Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is a game of Euro-inspired tactical combat in a persistent world of shifting motives. Players will take on the role of a wandering adventurer with their own special set of skills and their own reasons for travelling to this dark corner of the world.
60m - 120m
1 - 4 Players
Ages 12+
Abdul
Played about thirty scenarios into the campaign, and had an excellent time. However, I have been loath to get this back to the table because of how long it takes to setup, and how much table space it would eat up if I were to leave it out. Even with apps to help manage the campaign and combat, it is a huge administrative task to play Gloomhaven. There was one mission in particular that tried to simulate a city under seige, requiring you to manage dozens of NPCs fighting each other. It was so long and tedious that I just ended up skipping to the end, halfway through. The brilliant combat system is what kept me coming back. The multi-use cards and hand management feels very Euro-like, and the special effects are all different, giving a strong sense of theme and making each character class feel unique. Your cards get discarded as the mission goes on, simulating exhaustion, requiring you to be strategic and efficient with your deck of cards. The small amount of hidden information that affects the timing of when your actions play out, is perfect at encouraging cooperative planning between players. The combat ticks off all boxes for me, and the different scenarios and ability upgrades keeps it fresh after multiple plays. One disappointment I have though, is the uneven difficulty. The early 'tutorial' missions are way too hard and don't ease you into the game at all. Overall, Gloomhaven don't seem to be balanced around two players well, and you will get overwhelmed by monsters too often. My few plays at four players have felt fairly balanced in comparison. The story and legacy elements are decent, although I would have been just as happy playing the game without them. There is an absurd amount of content in the box which I will never unlock unless I break the rules a little. Gloomhaven is a lifestyle game that I can recommend if you only want to play a single game for the rest of your life. For the rest of us, it is still an amazing experience that is worth trying.
absurdistkobold
My limited interactions with Gloomhaven left me wondering when it starts to be fun. On paper it looks like something I would enjoy, but for whatever reason it doesn't click.
abernath
After opening the massive box and looking at the components and reading the rule book, I couldn't believe how excited I was to play. I rate it a 10 before I even played it. I can't get over the incredible amount of careful thought and care and creativity that went into this game. I am proud to be a backer. We have played through the first scenario and love it! I can't wait until the next game day when my son and daughter-n-law join us on our truly epic journey.