Gloomhaven (1st Edition)

If you have ever fancied tackling the legendary monster that sat at the undisputed top of the global board game rankings for years, the original first edition of Gloomhaven remains an absolute rite of passage. Designed by Isaac Childres, this colossal 10-kilogram box drops you straight into a grim, unforgiving fantasy frontier where you and your mercenary companions scratch out a living taking bloody contracts in the shadows. What makes the game so universally celebrated is its brilliant dual-card tactical combat engine. You don't chuck fistfuls of dice and pray for good rolls; every single round is a tight, thinky puzzle where you play two cards from your hand, combining the top action of one with the bottom action of the other whilst managing your initiative. Burn through your hand too recklessly, and your mercenary collapses from pure exhaustion before you reach the scenario treasure. Between dungeon crawls, your decisions during city events and road encounters shape the developing town of Gloomhaven itself, unlocking new market items, side adventures, and sealed character boxes as your veteran heroes retire. It is a massive, deeply rewarding campaign that will comfortably keep your regular gaming group gripped for well over a hundred hours.