Interesting Kickstarters (Week of 2/12/2018)

Once again, there are some alluring options on Kickstarter this week if you're a solo gamer. I have not yet committed to any Kickstarter campaigns in 2018, but Pulp Detective is really tempting me. Without further ado, here are the solo playable Kickstarters that caught my eye this week: 

1. Pulp Detective 

Pulp Detective is a solo game with 2-player variants—music to my ears, since I would love to see more games that cater to solo players. The game includes several "cases" for you to play through, and that play out a little differently each time to allow replayability. To solve a case, you'll draw cards, spend investigation points to hunt for clues, and roll dice at crucial junctures. The real charm of the game is its art, which uses real pulp novel covers from the 1930s. There is also an expansion already available to backers that adds extra cases, fun sidekicks, and more "double cross" cards. If you want to try Pulp Detective for yourself, it's on Tabletopia. 

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2. Rambo: The Board Game

I really couldn't care less about Rambo, but the board game is for 1–4 players and allows you to play through several different military operations. Some of them you'll remember from the movies, and others are new. There are a lot of miniatures at higher tier levels, so if you want to play at being Rambo, this game seems to offer an immersive experience. Although the theme isn't for me (I never could get past the title of First Blood: Part 2), I am happy this game exists because it shows just how much more mainstream board games are getting these days. It's interesting to see games that aren't about fantasy environments or pirates, games that are about war but that aren't "war games." To me, it's a sign that the market is able to support a wider variety of games, and I like that. 

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3. Viceroy: Times of Darkness

This is an expansion for Viceroy, a game that was previously successful on Kickstarter. If it interests you, there is a pledge level that includes both the base game and the expansion. The goal of the game is to win "power points," and you can do so by recruiting powerful allies to build your own "pyramid of power" tableau. I haven't played the original, but Viceroy looks like a quick, puzzly strategy game that has excellent artwork. 

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