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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated FUSE in Tabletop Games

Jun 12, 2019

FUSE

2015 | Action, Dice Game, Real-time

6.8

(4 Ratings)

Tabletop Game Rating

One of the best parts of the board gaming experience is finding a fun group of people with whom to play! Sometimes, though, coordinating a game night is easier said than done. We all must occasionally forego the group experience and face the world as the Lonely Only. But fear not! The world of solo-play is a vast and exciting realm! What follows is a chronicle of my journey into the solo-playing world – notes on gameplay, mechanics, rules, difficulty, and overall experience with solo variations of commonly multiplayer games! I hope this will provide some insight as you continue to grow your collection, or explore your already owned games!

FUSE is a fast-paced game where a bomb squad is working against the clock to diffuse a number of bombs discovered on their ship! The goal is simple: diffuse all of the bombs before they explode. The gameplay, however, is a little bit more complicated. While there are a few minor differences between group- and solo-play, the basics of the game are unchanged – players roll and place dice in unique combinations to ‘diffuse’ each card. If all cards are diffused in the 10-minute time limit, then the game is won! And if not…then I think you know what that means. BOOOOOOOOOM!

Having played and enjoyed FUSE in both a group and solo setting, I think I can honestly say that I miiiight like it a little more as a solo game. My main reason is purely selfish – playing alone means that I don’t have to share dice. In a group game, the dice are rolled and divvied up between all of the players. Playing solo means that I can keep all of the dice for myself! And, theoretically, that means that I should be able to diffuse my bomb cards more quickly since I have more dice with which to work! Gone is the agony associated with sacrificing dice to other players – they’re all mine! Yeah, I have to deal with all of the bombs by myself too, but not having to share my materials makes the job seem easier even though it might not necessarily be any easier.

For me, one of the most challenging parts of playing FUSE solo is the real-time countdown. I know, I know, the timer is one of the most integral parts of this entire game. However, the pressure of a time limit is stressful and it makes me a sloppy player – dropping dice, knocking over towers, etc. Some lucky people have been blessed with the ability to remain calm under pressure, but unfortunately I am not one of them. I hope you don’t misunderstand my grievance with the timer for disliking the overall game, though. Having a timer adds an element of excitement that creates such a high-energy atmosphere, even when playing solo. I’m literally just rolling and placing dice, but with a ticking clock, I’m on the edge of my seat with adrenaline pumping as I try to complete my cards as quickly as possible! With every play, I’d like to think that I have gotten better at managing the pressure of the timer, even though that may not necessarily be true…

I do thoroughly enjoy playing FUSE as a solo game. Since time is of the essence, the game forces me to be creative with my dice placement and I must constantly be changing my strategy based on which dice I draw and what cards I have before me at any given time. If you are looking for a high-energy game, even when playing solo, look no further than FUSE. It will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat and will keep you engaged in the action until the game ends – either in celebration of success or a fiery explosion!

https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/18/solo-chronicles-fuse/

Kudos

Catan: explorers and pirates

7.5 (8 Ratings) Rate It

Tabletop Game

This an an expansion for Catan which includes 5 novel scenarios which each build in each other. In...

Go For Broke

8.0 (2 Ratings) Rate It

Tabletop Game

The game you win by losing a million! The race is on to try and squander a million pounds as fast as...

The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) rated Biblios in Tabletop Games

Mar 28, 2018

Biblios

2007 | Card Game, Medieval, Religious

7.0

(5 Ratings)

Tabletop Game Rating

Idea of the game/Mechanics of it. (0 more)

I don't love the theme. (0 more)

Dice you don't roll, and books you don't read?!?!

This is a smart little game, that easily travels with you, the dice represent values, and therefore don't get rolled. It's essentially a set collection game with the values ever changing and the crux of the game is what to keep and what to pass, and then what to bid on when it comes up. Be savvy with your money until the time is right and get the best collection. Great little game. Not a ton of depth, but plays better with larger player counts, not especially good with 2 players.

Kudos

Ross (3284 KP) rated Yahtzee in Tabletop Games

Apr 4, 2018

Yahtzee

1956 | Dice Game

7.6

(36 Ratings)

Tabletop Game Rating

The game of perfectly combining luck and strategy

The ability to read the dice and hold/roll again is something that develops after a few games. You roll the 5 dice and are looking to make poker-hand combinations (total of 3s, 3 of a kind, straight, etc) in order to fill the scoreboard - if you pick the wrong space in the scoreboard too soon you can end up scoring nothing for an excellent throw.
Learning what to hold and what to spin and keeping your options open is a must - you can't go all out for 5 of a kind (Yahtzee!) on 6s if you have already scored for 6s etc.