Compare the Solo and Multiplayer Modes of a Board Game

It says on the box that it plays one to four. What the box does not say is whether the solo mode is actually good or whether it is a mechanism bolted on to increase the addressable market. Some board games have solo modes that are as good as, or better than, the multiplayer version. Others lose everything that makes them work. This compares the two experiences for a specific game and tells you which to start with.

I want to know whether {GAME_NAME} is worth playing solo or whether it really needs more than one player. Compare the solo and multiplayer experiences: how the core mechanics change between modes, what solo mode adds or simulates in place of other players, whether the solo mode feels like a second-class version or a complete experience in its own right, and which mode to start with for someone buying this game for the first time. Give a clear recommendation if one mode is significantly better than the other.