Strategy Games
Browse all Strategy board games in the Meeple Pulse database.
Styles
Themes
AbstractAdventureAncientAnimalsArtBusinessCard GameCo-operativeComic BookCooperativeCrimeEconomicEnvironmentalismExplorationFantasyHistoricalHorrorHumorIntrigueLiteraryMagicMarvelMedievalModernMuseumMysteryMythologyNatureNauticalPoliticalPress Your LuckSatireSci-FiSocial CommentarySocial InteractionSpaceSuperheroesThematicTravelWarWesternWord-Guessing
Mechanics
3D PlacementActingAction / DexterityAction DraftingAction Point AllowanceAction Point Allowance SystemAction Point SystemAction PointsAction ProgrammingAction QueueAction RetrievalAction SelectionAction/EventAlliancesAlternate ActivationApp-AssistedApp-DrivenArea ControlArea InfluenceArea MajorityArea Majority / InfluenceArea MovementArgumentationAsymmetricAsymmetric FactionsAsymmetric GameAsymmetric PowersAsymmetrical PowersAuction & BiddingAuction/BiddingAuctioningBag BuildingBettingBetting and BluffingBetting and WageringBetting and WagersBiddingBingoBlind BiddingBluffingCampaign / Battle Card DrivenCampaign / LegacyCampaign / Legacy GameCampaign / Mission-basedCampaign / ScenariosCampaign GameCampaign PlayCard DraftingCard DrawingCard DrivenCard Driven ActionCard Driven CombatCard Driven Dice AllocationCard Driven MovementCard ManagementCard PlayCard Play / Hand ManagementCard Play Conflict ResolutionCard SheddingCard-Driven MovementCharacter CreationCharacter ProgressionChit-Pull SystemCo-op PlayCo-operative GameCo-operative PlayCode-breakingCombat ResolutionCombo ChainCommand CardsCommodity SpeculationCommunication LimitsContract FulfillmentContractsCooperative GameCooperative GameplayCooperative PlayCooperative Trick-takingDebateDeck BuildingDeck ConstructionDeck, Bag, and Pool BuildingDeck-BuildingDeductionDexterityDice DraftingDice PlacementDice RollingDiplomatic InfluenceDraftingDynamic Battle SystemEnclosureEnd Game BonusesEngine BuildingEngine-BuildingEscape RoomEvent DrivenExplorationFarmingFlip and WriteFollowFollow ActionGrid CoverageGrid MovementHand ManagementHex-and-CounterHexagon GridHidden MovementHidden RolesI Cut You ChooseIncomeInfluence / Area MajorityLadder ClimbingLegacyLegacy ElementsLegacy GameLegacy SystemLimited CommunicationLine DrawingLine of SightMancalaMap MovementMarketMarket DraftingMarket ManipulationMarket MechanicMarket SpeculationMatchingMeasurement MovementMemoryMission ObjectivesModular BoardModular Board ConstructionMovement TemplatesMulti-Use CardsMulti-use CardsMultiple ScenariosMust FollowNarrative ChoiceNarrative Choice / ParagraphNegotiationNegotiation MechanicsNetwork & Route BuildingNetwork BuildingNetwork and Route BuildingOne vs ManyOne vs. ManyOpen DraftingPaper-and-PencilPartnershipsPattern BuildingPattern RecognitionPick-up and DeliverPlayer EliminationPlayer InteractionPlayer JudgePoint SaladPoint to Point MovementPolyominoesPush Your LuckPush-Your-LuckPuzzlePuzzle-LikePuzzle-SolvingRaceReal-TimeRecipe FulfillmentResource ManagementRole PlayingRole SelectionRoll / Spin and MoveRondelRoute BuildingRoute-BuildingRoute/Network BuildingSanity SystemScenario / Campaign PlayScenario / Mission / Campaign GameScenario / Mission FunctionSecret Unit DeploymentSemi-Cooperative GameSet CollectionSheddingSimulationSimultaneous ActionSimultaneous Action SelectionSimultaneous Hidden AllocationSocial DeductionSocial InteractionSolo / Solitaire GameSpace ExplorationStat Check / Skill CheckStock HoldingStorytellingStrategic PlanningTableau BuildingTactical Decision-MakingTake ThatTargeted CluesTeam PlayTeam-Based GameTeam-Based GuessingTeamworkTech TreesTech Trees / Tech TracksTechnology & Armament TracksTechnology TreeTension & Aggression TracksTile DraftingTile LayingTile PlacementTime TrackTime TravelTower DefenseTrack MovementTradingTrick-takingTug of WarTurn Order: PassTurn Order: Stat-BasedUnit PlacementVariable Phase OrderVariable Player PowersVariable Set-upVariable SetupVictory Point TracksVotingWord AssociationWord GameWord GuessingWord-GuessingWord-guessingWordplayWorker Placement

RANK #20
Frosthaven
2022Frosthaven plunges players into a perilous cooperative legacy adventure set in the frozen north, far beyond the familiar lands of Gloomhaven. As intrepid mercenaries, your ultimate goal is to establish and defend a fledgling outpost, exploring a vast, untamed wilderness teeming with new challenges, enemies, and mysteries. This epic campaign game seamlessly blends tactical combat with a sprawling narrative, inviting players to shape the destiny of their characters and the titular settlement itself through a series of branching choices and evolving scenarios.
Gameplay revolves around intricate, card-driven combat where players strategically manage a hand of ability cards to move, attack, and execute special actions. Each turn, two cards are played, with players choosing one action from the top of one card and one from the bottom of the other, creating a dynamic action-point system. Beyond the battlefield, Frosthaven introduces a robust town-building and resource management phase, where players gather supplies, construct new buildings, and make critical decisions that impact the outpost's prosperity and unlock new content. The legacy aspect means the game permanently evolves with stickers, sealed envelopes, and irreversible choices.
Frosthaven captivates players with its unparalleled depth, offering hundreds of hours of immersive storytelling and strategic challenge. Its unique appeal lies in the satisfying loop of tactical combat, deep character progression, and the constant revelation of new content through its legacy mechanics. Fans adore its challenging scenarios, the rich, evolving world, and the profound sense of accomplishment derived from overcoming overwhelming odds and building a thriving community in a harsh, unforgiving land. It's a monumental cooperative experience for those seeking an expansive, narrative-driven fantasy saga.
1-4 120m⚖️ 4.4

RANK #225
Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) is a seminal board game that immerses players in the high-fantasy world of Terrinoth for an epic, one-versus-many dungeon-crawling adventure. In this asymmetrical contest, one player assumes the role of the treacherous Overlord, commanding an army of monsters and springing deadly traps from the shadows. The other players (up to four) form a courageous band of heroes, each with unique skills and abilities, who must work together to complete the objectives of a given quest. The game is scenario-driven, with each quest forming a chapter in a larger, branching campaign narrative. Success or failure in one encounter can have tangible consequences on the next, creating a dynamic and evolving story where the heroes strive for victory against the Overlord's nefarious plans.
The gameplay unfolds over a series of rounds, with heroes taking their turns first. Each hero can perform two actions, such as moving across the modular, tile-based map, attacking a monster, or using a special skill. Combat is a highlight of the experience, resolved through a custom dice-pool system. Players roll dice determined by their character's equipment and abilities, looking for symbols representing damage, range, and special 'surges.' These surges can be spent to trigger powerful effects, adding a layer of tactical decision-making to every attack. After the heroes have acted, the Overlord takes their turn, playing cards from a unique deck to activate monster groups, summon reinforcements, and unleash unexpected events to wear down the heroes and achieve their own secret objectives.
What makes Descent a beloved classic is its deep sense of progression and the escalating arms race that develops over a campaign. Between quests, both sides grow stronger. Heroes earn experience to learn new skills and spend gold on powerful new weapons and armor, customizing their characters to fit their playstyle. Simultaneously, the Overlord also gains experience, which is used to purchase more potent Overlord cards, unlocking deadlier plots and monsters. This persistent development ensures that the challenge constantly escalates, making each session feel meaningful. The combination of tactical combat, rich character customization, and an emergent, player-driven narrative provides a highly replayable and deeply engaging experience for any group that loves adventure and strategy.
2-5 120m⚖️ 3.2