards the end. Thanks for checking out the list!

  • @kosterix123
    @kosterix123 10 дней назад

    I wish someone would sell me Ghost Stories...

  • @Sherlock-Sky
    @Sherlock-Sky Месяц назад

    Top game longer play more than 2H pls

  • @mikaelpelletier1954
    @mikaelpelletier1954 Месяц назад

    oh! I respect the list but my God where is LoTR LCG?!! 😮

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад

      Never played it. Only so many LCGs/TCGs I can handle and I went with Marvel Champions, Arkham Horror The Card Game, and Doomtown Reloaded. Thanks for watching!

    • @rezakhan9153
      @rezakhan9153 Месяц назад

      ​@@TotallyTabled Love your top 10 lists! They're consistently insightful. Would love to see two new ones: a breakdown of common board game terms or your favorite mechanics ("Dry", Bag Building, etc.) and another covering your favorite solo automas out there. Keep up the great content!

  • @marcusp4278
    @marcusp4278 Месяц назад

    Am I the only community oddball who isn't a fan of the new descriptor, "cozy"?

    • @TotallyTabled
      @TotallyTabled  Месяц назад +3

      No, I bet you are in the majority actually. Plenty of people express annoyance at the word. I'm not sure why. It seems like the perfect word to describe this type of game (I use it here in this thumbnail as a silly reference to my previous list). I like it because so many games (especially video games) are so overwhelmingly focused on violence, action, dexterity, aggression, dark and disturbing themes, etc. that having a term to describe casual, low stakes, cute, relaxing, meditative, happy, colorful games -- that are not necessarily for kids -- is very useful and welcoming. Thanks for watching.

  • @eliezernachman
    @eliezernachman Месяц назад

    👍🎲

  • @victorgonzalez2927
    @victorgonzalez2927 Месяц назад

    I’d put on my list;
    Carnival Zombie
    Space Hulk Death Angel
    Nemo’s War
    Burncycle
    Black Orchestra
    Darkest Night
    Dawn of the Zeds
    To name a few! 😉