The chilly breezes accumulate and herald potential peril, since the fantasy tabletop game Frosthaven is being transformed into a digital version. TopMob was privileged to get an early peek at this game prior to its demo’s release during Steam Next Fest.
In Frosthaven, the action unfolds within the same universe as Gloomhaven. Here, the destiny of the region rests on the shoulders of hired adventurers, who bravely explore treacherous terrains, slaying monsters and amassing wealth, all while hoping to emerge victorious with their lives intact.
In contrast to Gloomhaven’s common fantasy setting with medieval dungeons, Frosthaven transports players to the chilly far north, where a solitary outpost is under siege by the Algox – a formidable tribe of yeti warriors. These warriors are amassing their strength, aiming to crush this fledgling settlement before it can fully establish itself.
For the survival of this fresh settlement, we rely on hired fighters, driven by their desire for wealth and excitement, who will confront the Algox in combat. Soon enough, they’ll uncover the real peril lurking in this area, and it will be these mercenaries who stand as our potential saviors.
Gathering Your Frosthaven Party And Venturing Forth
Frosthaven offers flexibility in gameplay, catering to both single-player sessions or group games with 2 to 4 participants. Every individual player constructs a hero within the game. Interestingly, solo players have the option to form a party of four heroes, though during our previews, developers cautioned against this approach, which goes against my own gaming impulse to optimize party size for maximum interaction.
Instead, I was suggested to start off with just a duo for my initial adventure since handling a larger group of four could potentially be too much to handle at first. That’s exactly how my demonstration played out, with my companion and I embarking on our mission to secure the Frosthaven outpost from the Algox assault.
As an enthusiastic supporter, I’m thrilled to share that during the Frosthaven demo, I got to try out four unique character classes. For the full game, they’ve hinted at adding two more. Here’s a quick rundown: The Banner Spear, whose flags grant strength to my allies, the Drifter, a melee tank with impressive defense, the Boneshaper, who can summon monsters using their own blood, and the Deathwalker, a stealthy combatant who strikes enemies from the shadows. Can’t wait to see what else they have in store!
When creating a character, players may find they have limited choices for personalizing their heroes, particularly in terms of looks or abilities. This could come as a shock to fans of role-playing games (RPG). However, the primary decision during the creation process is setting the Personal Quest, which functions more like a long-term objective. Upon completion, this hero will retire, requiring players to create a new character.
If a player possesses gold, they have the opportunity to invest it in additional starting gear as well. Additionally, there are objectives for battles that the player can choose from among three available options. Successfully accomplishing these goals will reward Perk points.
Frosthaven’s Battles Are About Two Halves Of Cards
The core mechanic in Frosthaven revolves around its combat sequences. These skirmishes unfold across hexagonal grids, offering a turn-taking system for both player characters and enemies. The positioning of characters plays a crucial role since there are perils on the battlefield that may impede the player’s advancement.
In Frosthaven, every character comes equipped with a set of cards that have two distinct capabilities – an upper section and a lower section. This aspect plays a crucial role because during each turn, players are allowed to activate just the upper capability of one card and the lower capability of another card.
As an illustration, the “Returned Servant” ability of the Boneshaper summons a Shambling Skeleton by deducting two health points from it. In addition, this ability allows the character to traverse four spaces.
In a player’s round, every character picks two cards. After that, the turn sequence is determined. On each character’s go, they choose the top and bottom skill from each chosen card. Subsequently, these cards are removed from play.
When a character incurs damage, they have three options: absorb it (and possibly lessen it with an item like the Heater Shield), use up one of their available cards, or utilize two discarded cards to shield themselves. Using cards might seem like the more secure choice, but there’s a significant catch: the cards serve as the timer for each quest, so burning through them too quickly could jeopardize completion.
In Frosthaven, similar to a board game, time plays a crucial role as when all cards are exhausted, the game ends. On the bright side, you have two options to reobtain discarded cards: a Short Rest allows you to discard one card and regain all previously discarded ones, while a Long Rest consumes a single card to recover all cards, refresh all items, restore health by 2 points, but be aware that there’s a set limit on the number of rests you can take. Therefore, it’s essential to progress swiftly to finish each mission before exhausting your rest options.
One advantageous feature of Frosthaven is its map layout, which divides each section into distinct rooms, identified by doors adorned with vibrant floral patterns that contrast against the snowy landscape’s white and browns. This room structure allows players to concentrate on managing nearby enemies, while also offering flexibility to explore new areas, enabling strategies such as kiting enemies or funneling them into zones where AoEs (Area of Effect skills) can be optimally utilized.
Players should keep an eye on the terrain too, since enemies might set traps there, and certain areas could serve as obstacles to slow down movement. Importantly, items are scattered across the ground, and they can only be collected if you stop your movement on the specific tile.
Gathering excessive loot could be hazardous due to the player’s limited movement or turns. However, certain items and skills like the Banner Spear’s Pincer Movement secondary function, which lets the player pick up items on the move, make this task less risky.
Frosthaven follows the challenge level set by games like Souls, where players should never underestimate their opponents. Time is always pressing, and resources are constantly depleting, which keeps combat engaging as situations can become very intense throughout a quest. Players must carefully weigh their options, using what they have at hand effectively.
Building A Better Base
As a devoted enthusiast, I can’t help but ponder beyond the thrilling quests. There must be more to the treasure trove than merely purchasing swords for my arsenal. That’s where the captivating village of Frosthaven steps in, serving as our sanctuary between adventures. It offers a rich tapestry of activities, transforming into your bustling base of operations.
In Frosthaven, the town appears run-down at first, but throughout your journey, you can build additional structures and upgrade existing ones. Consider this process as a means to simplify future games, as investing in the town allows for an abundance of resources to support new characters, making their introduction smoother.
Some amenities accessible to the player are:
1. The Artisan, who combines trash treasures into valuable items.
2. The Military Headquarters, which produces non-player character soldiers that defend Frosthaven from invasions.
3. The Apothecary, where potions are concocted.
In the demonstration, the outpost wasn’t elaborate, but its impact on the game was clear. This is due to the fact that your characters may either retire or perish over the course of play, with fresh heroes taking their place. The Frosthaven outpost serves as a memorial for their achievements and offers a more lenient experience for the subsequent group of mercenaries.
Frosthaven Needs More Time In The Oven
The demonstration version of Frosthaven was launched before it moves into Steam Early Access, as scheduled for later this year. From what I’ve seen in my preview, it’s evident that the full game has quite a distance to go before it hits the shelves, and the developers have confirmed this fact.
As a newcomer, I’m finding the user interface overwhelmingly complex, with an abundance of symbols that seem to flood the screen at once, making it challenging to decipher quickly. It can be confusing because sometimes right-click is used for confirmation, while other times I have to click a bar. A more streamlined keyboard shortcut for action confirmation would certainly enhance the user experience.
Essentially, the present form of Frosthaven contains numerous glitches that require fixing. An Early Access launch is ideal for this purpose, allowing developers ample time to address these issues before the official release.
As a passionate gamer, I’m eagerly diving into Gloomhaven, whether it’s the board or video game version. This game has shown an undeniable demand for its ultra-challenging gaming style. Now, it’s crucial that the developers fine-tune this experience to make it even more engaging and rewarding. Let’s hope they nail it!
Closing Comments
Experiencing the demo was like getting a mere taste, leaving me yearning for the complete meal. The glimpse I got into its world-building and combat mechanics simply whetted my appetite for more. It’s evident that there are numerous improvements needed, particularly in terms of Quality of Life features. However, the foundations for an exceptional game appear to be in place, and I eagerly anticipate seeing further developments.
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2025-06-07 22:09