burncycle vs Too Many Bones: Which Solo Game Is Better?

Quick answer

If you want a tight, puzzly solo game where a single bot activation can be planned and executed in one sitting, burncycle is the better fit. If you want a sprawling RPG-like campaign with deep character progression and high replay value, Too Many Bones is the better fit. Both are Chip Theory Games titles, so component quality is excellent either way. Your choice comes down to session length and how much table space you can dedicate.

Choosing between burncycle and Too Many Bones for solo play is really a question of what kind of brain-burn you enjoy. burncycle is a stealth-action puzzle where you control a robot crew infiltrating corporate strongholds. Too Many Bones is a dice-driven adventure where you build a Gearloc over a series of battles. They share Chip Theory Games' signature heavy chips and neoprene mats, but they ask very different things of a solo player.

This comparison looks at the trade-offs that matter most when you play alone: setup and teardown, table footprint, rules overhead, and how each game rewards repeated sessions. I'll also point out where each one asks you to supply your own patience or storage solutions. By the end, you should know which box to put on your solo table.

Theme and solo feel: stealth puzzle vs dice adventure

burncycle casts you as a robot crew breaking into a corporate facility. You plan routes, manage noise, and time your actions against patrols. Solo, this feels like a puzzle with a clock: you are optimizing a sequence of moves and reacting to guard behavior. The tension comes from being seen and from running out of turns, not from leveling up a character.

Too Many Bones puts you in the role of a Gearloc, a customizable adventurer with a mat. You roll dice to attack, defend, and trigger skills, then spend loot and progress points to grow stronger. Solo, it plays like a compact RPG campaign: each encounter is a fight, and the story emerges from the dice and the Tyrant you face. If you like rolling dice and building a character, this is the draw.

• Pick burncycle if you enjoy planning a route and executing it cleanly.
• Pick Too Many Bones if you want to roll dice and watch a character grow.

Setup, table space, and session length

Both games use neoprene mats and chips, so neither is a small-footprint filler. burncycle typically needs a main board plus player mats and a patrol area; solo, you manage one crew, which keeps the footprint manageable but still wide. Too Many Bones uses a battle mat, Gearloc mats, and multiple dice and chip piles. Solo, you control one Gearloc, so the space is similar, though the number of dice and chips can sprawl as the game progresses.

Session length is the bigger difference. burncycle scenarios are built around a set number of turns, so you can often finish a solo run in one evening. Too Many Bones solo can be played as a single Tyrant fight or as a longer campaign; a full campaign will take multiple sessions. If you want a complete arc in one sitting, burncycle is easier to schedule.

• Measure your table before buying: both games want a large play area.
• Use a dice tray for Too Many Bones to keep rolls contained.

Rules overhead and solo upkeep

burncycle has a moderate rules load. You learn how actions, noise, and guard reactions interact, then you run the facility's patrol logic. Solo, you are both the crew and the opposition, so you need to be comfortable switching hats. The upside is that the puzzle is self-contained: once you internalize the patrol rules, turns flow quickly.

Too Many Bones has more moving parts. Each Gearloc has unique skill dice, and you track HP, loot, and progress. Solo, you only manage one character, which keeps upkeep lower than a multiplayer game, but you still need to know how your specific Gearloc works. The first few games will be slower as you learn the dice symbols. After that, the rhythm of roll, resolve, and advance becomes smooth.

• Start with a recommended first Gearloc to reduce rules overload.
• Keep the rulebook open to the solo reference page for the first few sessions.

Replayability and content depth

burncycle offers multiple corporations and scenarios, so you can change the puzzle by swapping the facility. Solo, that variety is the main replay driver: different layouts and guard patterns make you rethink your approach. If you enjoy mastering a system, this is where burncycle shines.

Too Many Bones has a large roster of Gearlocs and Tyrants, and the dice-driven combat means no two fights play the same. Solo, you can try a new Gearloc or a higher-difficulty Tyrant to reset the challenge. The trade-off is that the base game gives you a limited set of Tyrants; expansions add more. If you want endless variety, plan for expansion purchases later.

• Check the Gearloc count in the base game before assuming you have enough variety.
• For burncycle, try each corporation once before judging replay value.

Component quality and storage

Chip Theory Games is known for heavy chips and neoprene mats, and both games deliver that. The chips feel good in hand and survive repeated play. The trade-off is weight and box size: these are not games you casually toss in a bag. If you plan to play at a friend's house, you will feel the difference.

Storage is another consideration. Too Many Bones has many dice and chips, so an insert or plano box helps keep setup fast. burncycle also has many tokens and cards; a few baggies or a small organizer will save you time. Neither game includes a perfect storage solution out of the box, so budget a little for organization if you want quick setup.

• Use small zipper bags for chips and dice to speed setup.
• Keep the neoprene mats flat; do not fold them.

Trade-offs at a glance

• Session length: burncycle scenarios are turn-limited and often finish in one sitting. Too Many Bones can be played as a single fight or a longer campaign. Choose burncycle if you want a complete solo session in one evening.
• Character progression: Too Many Bones lets you build a Gearloc with dice and skills across encounters. burncycle focuses on crew tactics and route planning within a scenario. Choose Too Many Bones if you want RPG-like growth.
• Replay variety: burncycle varies by corporation and scenario. Too Many Bones varies by Gearloc and Tyrant, with expansions adding more. Both reward repeated play, but Too Many Bones has more expansion content available.

Product facts

• Too Many Bones: Unbreakable: This is a Base Game in the Too Many Bones line, priced at USD 49.98 (catalog comparison price USD 99.95). The catalog description includes a Gearloc Council edict about hiding evidence of wrongdoing and adventurers going underground. If you want a standalone Too Many Bones entry, this is a base game option. The price is lower than the comparison price, so it is a good entry point if you are curious about the system.
• 40 Days in Daelore: Additional Baddies & Encounters for Too Many Bones: This is an Expansion priced at USD 14.98 (catalog comparison price USD 29.95). It adds 40 new Encounters and 15 unique Baddies, with a mix of General, Special, Solo, and Tyrant Encounters. If you already own Too Many Bones and want more solo variety, this expansion directly adds new encounters and baddies. The Solo Encounters are especially relevant for solo play.

Which should you choose?

Best for

• Solo players who want a stealth-action puzzle with a clear turn limit.
• Gamers who prefer planning and route optimization over dice-driven combat.
• Players who want a complete scenario in one sitting.

Not for

• Solo players who want deep character progression and RPG-style leveling.
• Gamers who dislike managing patrol logic and noise tracks.
• Players who want a small-footprint game.

Both burncycle and Too Many Bones are strong solo experiences from Chip Theory Games, but they scratch different itches. burncycle is the tighter, puzzle-forward option; Too Many Bones is the deeper, dice-driven adventure. Pick based on the session length and type of challenge you want on your table.