Top 10 Solo Cooperative Games - Straight Up Solo with John LaRuffa

[@harrylee1896]

Great list. Nice to see a mention for First Martians, bit fiddley but I love it as a companion with Robinson Cruseo.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I agree with you. I need to play it more!

[@fongstar]

I learn so much from your videos. Thank you!

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I’m glad they help!

[@dannyverbraeken3829]

Thanks for making this overview. Didn't expect that Mansions of Madness was so good to play solo.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I love it!

[@StevanSeagal]

Just picked up Mansions of Madness 2E. The app really helps with a lot of the heavy lifting. Love the atmosphere it’s provides, too. Great video.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Thanks! I do like the whole feeling of playing this with the app on a cloudy day as the sun sets.

[@riazhasan1199]

Great list!

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Thank you very much!

[@andrii_andrew]

Some games from this list look like nice recommendations for me. Thanks for it, John!

[@JohnLaRuffa]

You are quite welcome!

[@monoludico6166]

Found your channel today. Subscribed. Your list is interesting! 5 or 6 games I never heard of before. Spirit island is fantastic, although I have to admit that I prefer the low/medium complexity spirits (the more complex ones hurt my brain). Other favorites of mine are: Tiny Epic Defenders (with The Dark War expansion), Marvel Champions, Robinson Crusoe and The Lord of the Rings LCG. I'm just about getting into Final Girl and Imperium: Classics/Legends right now. Those seem to be great for solo playing. Cheers

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Those are great games too! Thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@crowwick7652]

Good list, thanks. One of my favorites is This War of Mine. It’s a rough one. Took me about 10 plays to beat it once. I do struggle with some rule ambiguity here and there. Haven’t tried the expansions yet. I don’t play specifically for the win. I try to play as if I was really in the scenario. Being generous when I can afford to be. Not killing unless it was truly necessary. I’m sure if I went through like a narcissist, it would be much simpler.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I eventually had to part with my copy. I just could not seem to win the game and was losing interest because of it.

[@wizardofoz6811]

Hi John, great list! Thanks! I see Petrichor behind you, is it a good game for solo?

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I must confess that I sold it before playing it solo. It was one of the last games I played while my kids were still into playing with me. I didn’t like it enough to keep it in my collection.

[@nickvandam1214]

I didn't much care for Mansions because after I beat the scenarios I didn't experience the variety you are talking about. Eldritch for me tells much more compelling and varied stories as I play. Cool list, such a variety of games.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I started my experience with the base game and I think 2 of the old scenario conversion kits. That probably put in a lot of the variety I experienced initially. Maybe that threw off my judgement on how much I got from it initially. I do love Eldritch Horror as well, but it doesn’t have the same immersion as I experience when I am playing MoM.

[@barneyz350]

good list! Horrified is one of mine

[@bankingonmoney8224]

This was a great top 10 coop solo experience list. Robinson Crusoe looked into that and sad nah don't want something that stressful especially after work. Thanks gosh Mage Knight isn't #1! Lol... Your list was very unique and was unaware some of them actually play well solo. Thanks for all the time and effort on the video's. Have a great weekend!

[@JohnLaRuffa]

You have a great weekend as well. Very glad you enjoyed it and also glad you saw some things you were surprised to see!

[@manueltheisen3973]

@Father Paolo, O.Pa. It's still one of the greatest games ever made in coop. Just takes way too long to play. If you have the time for it and like that sort of thing, it's an amazing experience. You can make a whole day of it. Play, talk, barbecue...

[@jljl640]

12:25 A game based on a deception... why not! 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Mussar523]

Thank you for the video it gave me a few ideas to look into to. Have you played Aeons End? I find this to be the perefcet solo cooperative game. I play two handed and it is probably my favorite.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I used to have it in physical copy but sold it and bought the app. I really enjoy it!

[@davidfiser113]

when playing mansions of madness solo, do you play with 2 characters (or more)? @johnlaruffa

[@TheRedPolyhedral]

That's an interesting list. I don't think Space Alert is that rare, as I bought my copy just a few months ago. It's certainly available in the UK.

[@manueltheisen3973]

Still available in Germany as well. Just looked it up. Doesn't surprise me, though. Was very popular here as most games with real-time mechanisms are. The popularity of Kitchen Rush was off the charts. The German publisher even made a new "version" of the game with nicer art and graphics, a much much much better rule book and even a very good tutorial mode.

[@infinitelee6256]

Question about space alert, how do you play it solo? two hand or 3 hand? thanks in advance

[@JohnLaRuffa]

There are specific rules to it but you basically have to play all of the characters at once. You have access to all of the cards at once as well. If I remember correctly, you may not be able to adjust cards one you play them, but that is it.

[@infinitelee6256]

@@JohnLaRuffa thanks man appreciate it. btw love you channel

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Thanks! I am very glad to hear you are enjoying the content!

[@manueltheisen3973]

That was an interesting list, thanks. I know most of the games on your list, played and/or own some of them, but I never heard of The Big Book of Madness. Will look into that one. I never got into the Pandemic Games. I know they're supposed to be very good, but every time I have to decide which game I want to buy, Pandemic draws the shorter straw. Kingdom Rush: Rift in time flew under my radar until now. Never gave it much thought. Just looked it up and it looks intriguing. Gonna put that on my long list with the prospect of making the short list. I honestly don't see a big gap in difficulty between Ghost Stories and Last Bastion. I really like them both. Probably played Ghost Stories more. But both games can be brutal. In my opinion, Robinson Crusoe and Spirit Island belong on every solo/coop/solo-coop list that wants to be taken seriously. Love em both. I share your opinion on First Martians. Robinson Crusoe is the (much) better game "designwise". And yes, Spirit Island provides so much gameplay and variety and content. One could play "just" Spirit Island for a year and maybe, maybe than have seen the whole depth of it. And with all the expansions... It's a game that I will probably never have the time to fully explore. The Loop is definitely one of the best recent solo/solo-coop games. I really like it. I think the fewer the players the better it plays. Bought the first expansion and it's very fun, too.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Thanks for the great comments!

[@CptBumFlufff]

Great list thanks! I really enjoy Cthulhu death may die co-op, not sure how well it would solo, anyone tried it? I would probably add Marvel Champions, Ark' Horror LCG, Sleeping Gods and Jaws of the Lion. Thanks for making this list 🙂🤘

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I do love Marvel Champions and Arkham Horror LCG. Glad you enjoyed the list!

[@booch7767]

Another great Top 10. CO2: Second Chance (I knew about it, but it went under my radar for a while now) and Robinson Crusoe (brushed it off after reading a negative review) have been added to the never-ending list of games I want. Spirit Island mechanically looks good, but the theme puts me off. For me, while I don't mind so much about poorly integrated or pasted on themes, themes I don't like (fantasy, horror) put me off. Its a shame because everyone in the solo community raves about Spirit Island so much. Maybe I'll give it a chance one day.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Glad as always to be of service. Robinson Crusoe is a game you have to be in the mood for, but when I am, I love it. Very hard game to win though.

[@manueltheisen3973]

Soccer fan, I guess. ;) Good luck this season. I'm more into the Wolfsburg Ladies. Beaten Hoffenheim tonight in a real thriller. But do give Robinson Crusoe a try. Was very popular here (as almost everywhere), but the aspects of risk management, safety optimizing, outcome planning somehow appeal to Germans. I don't know why. Never had a single play with a German gamer that didn't like it. The German rulebook is awful, though. English isn't much better. I'd recommend watching a good playthrough on KZbin. Genus Solo has a fantastic one.

[@IskandarStrategist1689]

When weather machine board game by vital lacerda release? I think this game best solo to.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I kickstarted Weather Machine and cannot wait for it to ship!

[@booch7767]

@Father Paolo, O.Pa. That's a great choice.

[@JohnLaRuffa]

That’s my favorite one so far.

[@ryankirkpatrick8062]

I sold Robin Crusoe. It was a lot of work for losing. I mean the rules. I spent more time reading what to do then playing

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I understand what you are saying. I sold the first edition of the game because of that. Later, I decided to get the second edition which was a little easier for me to understand. Still lose all the time though!

[@nihlify]

I'd add Atlantis Rising

[@JohnLaRuffa]

I had that one for a while, but it was just soooo fiddly, that I could never bring myself to play it.

[@mabos555]

Great list, still nothing in common with all the lists of solo Co_op except for bullet heart/star 😅

[@JohnLaRuffa]

Well I am expanding your horizon then :)

[@mabos555]

@@JohnLaRuffa yeah totally agree

[@dczyrka0]

Agree 90% i love spirit island!! ....but big book of madness is trash....

[@JohnLaRuffa]

To each their own I guess.

[@thesolitairegambit2556]

This is a great list! My favorite coop games are: Marvel United Forbidden dessert Marvel Champions The Rising franchise games from USAOPOLY. Jaws of the Lion