Screenshot via Arc Games
It’s extremely difficult for a video game adaptation of a board game to nail the complex mechanics fans fall in love with and translate them to a new audience without losing what makes them special.
However, Isaac Childres’ Frosthaven isn’t the first of his board games to make the leap, and I’m pleased to say that it’s well worth a try.
Frosthaven offers deep turn-based RPG gameplay that rewards careful planning
A little over a week ago, I was invited by Arc Games to try out Frosthaven‘s Steam Next Fest demo. I didn’t really know what to expect going in, but luckily the board game was also there, all 17KG of it (yes I checked the weight by struggling to lift it off of the table), so I could learn the ropes before diving in.
After being told that a submarine engineer had been hired to fit all the tabletop game’s various pieces inside as small a box as possible (I remind you it’s 17 KG) and that there’s a booklet you’re only given the vague instruction to open when you feel ready, I knew what I was getting into.
Frosthaven is a deeply engrossing game in which you take on the role of one of a few characters and work through various campaigns in a brutal world. It’s fun because it’s so well fleshed out, and the video game pulls all of that effortlessly onto your screen so you can lose yourself within it.
The demo I played has a thorough 10-minute tutorial that you must absolutely play to get to grips with the core mechanics. Similar to Baldur’s Gate 3, you control an entire party, and both you and the enemies roll initiative to work out turn orders at the start of every combat encounter.
Where the game differs greatly is that every turn sees you pick two cards from your hand. Each one has two available actions, a combat or ability section, and a movement section. You pick cards for every character at the start of each turn and use them to take out your enemies and move around the world, taking two actions at a time.
Every character has satisfyingly different cards, such as standard close-quarters weapon attacks, magic attacks, and even the ability to raise the dead. Combining them to buff your characters and double down on damage to save those who get ganged up on is the only way to survive.
While playing through an encounter in a village being sieged by a group of colossal creatures hell bent on eradicating the village of Frosthaven, I handled myself well in the opening area. With a full party of four characters, which can be played by your mates if you fancy a bit of multiplayer fun, it’s easy to take out a small group of foes using buffs and heavy attacks.
My favorite move was raising a skeletal ally to add another attacker to my team while I buffed everyone else and smashed each enemy with the biggest damage possible. After that, I felt ready to move on to the next area, where what felt like 20 big old dudes were beating up guards and ready to crush my entire party.
This is where things took a turn. I was quickly overrun as my enemies buffed each other and took my party out individually. Even my skeleton buddies couldn’t help me out. But it was all my fault. I had the opportunity to go in split everyone up, divide the foes, and conquer them.
Instead, I blocked my only entrance, leading to the slaughter of my own party. I didn’t realize this going in, but I know it now and will do things differently on my next go. Make no mistake, there will be a next go, because I can’t leave this world alone.
Frosthaven is an engrossing universe filled with intriguing races, rules, and reasons to keep pushing through its quests. For example, there’s a race of creatures made from sentient bugs who like to wear masks, assume humanoid forms, and hang out with everyone else.
Each race has its benefits and drawbacks. There’s never an advantage without a sacrifice. It truly feels like a proper D&D game, but one that surprises you with its world, its characters, and the adventures it takes you on. It’s that sense of the unknown that you don’t quite get from new stories in familiar settings, and that’s why my thoughts keep returning to it.
If this sounds like you’re kind of game, whether you’re a D&D, Baldur’s Gate 3, Gloomhaven, or Frosthaven board game fan, I think it is. Check the demo out during June 2025’s Steam Next Fest and see what you think for yourself.
Be sure to check out our tabletop coverage, too, because this game has more than piqued my interest in the board game version and I’m ready to dive in. While you’re at it, consider checking out our Patreon membership options to help us on our journey to eventually bring you ad-free journalism that makes a difference.
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