For solo play, 5 Parsecs have really been the perfect mix of not being too chunky (so the action moves along) and still offering some fun twists and elements to game play so that each game has some story to it. The game isn't like looking out your window to watch five guys shoot seven guys, where you wonder why they are there, what caused the issue etc. 5 Parsecs creates enough story so that you get an idea of what is on the line and what happens once the smoke clears. The extra flair really makes all the difference for solo play, in my mind. Without it the play becomes rather predictable. Too much plot armor for the heroes, etc.