Over the past ten years, few games have captured the public’s attention quite like FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. With video-game-inspired board games becoming a staple in the gaming world, it was inevitable that this iconic title would venture onto the tabletop scene. Enter Steamforged Games, the minds behind acclaimed adaptations like Resident Evil, Monster Hunter World, and Dark Souls, ready to bring Elden Ring to life in a whole new way. Following a hugely successful crowdfunding campaign in 2022, Elden Ring: The Board Game is almost ready to be shipped to backers and is up for preorder for the rest of the eager fans. Prepare yourself, Tarnished. The time has come to prove your mettle again.
Elden Ring: The Board Game is a campaign experience, designed for players to navigate through a series of scenarios where character development is key. Steamforged offers players three distinct campaigns to explore: The Grafted King, The Weeping Peninsula, and Stormveil Castle. The Grafted King acts as the comprehensive ‘base game’, while the other two serve as standalone expansions, allowing players to continue their journey with upgraded characters. Depending on your chosen path, you’ll get to play as various classes across the boxes—Vagabond, Samurai, Astrologer, and Prophet in The Grafted King; Hero, Prophet, Astrologer, and Bandit in The Weeping Peninsula; and Confessor, Prisoner, Samurai, and Vagabond in Stormveil Castle.
True to its epic origins, the game arrives in large, impressive boxes filled with detailed monster miniatures, an array of cards, tokens, tiles, and numerous guidebooks. Owning just one of these campaigns makes it one of the most formidable additions to my collection. The production quality is top-notch, boasting some of the finest miniatures and most durable components I’ve seen, further layered with a premium feel in both cards and cardboard materials.
Scenarios in the game offer a refreshing variety, ensuring each session feels unique. Nonetheless, not every scenario type leaves the same impact. Narrative scenarios, for instance, integrate story reading and decision-making, requiring players to make choices and skill checks that affect the course of the game. While the writing is commendable, I found this type of gameplay less engaging—I wouldn’t mind picking up a book or diving into a Dungeons & Dragons session if I craved extensive storytelling.
On the other hand, the Exploration scenarios truly capture Elden Ring’s essence of uncovering the unknown. Players explore map regions, revealing random tiles that contain a mix of enemies, items, or surprises as they pursue quests. This dynamic approach to map creation is reminiscent of classics like Betrayal at House on the Hill or Clank! Catacombs, boosting both replayability and the excitement of discovery. These scenarios strike a well-rounded balance of combat, story, and exploration without becoming overwhelming.
Focusing heavily on combat, the game includes Gauntlet, Dungeon, and Boss scenarios. Gauntlets challenge players with tough enemy encounters and unique rules. Dungeons build up to a major boss fight, while Boss scenarios put your team’s strategy to the ultimate test against powerful adversaries. These battle-heavy experiences are satisfying because they are bolstered by robust combat mechanics.
Combat unfolds on grid layouts constructed from ring-bound notebooks, requiring strategic positioning and tactical maneuvers. Spells and weapons have specific ranges, while positions can yield benefits like extra damage or better defense. These elements demand careful planning among players, often leading to intense deliberations during encounters, especially since the enemies are no pushovers.
Each basic enemy operates from a card detailing its actions, with symbols indicating attacks and moves. Initially complex, these mechanics eventually become understandable. Bosses amp up the challenge with entire decks of actions ordered strategically within the initiative. Outcomes vary from landing attacks last to being caught off guard by an early assault, maintaining tension with health pools adjusted for player numbers, ensuring fair yet exciting challenges.
A unique feature of this board game is its absence of dice, opting for a card-driven, deck-building approach. Players draw from decks aligned with their equipped gear, while a separate Attribute deck determines damage and special effects with symbols representing various stats.
Character progression in Elden Ring mirrors its digital counterpart, inviting players to level up abilities, switch out gear, and modify stats through Trait cards, all governed by the Rune system—akin to a load limit. While the system allows customization growth as the game progresses, the tracking of Runes proves cumbersome. Steamforged’s Rune cards fall short, and using paper feels clumsy. Perhaps improved solutions will come from the community or Steamforged in time.
Despite the game’s strengths, starting with the Stormveil Castle campaign was overwhelming for newcomers, as it assumes players have prior experience and adjustments. I’d recommend beginning with The Realm of the Grafted King for a more seamless entry into this richly detailed world.
