Frosthaven – Strategy, Survival, and the Next Digital Board Game Titan

From the mind of Isaac Childres, the creator of Gloomhaven, comes Frosthaven – a massive, tactical RPG brought from the tabletop to your screen by Snapshot Games. It’s not just another board game port; it’s an ambitious expansion and evolution, setting the bar for digital adaptations. Still in early access, Frosthaven already showcases a depth of content, tactical nuance, and visual polish that promises to make it a staple in strategy gamers’ libraries.

From Tabletop to Digital: A Smart Evolution

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Frosthaven is complex. This is not a pick-up-and-play casual adventure. It carries the weight of its board game roots, packed with systems, abilities, classes, and long-term decisions. The good news? Snapshot Games has done a commendable job translating this depth into a user-friendly digital format.

Veterans of Gloomhaven or the original Frosthaven board game will find a familiar structure, but with streamlined interfaces, polished animations, and an intuitive card-selection system that significantly reduces friction. No more physical setup and teardown; it’s all seamlessly handled.

New players aren’t left behind either. An updated tutorial, difficulty options, and quality-of-life features make onboarding smoother, even if the learning curve remains steep.

Tough, Tactical, and Rewarding

At its core, Frosthaven is a turn-based tactical RPG with one of the most intricate battle systems in the genre. Each mission is a puzzle in itself, where players must manage limited ability cards, carefully position characters, and make synergistic decisions across party members.

The six starting classes—Banner Spear, Boneshaper, Drifter, Geminate, Blinkblade, and Deathwalker—each offer distinct playstyles and build variety. Whether you prefer crowd control, healing, tanking, or burst damage, there’s a class to suit your strategic mind. As you progress, new classes unlock, expanding options and encouraging experimentation.

Combat is satisfying and cerebral. You’ll often agonize over whether to burn a powerful card for a huge play or save it for future rounds. Mistakes are costly, but learning from them is part of the game’s appeal.

Building the Outpost: Meta Progression Done Right

Beyond combat, Frosthaven features a persistent outpost mechanic. After quests, players return to their hub to upgrade buildings, unlock new features, craft gear, and improve infrastructure. It gives the game a sense of continuity and progression that elevates it from a mission-based crawler to a living world.

This meta layer adds strategic depth outside of combat. You’ll have to manage resources collected during missions, choose which upgrades to prioritize, and plan for the long game. It’s a brilliant addition that enriches the entire experience.

A Gritty Frozen Fantasy

Frosthaven boasts a dark, atmospheric art style that brings its frozen frontier to life. Environments are varied and detailed, from crumbling ruins to eerie tundras. Character models are expressive, and the animations (while still evolving in early access) already help breathe life into each skirmish.

The sound design is moody and immersive, with a soundtrack that leans into the somber and mysterious tones of the setting. Spell effects, attacks, and UI elements all sound impactful without being overbearing.

Multiplayer and Replayability

Co-op online multiplayer is already implemented and works well (though not without occasional bugs, as expected in early access). Playing with friends adds another layer of coordination and chaos, making it a great option for strategy-focused groups.

Replayability is built into the structure—different class combinations, decisions in the outpost, and mission paths all mean no two campaigns will be the same. With over 130 quests planned and 35+ already available, there’s plenty to dig into.

Early Access Caveats: Bugs, Learning Curve, and Polish

There’s no getting around the early access label. Bugs exist. Some UI quirks, graphical glitches, and occasional crashes or disconnections in multiplayer are part of the package.

Onboarding for completely new players could use more clarity. The abundance of icons, card effects, and mechanics can feel overwhelming at first. A built-in reference guide or glossary would help immensely.

That said, most of these issues are par for the course in early access and are actively being addressed. What’s already present is remarkably stable and feature-rich.