Review: It's a Wonderful Kingdom (Solo Mode) - Good Game, Bad Name

On an absolute spur-of-the-moment impulse buy I got my hands on "It's a Wonderful Kingdom" by OriGames (Designer: Frederic Guerard; Art: Anthony Wolff). I am always on the look out for games that accommodate solo-play and I was intrigued by the theme and found the box-art rather pleasing.

(We were actually in the shop to pick up Wingspan, which we are excited to try).

I knew nothing of the game pre-purchase but from what I understand it is generally considered more fun with 2 players rather than solo but I wanted to give it a go anyway. The central premise is that you are vying to restore a kingdom's rightful heir (you) to the throne. The game is an engine builder, which involves obtaining cards and resources to then provide further resources each consecutive turn of the game and earning Victory Points, and from what I experienced, it flows very well. What particularly excited me about the game is that each time you play you use one of the many provided "modules" that add complications and additional win conditions to the game. There are a decent number of modules and variations to keep the game interesting for plenty of playthroughs.

The Set Up

My first game was blind, having not looked up any reviews or information. However, I have since checked what other people's experiences were and I entirely agree that although this is a challenging and rewarding game, the biggest challenge is in getting through the rule-book. While the rules of the game are fairly easy to digest, the way in which the set up is explained, especially when incorporating the solo rules and the module rules, feels almost sarcastically complicated.

After flicking back and forth between the primary set-up and the solo set-up alterations, it felt a little unfair for Guerard to then tell you that the arrangement you just put together will never be used and now you need to go to a module and make those amendments to the set up as well. This includes basically going back through all the decks you just shuffled to find the certain cards you actually/don't actually need and then reshuffling them. Plus there are a few glaring omissions in terms of how certain set-ups translate to solo-mode.

(A few times it felt as though some odd choices were made in the design that allow players to make incredible risks, with almost no reward. Why have it as a choice if there is such little strategic value?)

All that being said, I repeat that at its core, the rules are straightforward, easy to follow, and the phases of the game flow well into each other. 

The Playthrough

My first playthrough was using the Solo Scenario: Rats Everywhere! My Aspiring Monarch needed to build 4 farms, that were all the while attracting rats. Rat cards left at the end of the game had values to subtract from your total victory points. In order to complete the game, all 4 farms had to be constructed within the 4 rounds of the game, and on top of that, in order to achieve even the bronze rating of completion, players need to finish with 70+ victory points.

I chaotically made my way through the first playthrough, testing the mechanics of the game and making some very poor choices (for science - see my above aside) and managed to build all 4 farms just as the final round ended! 

My Victory Point Score? 

-14.

I admit that probably counts against my attempts to take the throne.

Despite the problems I've outlined above did I immediately reset and play another game? You damn well bet I did!

All 4 farms constructed. Victory Points: 20... so still well below the 70 needed for bronze. But I think I'm learning the game now and I am absolutely going to be playing this again soon. Give it another game or two and I'll be scraping that Bronze in no time and will move on to the next scenario: The Prophecy.

The Impression

On the one hand this game as a solo experience needs a bit of housekeeping done. The rules and set up guide feel chaotic and unclear. But at the moment that is the only downside I can slate (if pressed I'd have a little moan about the box organisation. So many cards needs something to keep them together, no? Also, the name. It's a mouthful and sounds so... at odds with the subject matter). I think Wolff has done a lovely job of the art work, the game pieces are satisfyingly tactile, and the game is engaging and runs smoothly when underway.

I have a deep suspicion of any game that I can beat within 2-3 attempts. I like a challenge.

This is a solid game that, while not the most exciting or ground breaking addition to my shelf, I will happily recommend to anyone looking for a bit of relaxing Solo time. For the price, (I picked up a copy for £14.99 down from £24.99) there's enough there to keep you engaged, and enough to keep you on your toes without feeling like you're at a disadvantage if you don't have a mathematics degree.