Summary
Tabletop board games have typically been played in one sitting, no matter how long they take. Games likeTwilight Imperiumor evenRiskcan go on for hours at a time, consuming entire afternoons or even an entire day. However, more recently, tabletop games have begun to adopt the structure of video games in the form of campaigns intended to be played over multiple sessions.
Some board games,known as “Legacy games”, have players altering their copy over multiple sessions. Playing through a campaign of scenarios, or simply playing the game repeatedly with different rules, objectives, or components makes campaign and Legacy games some of the most replayable and rewarding experiences on the tabletop.
8Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
Clank!is a standaloneboard game about delving into a dungeon, stealing as much treasure as possible, and getting back out again before being burnt alive by a fire-breathing dragon.Clank! Legacycaptures all the same tension and chaos but with Legacy elements.
Clank! Legacylasts for 10+ sessions in which player success, failure, and decisions can have a permanent effect on the game. However, perhaps the best part ofClank! Legacyis that once players are finished with the campaign, they are left with a completely unique version of the game that can continue to be played.
7Star Wars: Imperial Assault
ThisStar Warstabletop gameputs a single player in the role of the Empire, while the other players battle it out as heroes of the Rebel Alliance, attempting to defeat the Empire by fulfilling their objectives across a campaign of distinct scenarios.
Star Wars: Imperial Assaulthas similar mechanics toDescent, but prevents the Empire player from ganging up on one player by removing permanent death. InStar Wars: Imperial Assault, the Rebel players can’t die, instead being exhausted and made weaker for the rest of the scenario: once all players are exhausted, the Rebels fail the scenario. This makesStar Wars: Imperial Assaultfriendlier and more accessible than other games of its ilk.
6The King’s Dilemma
This narrative-focused Legacy game can only be played through once, but it’s an immersive and thematic experience that can be extremely rewarding if played with the right group.
The King’s Dilemmais a game of politics and negotiation in which players gamble, bribe, and coerce their way through the several “dilemmas” of a fantasy Kingdom by voting on how to handle them, all the while keeping their best interests in mind.The King’s Dilemma’smechanics are simple, but its Legacy elements are both thematic and fun to interact with. It’s a game best played with large groups of close friends, and although its campaign can only be played once, players are likely to get upwards of fifteen hours out of the game.
5Oath: Chronicles Of Empire And Exile
This beautifully illustrated game from the designer of the hit war gameRootis best played with a consistent group of at least four, though its official player count is 1-6. While games ofOathare standalone, the way the game is played morphs over the course of multiple sessions, slowly changing the game into a completely distinct state.
Because of this slow evolution,Oathis most rewarding when played repeatedly with the same group, though it doesn’t require this in order to play. Furthermore, the game can be reset at any time, makingOathmuch more replayable than most Legacy games.
4Gloomhaven
As one ofthe biggest board gameson the market,Gloomhavenis a behemoth Legacy game in which players battle through various dungeon-crawling scenarios, fighting monsters and puzzling through random encounters as they make their way through an overarching cooperative campaign.
Gloomhavenis notable for its dual-use cards that make for crunchy, tactical combat, as well as its plethora of secret unlockable characters, all with their distinct playstyles and unique cards.Gloomhavenis so massive and contains so much content that it takes more than just a few sessions to complete its lengthy campaign.
3Undaunted: Stalingrad
This WW2 tabletop gameis a Legacy version of the previous installments in theUndauntedgames. InUndaunted: Stalingrad, casualties taken in battle can be permanent, replaced by weaker reserves throughout an arduous, back-and-forth campaign in which players upgrade their healthy troops and unlock new regiments as they progress.
ThroughoutUndaunted: Stalingrad’scampaign, players battle for control over Stalingrad’s various territories as either the Germans or the Soviets, even changing the cityscape with tank explosions and bombers, removing precious cover and fortifications.
2Arkham Horror: The Card Game
This “Living Card Game"from Fantasy Flight Games is a cooperative experience best played with two players. The game features a rich and horrifying Lovecraftian theme, deck-building elements, and frequently challenging scenarios structured around various campaigns.
The core game contains a campaign of three scenarios, but there’s a large back catalog of more expansive campaigns in the form of expansions. Furthermore, the direction of each campaign is affected by the actions players take in each scenario, to the point where leaving a horrific creature alive in one scenario can come back to haunt players in the next.
1Pandemic Legacy: Season One
Based on the hit cooperative gamePandemic, this Legacy version of the original contains an overarching story across a campaign of 12-24 sessions. Like in the originalPandemic, players will work together to battle diseases and find cures under a time pressure.
However, unlike the originalPandemic, this Legacy version of the game tasks players with completing two objectives every in-game month. Characters can gain new skills and negative effects, or even be retired and unable to play again. Furthermore, new rules and components are slowly added to the game as players progress.
