Acclaimed board game Gloomhaven's digital adaptation leaves early access next month
Launching on Steam and GOG.
Asmodee Digital's video game adaptation of acclaimed co-op board game Gloomhaven is, after more than two years in Steam Early Access, getting its version 1.0 release on 20th October.
The original board game iteration of Gloomhaven, designed by Isaac Childres, is a sprawling, turn-based tactical dungeon crawler set in a persistent fantasy world that's packed with characters, items, and scenarios, all gradually unlocking over the course of a 100+ hour campaign. It's a thrilling, richly designed, and all-round fantastic RPG experience, and one that also happens to come in a box big enough to kill a man.
As such (plus the fact the original board game retails for around £100), the prospect of a cheaper, more manageable digital iteration of Gloomhaven is an enticing one indeed - and the good news is the PC release, developed by Flaming Fowl Studios, has been widely praised during early access. It isn't quite a 1:1 interpretation (which Flaming Fowl say is neither possible or desirable), but all differences have been discussed with Childres and the end result is a "very faithful adaptation of the original gameplay and design."
At present, the digital version (which supports 4-player online co-op) includes what Flaming Fowl calls Guildmaster mode, featuring the "exact same core gameplay as the board game with the same characters and enemies but with over a hundred of new scenarios to play and mercenaries' stories to follow." However, the full release on 20th October will also introduce Campaign mode, adding the campaign found in the original tabletop release. In total, that'll equate to around 250+ missions, with an estimated play time of between 150 and 200 hours.
It's also worth noting Gloomhaven will be getting a price bump when its full release hits Steam and GOG on 20th October. At present, it costs £19.49/24,99€/$24.99 USD, but expect that to climb (by the equivalent of $10) when it leaves early access. And as for what comes next, Flaming Fowl says it'll continue patching and supporting the game after launch. "DLCs are also a possibility," it writes in its FAQ, "but our main focus is supporting the base game and making sure it matches the players' expectations."