Gloomhaven Reviews

Gloomhaven is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
6 / 10.0
Oct 13, 2023

Honestly, I would only recommend it for die-hard fans who are often on the go and have no other way to enjoy Gloomhaven. Does that mean it’s a bad game? Absolutely not, but the Switch version hides a fantastic game under layers of problems unique to Nintendo. It’s a genuine shame that Gloomhaven is plagued by so many technical challenges. The Switch release could have been a great opportunity to expose a wider audience to to an otherwise remarkable game. Now it’s likely to land in the eShop bargain bin.

Read full review

6 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2023

By all accounts Gloomhaven does a solid job of translating what's apparently a very deep and complex TTRPG to video game format.

Read full review

64 / 100
Sep 23, 2023

It’s a generally appealing game with decent graphics. Gloomhaven appears to be a fun turn-based adventure but requires a significantly higher amount of strategy than expected. Assigning unique quests to heroes, and having an ever-changing party when they finish their tasks, those are the ideas that make Gloomhaven stand out in a fun and engaging way. The actual mechanical experience feels like being asked to solve a Rubik’s cube every five minutes rather than immerse yourself in a fantasy world. For some, this might be exactly the tactical experience you want. For most, it’s more of an exercise in exasperation than imagination.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Oct 27, 2021

The core gameplay is fun, but the digital version brings all the problems from the board game with no solutions. The single-player mode misses out on the social aspect that makes the board game worth playing, without making up for it in mechanics or story.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Sep 28, 2023

Gloomhaven as a video game is a faithful recreation of the board game into the digital world. This is both commendable and detrimental. It is a good game, but there is also a reason no one sits around a table and plays by themselves and this is pretty much it.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Sep 28, 2023

Gloomhaven was a tough one to review not because the game itself is bad, despite feeling clunky to navigate using a controller; no, it’s just after playing for many hours I realized that it’s just not for me. Its systems are deep and allow some great tactical plays to happen. The game allows for players to enjoy with four of their friends but much to my chagrin it doesn’t have a quickmatch function; so sadly, I was playing solo. I think with friends this would be more fun, just like playing a session of D&D is more of a blast with friends. I would recommend this version for those like me who were intrigued with the board game but just know that Gloomhaven is not for the timid.

Read full review

Ben Sellwood
Top Critic
6.6 / 10.0
Sep 13, 2023

The conversion from tabletop to video game seems somewhat successful, and I can see how the board game has been broken down and reconfigured as a successful interactive gaming package. While it was repetitive in places I could undoubtedly see teams of four cooperating and having a joyfully fun experience throughout the realms of Gloomhaven.

Read full review

6.8 / 10.0
Oct 17, 2023

While you get a sense of the depth and excellence of the table-top game that it adapts, digitally Gloomhaven is a bit of a mess

Read full review

3.5 / 5.0
Oct 15, 2021

Gloomhaven offers hours of mental challenges with a sophisticated battle system.

Read full review

Nov 11, 2021

That aside, Asmodee continues to demonstrate why it is the best digital board game developer going around. Gloomhaven itself is a little insular compared to the likes of Game of Thrones, Arkham Horror, Ticket to Ride, Pathfinder and Lord of the Rings, so I suspect it will appeal to a narrower band of players than some of Asmodee's other adaptations, but the faithful quality of that adaptation and the stellar production values make it an easy sell to existing Gloomhaven fans, and the ideal way to those that were intimidated by the size (and cost) of the box when they've seen it in their local game store to give it a go in the first place.

Read full review

7 / 10
Sep 29, 2023

Gloomhaven's gameplay is deeply challenging and dense, and it almost always manages to provide a satisfying payoff in equal measure if you are able to look past its menus and control flaws (and can stomach its load times on Switch). It isn't for the faint of heart, but those who stick with its complex, card-centric tactical gameplay will find a great strategy game.

Read full review

7 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2023

While I enjoyed Gloomhaven in the end, I found the tutorials and general usability to be lacking. I also found myself missing being around a table with friends and playing with board game components. Apart from that, Gloomhaven offers a massive sprawling campaign that is very moreish when it gets going and It will keep players entertained for hours upon hours. I just wish some of the sharp edges had been filed off and new players' hands had been held a bit tighter.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 3, 2023

Gloomhaven is a challenge for a specific niche of fans of high-difficulty strategy games. With over 120 scenarios and countless hours of dungeon exploration, it's a solid choice for those who want an immersive and challenging experience.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Jun 16, 2022

As true as those things may be, my last word on Gloomhaven is that it was an utterly difficult bastard. Despite that, the bloomin’ thing kept pulling me in anyway, and I loved every blasted second of it. All of which is why I’m giving Gloomhaven the Thumb Culture Golden Award, one bastard to another.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2023

undefined.The common Gloomhaven community standard is to keep things secret - particularly the per-map side quests, which the game only reveals at the end of the map - so the Switch is fundamentally a great platform to play the digital version on. It can kill a lot of time; each map takes about 45 minutes to an hour, even with or perhaps because I was playing with someone who knew how to manipulate the AI. But I never felt the game dragged at all, and would vastly prefer this digital copy to having to schlep around something bigger than every game console I've ever owned.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2023

The console release of Gloomhaven continues the trend of making it one of the best board game-to-video game adaptations out there, and there are a lot of deep combat mechanics for players to sink their teeth into. Inconsistencies in the interface and being balanced around multiplayer are the only real downsides to Gloomhaven on the PS5.

Read full review

JVL
Kikitoès
Top Critic
16 / 20
Jan 16, 2022

Gloomhaven is clearly not a title to put in everyone's hands. Complex, and difficult, the game will require a real investment to enjoy it perfectly. Nevertheless, when we give it a chance, we find ourselves in front of a generous, fine and rather exhilarating RPG.

Review in French | Read full review

Oct 21, 2021

Gloomhaven is a solid version of the classic tabletop experience that offers turn-based combat, unique classes and abilities, and detailed quests.

Read full review

85 / 100
Oct 23, 2021

Gloomhaven's jump from board game to PC keeps the game as strategic and satisfying as it ever was, all while streamlining the experience and opening it up to new avenues of play. The genuine effort of the creators shows through to a game that is worthy for fans and newcomers alike to struggle against the hordes of doom that threaten your very cards.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 13, 2021

An excellent digital version of a very good boardgame. Good for both veterans of the tabletop version (due to new content like the Guildmaster campaign) and newbies willing to try a peculiar fantasy experience (and manage a lot of cards).

Review in Italian | Read full review