This year started off with a huge desire, like usual, to play more RPGs in 2024. Shortly followed by the crushing realisation that that is unlikely to happen. That was then followed by a a nasty chest infection that forced me to stop doing everything for 203 weeks…. and a small book caught my eye.
It was my copy of Four Against Darkness, a solo RPG I’ve played many times before. Stuck in bed it was the perfect thing to while away the hours. I was hooked. This was then followed by dusting off my old copy of Alone Against the Frost – a Call of Cthulhu style solo RPG.
Man those two games are good. Ironically, given that one was Cthulhu based, these two games kept me sane when I couldn’t do much.
So I decided to put down a list of FIVE solog RPG games to try in 2024; covering classic fantasy dungeons, space faring science fiction, the previously mentioned madness of Cthulhu, and a dark medevil fantasy.
Unlike other RPGs (D&D, Pathfinder etc) with complex character progression systems and narrative arcs, these solo RPGs focuses on emergent gameplay driven by dice rolls and random generation. They use streamlined mechanics and emphasis on chance make it ideal for quick and casual play sessions – which can be very relaxing (exception being The Wretched)
Who needs friends when you can solo RPG!
Four Against Darkness
Author: Andrea Sfiligoi. Year of Publication: 2016.
Four Against Darkness is a solo dungeon-crawling RPG that combines exploration, combat, and character progression. Players assemble a party of adventurers and then embark on quests to explore procedurally generated dungeons filled with monsters, traps, and treasures. The game emphasizes basic resource management and tactical decision-making as players navigate through the dungeon’s depths.
While the game only allows characters to gain experience to level 5, additional books have now been released to take that to 10 (or maybe 15 now). Nonetheless, most of your characters will be turned to stone (Medusa gaze!) or get stuck down a trapdoor before then.
Compared to the other solo RPGs listed here, Four Against Darkness offers a really nice straightforward and accessible gameplay experience, with a focus on simple tactical combat and exploration. Its party-based mechanics allow players to manage multiple characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, adding depth to strategic choices during gameplay.
A small semi-explored dungeon of mine, The Sunken Mount, after an hour-long Four Against Darkness session. While this wasn’t the map I produced during the game, that had far too many scribbles and notes on, this is the neat version I produced later.
Authors Note
This is easily my favourite Solo RPG of 2023 and 2024 at the moment, so if you’re wondering which of these five solo RPGs to invest in, pick this one if you’re on the fence. On Amazon for like £10 / $14.
I’ve written a 4AD mini-series expanding on some rules; such as new treasure tables and making special dungeon corridors. Check out the whole series here.
Alone Against the Frost
Author: Chaosium Inc. (Based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft). Year of Publication: 2020
Alone Against the Frost is a solo adventure set in the chilling world of Lovecraftian horror, where players take on the role of an investigator braving the icy wilderness of Canada’s Northwest Territories. As they navigate through the frozen landscape, players encounter cosmic horrors and uncover dark secrets, with the outcome determined by their choices and actions. But don’t expect this to be easy – so many times I have played this and ended up dead / dead lost / or dead mad!
The game features a branching narrative and sanity mechanics that reflect the psychological toll of facing eldritch terrors; something akin to the old pick-your-own-path adventure books.
Alone Against the Frost stands out for me as its atmospheric storytelling and psychological horror elements are second-to-none, offering a narrative-driven experience that emphasizes player choice and consequence.
Unlike traditional dungeon-crawls such as Four Against Darkness, it immerses you in a bleak and foreboding setting outside, where survival depends on more than just combat prowess.
The main drawback I have with AAtF is that a few paths lead you to instant and utter failure, so unless you’ve kept good notes, you can’t undo your decision.
Overall though, a superb if very challenging atmospheric game.
While it is the most expensive solo RPG I’m listing here, the quality and finish is the highest, and the page count is decent too. Its well worth picking up if you like horror and a challenge. Pick it up on Amazon for £20 / $28.
Ironsworn
Author: Shawn Tomkin. Year of Publication: 2018
Ironsworn is a tabletop RPG designed for solo and cooperative play, set in a gritty fantasy world where players take on the roles of ironsworn—vow-bound adventurers sworn to uphold their oaths. The game features a narrative-driven system driven by player-defined goals and challenges, with mechanics for resolving conflicts, forging bonds with NPCs, and facing the consequences of failed vows.
Ironsworn emphasizes collaborative storytelling and character development, allowing players to shape the world through their actions.
Ironsworn offers a dynamic and flexible gameplay experience, with a strong emphasis on player agency and storytelling. Unlike traditional table top RPGs with predefined scenarios, it empowers players to create their own quests and challenges, which adds quite a bit of depth to this solo RPG. These decisions help make each playthrough unique.
While it is a solo playable RPG, its cooperative play option also sets it apart from the other solo RPGs listed here. This nice features allows for shared storytelling experiences with friends. It is the heaviest ruleset I’m listing here – so is not quick to pick up and grasp. See it more like a very indepth game you can play, as opposed to the rules-lite products of Four Against Darkness for example.
You can grab the Ironsworn book here.
Authors Note
I’ve just noticed you can pick the full 270 rule book up for FREE – legitimately too. From the authors website, he has uploaded it for free. I’ll link to the downloads page instead of the Google Drive hosted file, so his website gets a bit more clout.
The Wretched
Author: Chris Bissette. Year of Publication: 2018
In The Wretched, players assume the role of the last surviving crew member aboard a doomed spaceship. You’ll be struggling to complete your missions while contending with a malevolent alien presence – a classic issue for any space-faring nation. In fact I believe the author has been quoted saying they were heavily inspired by Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise – and why the hell not!
The game utilises a deck of cards and a Jenga block-removal game mechanics, both relatively unique, where players must maintain their sanity and keep the ship’s systems operational as they face increasingly dire circumstances. By dire circumstances, I mean aliens getting inside, life support failing, or the ship literally crumbling to pieces around you (in space that is very detrimental to your health!)
The Wretched emphasises tension and decision-making, with you racing against time to stave off disaster, while things just get more and more periless.
If you’re looking for a relaxing solo RPG experience, I would probably give this one a wide berth – maybe pick 2d6 Dungeon (below) or Four Against Darkness (above).
The Wretched offers a high-stakes survival experience set in a sci-fi horror setting, with gameplay focused on navigating narrative-driven challenges. Unlike traditional RPGs with party-based mechanics, it places players in solitary confinement, heightening the sense of isolation and vulnerability.
Its novel use of a standard deck of cards, as well as the Jenga blocks, makes for gameplay mechanics that add a tactile and immersive element to the experience.
As far as I’m aware, this can’t be bought in many places, however can be printed on demand from LootTheRoom for about £8 / $11.
2D6 Dungeon
Author: Paul Elliott. Year of Publication: 2015
2D6 Dungeon is a solo RPG where players explore procedurally generated dungeons, similar to Four Against Darkness, but using only two six-sided dice (2D6). Each roll of the dice determines the player’s actions and outcomes as they navigate through the dungeon’s depths, encountering monsters, traps, and treasures along the way.
With its very minimalist ruleset and random generation mechanics, 2D6 Dungeon offer a pretty quick and accessible gameplay experience with endless replayability. This one is the most similar to any other listed in this article (Four Against Darkness), but it is a really popular choice and I didn’t feel right leaving it off completely.
2D6 Dungeon distinguishes itself with its simplicity and ease of play, making it accessible to pretty much any skill levels.
Costs about £6 or $8 but is only available in PDF form, via places like the DriveThruRPG.
Solo RPG Summary for 2024
So those are my current five Solo RPGs to try this year, do you agree? Obviously many solo RPGs have had to have been missed off the list, but which one tugs on your heartstrings because I’ve not mentioned it.
In summary, the five solo RPGs to try are:
- Four Against Darkness: Delve into procedurally generated dungeons, battle monsters, and uncover treasures with this dungeon-crawling solo RPG by Andrea Sfiligoi.
- Alone Against the Frost: Experience chilling tales of cosmic horror in the Arctic wilderness with this solo adventure based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, published by Chaosium Inc.
- Ironsworn: Forge your own destiny in a gritty fantasy world as an ironsworn adventurer in this narrative-driven solo and cooperative RPG created by Shawn Tomkin.
- The Wretched: Navigate a doomed spaceship and confront malevolent forces in this sci-fi horror solo RPG designed by Chris Bissette.
- 2D6 Dungeon: Embark on quick and accessible dungeon-crawling adventures using only two six-sided dice with this minimalist solo RPG by Paul Elliott.
My personal favourite is Four Against Darkness – buy a copy now and let me know what adventures you get up to.