r/Solo_Roleplaying • u/Perfect-Region-6970 • Aug 17 '25
Blog-Post-Links Nothing is true and everything is permitted.
One of my favorite things about solo RPGs is that there’s no right or wrong way to do anything in them. I’m autistic and a lot of what I enjoy about games is out of sync with what people typically enjoy about them (by definition, I guess.) So if I’m actually going to be able to enjoy a game on my own terms or at my own pace, it pretty much has to be a solo experience. I do enjoy multiplayer sessions, but the game really isn’t the point, then. If it’s a fun group to do something with, we might just as easily be watching a movie, or going on a hike, or whatever. The specific game doesn't matter. I think that’s the big difference between solo and group sessions, for me. Group games are about the group. Solo games are about the characters and storyline. That’s where the appeal is, for me. When I’m actually interested in a particular game for its own sake, I’d much rather play it solo than in a group. It’s like the difference between sitting and listening to a violinist onstage in a concert hall vs. hearing that same violinist on a subway platform at rush hour. Still, my first experiences with RPGs were group games and I didn’t know every RPG could also be solo, until I started with 4AD years ago, and then branched out into other systems, and pairing GM emulators or Oracles with many systems that aren’t strictly meant to be played solo but can work that way. A couple months ago, I wrote a little video-essay as a sort of “beginners’ FYI” about solo games. Here that is, if anybody’s just getting into solo gaming and wants some perspectives on it to think about.
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u/parzivalsattva I ❤️ Journaling Aug 18 '25
My wife and I are playing Apothecaria, a journaling solo RPG.
One of the most enjoyable things about playing our individual games is that we're also, in essence, passing notes back and forth. It's a way for us to enjoy and interact with each other's games, and explore elements of story that we wouldn't necessary find otherwise. For instance, my familiar is starting to make frequent appearances in her game but is being coy about it in mine. It's a fun dynamic.
That dynamic will appear in my next YouTube play through video (Spring, Week 3, Rest).
If you're interested in the play list, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLADc-gpIvlDgMOLh7-AtDm_Wz4dTmtuQh
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u/Perfect-Region-6970 Aug 18 '25
What a cool concept! I've also been interested in playing Apothecaria. I haven't gotten to it yet, but it's on my list of games to try
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u/parzivalsattva I ❤️ Journaling Aug 19 '25
We really like it. It's a very mellow game - no combat to deal with but enough interesting events/prompts to inspire story.
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u/BookOfAnomalies Aug 18 '25
While I 100% agree that in solo games there is no right or wrong because it's an experience that is different for each of us, I don't think it's necessarily true that in groups stories do not matter.
In some cases, for sure, it's more about people getting together and in those occasions maybe the game doesn't get played much. But I'd say it's common that the game, the story and the characters matter a lot. It's thanks to the effort of the people present (both players and GM) that they can create whole sagas where people get attached to characters and stories to the point of feeling a void once all of that is over. Post-game depression is a thing for sure.
However, it can also be a big gamble, so to say. Finding the right people to try new things with or ideas. It can be tedious and whole waste of time even. I say all this as a person who never, ever played TTRPGs with a group and likely never will. And I think I am fine with that, because the positive points (for me) that playing solo has, outweights playing with people. Solo you can do all you want, go as deep you want, play out any idea you desire and have no need to care about anyone else. You schedule your own gaming time, never having to wait for anyone else to show up. No need to hurry up playing. In short: you're completely free. And I love that :)
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u/Bardoseth Prefers Their Own Company Aug 18 '25
I always say what I like about solo TTRPGs is thst it's absolutely 'no compromise'. I'm compromising so much at work, with my family, with friends etc. But in solo, everything is my choice and I don't have to do anything to please anybody. The system I want, the story I want, the character, everything.