I keep saying I’m going to try more solo tabletop RPGs.  I’ve had challenges getting an in-person group going since coming back to the hobby in 2019.  Granted, there was that whole pandemic thing that sort of derailed the world for a while.  But even ignoring that giant elephant in the room, it’s been a challenge.  The obvious answer is solo RPGs.  Sure, you don’t get the same thing out of them that you get from gaming with other people, but it’s something, right?  Sadly, my inability to retain focus or to hold on to any sort of motivation for more than like 15 minutes has not made it easy.  Still, it’s a part of the hobby that fascinates me.  Add to that, my desire for a sort of cozy, procedural space exploration game, and Glide seems like a winner.  After all, I almost bought a PS4 or whatever number, just so I could play “No Man’s Sky.”

Glide, by Cody Barr, is set on a once lush planet called Eridoor.  After generations of destruction and plunder, the planet is now a mostly barren wasteland.  Into this harsh landscape, you ride your glider, looking for scrap and new discoveries.  The general play-loop of the game has you setting out from a base, exploring some hexes, using up supplies, making discoveries and digging up items of value, then returning to base to sell them and upgrade your stuff.  There is, however, more to it than that.  You also have various factions you can ally with.  Depending on the sort of character you play, you may have your own very different goals.  Maybe you’re just looking to score credits, but maybe you’re trying to rekindle the spark of life out there in the desert.

You don’t really die in this game.  You can run out of resources, but all that really seems to mean is that you have to return to base before you can continue.  It’s a harsh world, but not a harsh game.  That said, it’s not easy.  Especially at the beginning, before you’ve managed to upgrade your glider or what have you, you’ll be very limited on what you can accomplish during a run.  

I really dig the vibe of this game.  It’s meant to be played solo, or cooperative, so you could definitely have a few people out there, exploring the wasteland, opening the map, racing to find the coolest stuff first.  Or you could just chill by yourself, seeing what’s out there as you fill up a hex map.  I know there have been some expansions, and I’m curious to check them out.  I could definitely see raiding a few of my books of random tables to shake things up, or perhaps using elements of this game with other Science Fiction games that are out there.  Eridoor would fit right into the Fading Suns universe, for example.

If you’re into Science Fiction and want a solo (or cooperative) game that isn’t just about kicking down doors, killing anyone in the room, and taking their stuff, you might check this one out.  If I can get my brain on track for more than a few minutes, I could see having a lot of low-stress, low-stakes fun with this.

My unboxing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZP5UaEf-ak&t=3s

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