Rune: The Magic of Making Patterns with Overlapping Cards

Create a little magic with colorful rows and columns of different stones in a quick and interesting experience with Rune.
Onward with all of the small solo games! I first played Rune a little while ago and thought it would turn into something I played regularly. The quick playtime and familiar mechanics were the right recipe… And then I shelved the game box in a place where I forgot about it. I was happy to bring this one back to my table for some fun with overlapping cards!
Game Overview
Game Name: Rune
Publication Year: 2019
Designer: Zemilio
Artist: Tristam Rossin
Publishers: Giga Mech Games and Little Rocket Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Gameplay is simply about placing cards to create groups of different runes. The trick, though, is in the nuances of how to overlap cards and create some of the best collections. Restrictions add more challenges, and a few solo modes are included to offer new ways to play!
First Play
April 15, 2022
Complexity
1
Latest Play
May 7, 2023
Expansions
3
Setup Time
Almost None
Lifetime Plays
10
Play Time
5 Minutes
High Score
45
Game Area
14" x 10"
Low Score
24
Mysterious Magic
A lot of solo games with similar mechanics are focused around nature themes, which I love. Yet it’s nice to see some mages showing up here with a magical tone.
The goal is simply to score the 3 different runes by building connected paths and claiming the groups.
Where it gets really interesting are the placement rules. Cards can either perfectly match the overlapped runes, or match all runes around after placement is complete.
It provides a little more to think about than pure matching, which can lead to some fun moments!
Splitting the Deck
A starting card always begins in the center, but the rest of the cards may be evenly split for back-to-back plays.
In this way, time simply flies by! There really isn’t any setup other than a quick shuffle and split of the deck.
Another nice element is the inclusion of 3 solo modes, which I still have yet to explore. It’s simply pleasant enough to play through a quick and fun challenge!
The other ways to play do seem important since the standard solo mode might get a little repetitive over time. Still, it’s a great little puzzle that I highly recommend!
Crafting Rune Groups
Runes connect along simple pathways, but in solo, there are limitations on how long a straight line may be for each type. Red runes are the rarest and most difficult to align.
Hence the reason why I scored a group of… 1 red rune. Ha! This wasn’t my finest moment, yet figuring out the strategies again was a great learning experience.
My blue rune group was excellent, but each of those was only worth 1 victory point. I needed the red runes!
I found myself not utilizing the card placement rules as much as I could. So, it was onward to another play.
Fire and Water
It took me a few more quick tries, but I finally managed to put together this assortment of cards. So much better!
The red runes looked like a giant fire pit surrounded by a moat of water. My green runes suffered a little bit, yet this was an outstanding outing with my highest score ever.
There are plenty of similarities with more popular games about overlapping cards, but there is something about this one that appeals to me. It feels different enough.
Another factor might be how I sometimes struggle to see placements, but this clear artwork makes it very easy!
The Ability to See the Patterns in Artwork
One thing that often fascinates me is the way I can see the patterns in some board game artwork… While I truly struggle to connect the dots with other artwork. This is why some highly ranked solo games aren’t ones that work for me. It isn’t that they’re bad games in any sense: My brain just doesn’t want to see what’s sitting right in front of me!
That’s an important consideration when I purchase new games, particularly ones that involve overlapping cards or patterns. If I struggle to see these elements in photos, that’s a good indication I probably shouldn’t buy the game.
It’s a challenge at times, though, particularly since some of those games are ones that are highly rated and seemingly universally loved. If you’re in the same boat, know that you’re not alone! Our brains work in different ways, leading to lots of different available games. When you’re struggling with one, don’t feel like you have to force yourself to like it.
As an example, see if the photos here make sense to you. Can you easily tell the runes apart? Would you be able to plan ahead a little bit to figure out to make a group larger with a single card? It’s not always easy to tell without playing, yet if you don’t see the patterns easily, then this might not be the solo game for you. No problem: That’s absolutely OK!
Session Overview
Play Number: 5-10
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Solo Mode 1
Outcome: 24, 37, 41, 27, 45, 38 (4 Wins & 2 Losses)
It all came back to me quickly after those first couple of plays! Winning wasn’t necessarily a guarantee, but finding out how to place each card made for a nice challenge. I still have yet to try out the additional solo modes, although I’ve left out the expansion content for now… Seems like it will only make this first solo mode easier, and I’m up for making it a little more difficult.
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
9
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
5
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
6
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
4
+ Pros (Positives)
- Gameplay moves along very quickly with the goal to simply place 8 cards connected to the starting card.
- Overlapping cards offer a few different strategies that add a bit of a challenge with placement rules.
- Limitations on the size of straight lines of runes makes the solo mode more of a puzzle with planning.
- Since the goal is to keep the play area relatively small, there isn’t a lot of required table space to use.
- Multiple solo modes seem to add more challenges and variety to increase the difficulty level, as desired.
- The artwork is simple yet excellent with runes that feature different colors and easily differentiated symbols.
– Cons (Negatives)
- There isn’t a lot of variety with the standard solo mode besides trying to reach the highest attainable score.
- Although expansion modules are nice, they typically make gameplay easier rather than introducing challenges.
- Some of the rules are a little hard to grasp with the way certain sections are worded for the solo mode.
- Many concepts are familiar from other games, and there may not be anything to keep this one around forever.
Victory Conditions
Score 35+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 75%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 35 points in Solo Mode 1.
Score at least 40 points in Solo Mode 1.
Score at least 45 points in Solo Mode 1.
Score at least 50 points in Solo Mode 1.
Continue the Conversation
What do you think of Rune? Are there other solo games about overlapping cards that you enjoy? There might not be anything wildly unique here, yet as I’ve mentioned before, not a lot of solo games need to break the mold. Fun isn’t measured by innovation, after all. At least, not for me. I’ll continue to have fun putting together these rune groups!
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