Campaign board games are well known for their engaging storytelling, strategic gameplay, and evolving narratives. These types of games are recognised as being a series of scenarios, where decisions are likely to influence how the game plays out. This sometimes means you’ll find yourself playing these types of games over several sessions. 

If you’re looking for good campaign games to get immersed into, then you’re in the right place, as we’re going to run through our favourite campaign board games.

1. Gloomhaven

For board game enthusiasts, it’ll be no shock to see Gloomhaven on our list of the best campaign games. Designed by Isaac Childres, this epic cooperative dungeon-crawler is known for its legacy-style gameplay. Legacy games are designed to allow players to make decisions which impact the game permanently. Within Gloomhaven, this manifests as adding stickers to your board and tearing cards, but this is optional. 

The game features a massive campaign with an unfolding storyline, branching paths, and unlockable content. You’ll take on the role of adventurers, exploring Gloomhaven to complete quests and fight any monsters that cross your path.

2. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

If you’re looking for co op campaign games, Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 provides your team with the serious responsibility to work effectively together as you race against time to discover a cure for a global disease. You may have heard of the popular game Pandemic, which the legacy game is built on, and if so, you’ll notice similarities in the basic gameplay. 

As a legacy game, you’ll make decisions that permanently affect the game, such as writing on cards, ripping them up or placing stickers on the game. Searching for your first campaign game? Pandemic Legacy won’t disappoint.

3. Descent: Legends of the Dark

Descent: Legends of the Dark offers a unique board game experience with its integrated companion app which provides a way of tracking your progress and following the immersive story. Up to 4 players take on the role of heroes in Terrinoth, travelling across 3D terrain to battle frightening monsters and unlock new skills.

The latest instalment in the franchise, Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War, builds on the core mechanics of the original. Act II acts as an expansion, offering you new villains, quests and mechanics so that you can delve deeper into the land of Terrinoth.

4. Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Set in the iconic Star Wars universe, Imperial Assault allows players to take part in epic ground battles between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Within the campaign game, there will always be two teams - up to 4 players can work as Rebels and 1 player will always represent the Empire. Both sides will influence future missions based on decisions that are made across the course of the game. 

The game's rich narrative, impressive miniatures, and exciting combat mechanics immerse players in the galaxy far, far away.

5. Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Created by Fantasy Flight Games, Arkham Horror is a cooperative living card game which takes players through different interconnected scenarios in the town of Arkham. You and your co-investigators will attempt to solve mysteries to prevent horrors from breaking into our reality.

Compared to other campaign games, this is a fantastic option for individuals that can’t commit to months of gaming. Each playthrough offers a different narrative with various ancient evils threatening to awaken, ensuring that every time you play it feels unique.

6. Sleeping Gods

Set on the steamship Manticore, you and up to 3 friends travel the Wandering Sea exploring mysterious islands, fighting beasts and seeking out the gods. Using the game’s atlas of connecting maps, your goal is to find 14 totems to wake the gods and return home.

As a campaign game, you’ll complete your journey over 10-20 hours which is usually split into one or two hours at a time. The decisions made by your team have lasting consequences, where you may have to choose between protecting your crew or letting a village burn down. Sleeping Gods is an award-winning storybook game with a rich, immersive plot.

Find Your Campaign Game

Campaign games are guaranteed to keep you engaged for hours on end - or even days. If you’ve found a game on our list you’d like to play, check out our helpful Game Store Locator Map.