Gloomhaven

Isaac Childres' 22-pound, 100+ hour dungeon crawler topped BoardGameGeek's all-time rankings for years. It replaces dice with a card-driven combat system where every round is a puzzle: which two cards do you play, and when do you lose them permanently? The campaign spans 95 scenarios with branching narratives, retirement mechanics, and a persistent world that changes based on your decisions. It Kickstarted for $386,000 (asking for $70,000) and spawned a digital adaptation and a standalone sequel (Frosthaven). Not for casual game night — this IS game night.