Hello all. Welcome to the start of what is bound to be a fun, inconsistent, and hopefully informative adventure. This is where I will give you my thoughts on board games I have played, mostly solo, in the hopes of providing insight that prompts you to pull up a chair and enjoy a game or two yourself.
Here are the eleven categories on which I will review the board games, along with a brief descriptor of each.
Quality - Do the game pieces and other items seem durable, worth the cost, and appropriate for the game type?
Artwork - Put simply, how good does it look? Does the art enhance the play or distract from it?
Theme - Is the theme of the game cohesive and enjoyable? Is it unique or common? Does it make sense with the game's mechanics?
Learnability - Given an appropriate amount of time based on the game's complexity, is the game enjoyable to learn? Are the instructions clear and well-organized, or disrupted and missing clarification?
Weight - How well does the weight of the game align with its mechanics? Is a simple game still engaging? Is a heavy game still accessible?
Engagement - How much did the game pull me in, based on enjoyment, mechanics, theme, or any other factor? Was the game captivating, intriguing, and delightful?
Decisions - Did the decision points in the game feel empowering and alluring, or were they overwhelming or inconsequential? Did the game rely more on luck or strategy?
Mechanics - How interesting were the game's interactions with itself? Were the mechanics of the game easy to use or were they too tiresome and intensive? Were they engaging or dull?
Solo Play - Was this game enjoyable to play solo? Were the goals and tasks fulfilling and specific to the game, or were they too simple like trying to obtain points to reach a certain achievement level as outlined in the manual? If an AI or Automa were involved, was it competitive and manageable to coordinate?
Shared Play - How likely is it that I could bring this game to a few other people for us to sit down and enjoy playing together? Does it require a commitment to understand the game before attempting to play it, or would it be effective to sit down and spend a few minutes learning at the table before diving in?
Replay Value - Did I want to try the game again? Does the game have the flexibility to be different with another play in a way that is fun to attempt to manipulate for improvement, or is it one-dimensional in its task(s)?
Based on these categories, I'll put together an overall rating based on a five point scale.
I will be curious to know your thoughts on these posts. Please reach out to the Solo Rhino Email and share your ideas for how this blog could be more helpful for you in your board gaming adventures as well. My hope is that this site will be beneficial to you all, whether you are gaming solo, or enjoying them with friends. Here's to the beginning of a fun little endeavor.
Keep playing, friends.
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