Viticulture - solo play review

Viticulture is a Stonemaier game that uses the Automa system for solo game play.  It is very clever.  It is a deck of cards where the top card is turned over for each automa turn, and there is usually some marker of what action to take for that turn.  In Viticulture it is colour coded for the 4 seasons, so depending on what season you are in, is what the Automa actions will be.

I like Stonemaier games, they are beautiful and they are fun.  I like the Automa system too, but I do find them really challenging, especially in Viticulture.  In Wingspan, the other Stonemaier game I own with Automa, you seem to accomplish more.  In Viticulture you have 7 years or rounds to try and beat the Automa score, but I find it is only the last 2 rounds anything really happens and it is over before I feel like I've really done anything.  I don't want it to be easy.  It is good that it is a challenge, but I find the solo play in Viticulture more frustrating than fun.  Maybe I just haven't got a good strategy with this one yet.

The last solo game I played, when I took these photos, I only got one wine order completed.  I could have got more, but  the Automa blocked me the last few rounds.

So my verdict on this one is that I really prefer the multi player over the solo game.

 In solo play you play each of the different starting points once, in any order.  You take the glass token and this can be spent to do a bonus action on the action area where your worker is.

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SOLO BOARD GAME RANKING - with the board games I own
1st Terraforming Mars
2nd Bandido
3rd Clans of Calendonia
4th Star Trek Panic
5th Ganz Schon Clever
6th Castles of Mad King Ludwig
7th Parks
8th Wingspan
9th Sagrada
​10th Viticulture