Since it’s a list of other great recommendations, I want to highlight for you:

If you’re willing to spend $10, itch.io has an amazing bundle on right now with a bunch of solo games:

https://itch.io/b/3484/no-ice-in-minnesota

By a “bunch”, there’s a total of over 1400 games. Some are PC games and some are print and play one shot RPGs or board games or party games. Many have solo rules.

If this deal wasn’t going on right now, in your shoes, I would still go shop itch.io because it’s where I find great independent solo game and solo RPG authors, and many are like $2.

Seriously great bundle for a pen and paper gamer. I’ve never seen one like it.

It’s a worthwhile charity too, in my opinion. I live too close to Minnesota, so I have some motivation to see the masked thugs without badges or body cameras stopped before they spread any further.

I would like to recommend Koriko: a Magical Year.

In this game, you’d play as a sixteen year old witch who goes to the town or city of Koriko to pursue witchcraft and make friends and develop as a person over a year. Using one game book (or a PDF), 21d6 which are primarily for stacking on top of each other, a journal which should look and feel like a spell book, and a deck of tarot cards, the game feels like Kiki’s Delivery Service meets Persona, and I adore it so very much.

My own version of Koriko is a massive futuristic megalopolis, and magic only works when the ingredients are grown from the ground instead of replicated.

I highly recommend this game!

Some favorites for me: Sandworm, basically solo Tremors (1990) where you need to dynamite a giant sandworm $2CAD

Escape the Zone, Roadside Picnic/S.T.A.L.K.E.R inspired $5CAD

Under Falling Skies, 9 card PnP solo board game. It was also part of a competition that happens yearly, I’m sure there are other cool submissions.

Chzo Mythos, a point and click horror series. Thats the Linux version page but the Windows ones should be there too.

Ironsworn. https://github.com/Billiam/awesome-ironsworn

There’s also a card game called scoundrel that’s like a dungeon crawl and free (there are how to play videos on YouTube).

Arkham Horror LCG can be soloed and is good but costly.

Vantage is a great solo card game but it’s a bit expensive at $90. I really like it. Great game play loop and a fun way to use your cards while exploring. There’s also one deck dungeon for a lot cheaper. It’s not my favorite, but I play it in hotel rooms a lot because I can pack it easily.

This is a low barrier to entry solo game that is 1) free, and 2) it’ll let you know if you like this style of gaming.

https://noroadhome.itch.io/alone-among-the-stars

For solo RPGs, I have gotten a lot out of using the Mythic Game Master Emulator with all sorts of games. I’m working on Coriolus right now, but I have had a lot of fun with simpler fantasy games like Knave and Maze Rats.

Starforged is great, but i got that on sale.

This is great for solo gaming:

https://zeruhur.itch.io/lonelog

So is this, even though it’s about PbP games

https://zeruhur.itch.io/keep-the-story-moving

If you’re willing to spend $10, itch.io has an amazing bundle on right now with a bunch of solo games:

https://itch.io/b/3484/no-ice-in-minnesota

Won’t you consider board game classics? Catan, Munchkin, Ticket to Ride, Exploding Kittens, Wingspan etc. are pretty good choices, albeit not “solo”, all have free/online versions somewhere.

Also check BoardGameGeek for “solo games”. Their ranking are most often pretty spot on.

What do you mean by PnP in this context?

Here are some tabletop games that can be played solo:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2819/solo-solitaire-game/linkeditems/boardgamemechanic?pageid=1&sort=rank