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Gloomhaven was originally a tabletop game that has now been developed into a digital version. This is a faithful representation of the board game with a few balancing differences, quality of life improvements, and a few tweaks. Whilst this version improves on some of the critiques that the original board game had, there are some newfound problems that can’t go overlooked.

• Heavily strategy focused
• Diverse range of Mercenaries that have their own strengths and weaknesses
• Numerous unique monsters
• Multiple levels of difficulty to suit newcomers and seasoned veterans
• High replay value
• Over 100 hours worth of content

• A big learning curve to overcome
• Scenario 1 is make or break for newcomers
• Playable tutorial doesn’t explain some of the more valuable rules#
• UI can be very crowded
• Bugs and performance issues here and there

Gloomhaven is not for the faint-hearted. Don’t come into this game expecting it to be another RPG you can haphazardly stumble through and win. Admittedly, it’s a steep learning curve to climb, one that may cause players to become frustrated and give up. There’s an intricate set of mechanics that requires a lot of strategic thinking, planning, and improvisation to triumph in Gloomhaven. Gathering knowledge about how this game works, and figuring out some nuance mechanics is what will give you the edge, which sometimes you need. Are you still here? Great, let's talk about the game.

At the start of the campaign, you’ll be greeted with six mercenaries that you can choose to form a team. Each of them has their own play styles that they specialise in, but also have downfalls that need to be considered. From a weak but powerful mage to a hard-hitting but slow Inox Warrior, there is a surprisingly diverse group to pick from. Every class has a set number of cards they pick to build their deck. The cards mostly have unique actions on them for each class, but at low levels, there isn’t much to be excited about. For such a small roster to select from, there are various different teams you can build. Part of the fun is finding new combinations and strategies between the original six and how their actions can complement each other. That being said, no Mercenary wants to be diving in dungeons forever, they want to move on with their retirement goal at some point.

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Once a Mercenary has achieved their retirement goal, they will leave the team. You’ll be awarded a new class for your efforts, and can recruit another Mercenary if you wish. Although it's difficult to let go of the characters that you’re used to playing, it's a core element of the game. The new classes are far more powerful than the original six. It takes some time to become accustomed to your new recruit before you realise their full potential. So, what do you say to a bit of good old-fashioned dungeon delving?

Every scenario you encounter has a goal to achieve in order to win. Most of the time it’s simply ‘kill all enemies’ or kill a specific enemy, which leaves a lot to be desired. However, mowing down enemies is still satisfying nonetheless, almost feeling like a delicate puzzle that could fall apart with a few wrong moves.

At the start of each round you’ll pick two cards from your deck of cards with each Mercenary you control. The actions of cards can vary widely depending on what class you play. Usually, the top action is an attack of some kind, and the bottom is movement. Once the enemy card has revealed itself and your turn rolls over depending on initiative order (number in the middle of the card, the lowest goes first). You then use the top action on one card, and the bottom action on the other. These are then placed in a discard pile and the cycle continues. Once you are unable to play a pair of cards on your turn, you’ll have to rest to get them back. However, upon resting you’ll be forced to burn a card, which makes it unavailable for the rest of the scenario. The number of cards you have represents your longevity in the scenario before you become exhausted.

You’ll find most cards have average damage or movement, but there are far more compelling actions that might catch your eye. Massively devastating singular attacks or huge AOE attacks that apply a status effect to all targeted enemies. Whilst these are extremely valuable, they do come at a cost. Burning them after use. This forces you into a balancing act, whereby burning powerful cards early on, though might prove useful in the short-term, will jeopardise your longevity in the scenario. Consequently, making you exhaust faster.

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Gloomhaven really does push you to get the most out of every action that you play. You need to be aggressive, but also mindful of how monsters will act. Every scenario is tight to win and only gives you a small amount of leeway (depending on the difficulty). It will punish you if you attempt to play it at your own pace. Whilst the first scenario is notoriously difficult for new players, it sets you up for how the game is going to play. It’s a steep learning curve that you can’t overcome with pure luck, it requires a lot of tactical movement and strategy.

For such an extensive campaign, you’ll encounter a multitude of different monsters, all with their own attack deck and unique actions. There are only about four to six cards in each deck, so it's possible to memorise each monster deck and attempt to predict what they do next. Some enemies such as cultists can summon the living dead, whilst others such as the demons have a shield value that soaks up damage before you can deplete their health.

Upon completing a scenario, you’re more than likely to be rewarded with experience. As each character levels up, you’ll gain stronger cards to add to your deck, which further diversifies each class. It does feel like a chore however when you have to choose a card to burn when your deck gets more streamlined with better cards. You’ll also gain perks that modify your attack deck (a deck that you draw every time you attack that modifies your attack) by removing negative cards (-1, -2), adding positive cards (+1, +2), or including new cards altogether. This allows you to streamline each modifier deck and, once again, adds even more variety to each class as they’ll have unique perks available to them.

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Whilst the digital version handles a lot of the automation that you would usually control in the tabletop version, there are new problems that need to be addressed. There are still bugs and performance issues throughout, the playable tutorial leaves valuable information out. Crowded areas make it difficult to figure out who you’re attacking, occasional soft locks, and so on. These don’t necessarily break the game by any means, but become annoying to deal with.

Gloomhaven isn’t a game for everyone. It takes a while to wrap your head around, but it seems some people are bashing their heads against a wall playing this game. Whilst the digital version makes it more accessible, it doesn't do itself any favours with annoying bugs, performance issues, and an average tutorial. Overall, I’d only recommend Gloomhaven if you're willing to put in the time and dedication to learn the game.