I am about to purchase the Core Set, mainly for the Solo aspect, I like a game I can play solo while I listen to music. I have friends to play with, but I want to know if the game is good in Solo mode.

Where are you about to buy it from is the more important question. Seeing as how the game isn't even out yet...

The_Audiophile said:

I'm going to buy it for the same reasons... this way, even when I want to play it and don't have friends around, I can still enjoy the game.

If it is good? from what I have read and seen (from the video Tutorial) it plays like 2 player mode with the exception of the 2nd player (of course) and a slight change in rules, for example, you only draw 1 card from the ..."Sauron" deck instead of 2, and so on...

Basically, if you think you would enjoy it 2 player, you might like it 1 player too.

I played WoW the boardgame single player mode (lol) and it was really awesome =) but in that ocasion, it's better with more players because it's a co-op pvp game ^_^ LotR it's just Co-Op

 I hope it's good solo.

Can't really say for sure until I play it though.

 Sorry about that, I meant buy as in Preorder.

None of us can honestly answer that question as we have not had the chance to pay it solo or otherwise with its release still being about 2 weeks away.

Yes, it is difficult to judge from just looking at the videos and reading the articles. But after all the Core Set is specifically designed for 1-2 players. (I think the Agot core set is for four players?). So ffg will have spent a lot of thought on this game being playable alone. As I like to play and meet with people, the game is probably more fun to play with one or more friends, but I certainly hope this to be a good solo experience.

If ffg manages to have a strong storytelling element (quests, storyline, scenario, etc.) this might actually turn out to be quite fun!

I have only one answer for your question.Its a Lord of the Rings card game it cant be bad .

I'm also wondering about the solo play option, as the game is designed to be co-op.

I have some friends who are excited about the possibility to play solo, but Middle-Earth CCG (a game I still love) had that option as well and it didn't really work for me.

In my oppinion, the real question is "Will this game work as a non-solo co-op game"?  Until we get to play it, we won't know either way, but the excellant tutorial confirms to me that this was designed as a solo game.  There is only one 'side' in this game - let's call them the good guys - against the encounter deck.  The 2 player version just has 2 people working fully together - no competition - to beat the same encounter deck that comes out more quickly.  I assume 3/4 players would meet progressively more encounters, but still win/lose together.  Therefore, if this game turns out to be good, I can't see it failing as a solo.

At first glance it looks like there will be plenty of action choices and variety of adventures to be good early on, but it will rely on expansions to keep the interest alive.  Bang goes the budget if I find I enjoy it!  Cheers!

I agree, the expansion are the key to the concept. For my part I really like the adventure packs being grouped into thematic blocks and I hope this adds a lot variety and storytelling to the game. I think the fact that most of the new cards in the adventure packs will be encouner and scenarion cards, seconds that the game really aims at a valid and fun singleplayer experience. I'm so excited! I just love the prospect of being able to test deck creations right and even have fun doing it!

The main reason I buy this game is that I could play alone.

Besides, even if I couldn't play alone I would buy it just for a sheer pleasure.

The graphics are great :)

The_Audiophile said:

I've got the game today and have played several games solo, and think I'm likely to continue to play this game solo or sometimes 2P co-op.

There are a few abilities that assume there is more than one player, but i've not found a card that is only useful when there is more than one player, and if you want to play that way, i think it is easy enough for a single player to run multiple sets of 3 heroes, with a deck per every three heroes.

It works really well with just 1 player and a single set of three heroes though and i can't see how it would play that much better with multiple players, other than the co-op/social aspects. The game certainly isn't broken with 1P nor gives the impression that solo player was added as an after thought.

And from the sounds of it, solo play will only become a richer experience as more adventure packs are released.

I tried it solo today for a first game using the leadership deck they provide you with and... it's hard. I was shafted in the end by my inability to heal my characters. If I'd been able to heal at all I'd have been better off though I did make one or two other mistakes. It was however good fun and I like the mechanics of the gameplay. I think for solo play a mixed deck might make it much easier. 

spirit said:

I can certainly see that- if you are sticking with a one-sphere deck, then you REALLY need to make sure that you play to your strengths, because there's no other aspects (i.e. the other 3 spheres) to help you out.