Top 10 Best RPG Board Games

First released in 1983, Talisman is a genre defining board game RPG. The game is chaotic and highly luck based, despite its fantasy theme, it's closer to Mario Party than to Dungeons and Dragons, but this is all part of the appeal.

In Talisman, 2-6 players race to the center of the board in order to seize a magical artifact called the Crown of Command. On the way, you'll be fighting through various regions filled with puzzles and peril. The game features an adventure deck, which determines what you'll encounter during your quest. You might clash with a dragon, transform into a toad, or get pestered by a poltergeist. The cards are beautiful little bursts of chaos.

Talisman is a full RPG experience, contained within a single session, and peppered with plenty of random chance.

Dungeon Legends is a party based expedition into the underground that unfolds over the course of a five act campaign.

1-4 players will each embody a hero with a unique play style. From a valiant knight to a determined blacksmith. You'll gradually descend deeper and deeper into the earth, uncovering the dark secrets that dwell within.

Dungeon Legends is an affordable campaign experience, offering a complete fantasy adventure of underground exploration.

Many roleplaying games take place in fantasy worlds populated by elves, dwarves, and orcs. Stuffed Fables has an alternative approach, telling a story about 'stuffies' living teddy bears that adventure out into the world to look after the child who treasures them. If you've ever wanted a playable version of Toy Story, then Stuffed Fables definitely delivers.

Rather than a board, Stuffed Fables takes place inside a book, which contains all of the maps that you will be adventuring across, as well as the storyline that you'll be working your way through.

This is a great family focussed adventure for 2-4 players. It tells an evocative story about growing up that will tug on your heartstrings.

Mage Knight is an incredibly deep game. It's unashamedly complex and challenging, but it offers an incredibly rewarding experience for those who are able to master it.

1-4 players take on the role of the titular 'mage knights' and venture across the realm. perfecting their magical skills, raising armies, and, ultimately, conquering cities. You can conquer the kingdom alone or with companions, as the game can be played either competitively or cooperatively.

The game features a hex based map, deckbuilding elements, and a selection of magical crystal components to fuel your quest for power.

From the perspective of a mouse, every cat is like a dragon, and every field is the size of a kingdom.

In Mice and Mystics, 1-4 players will take charge of a group of heroes who have been turned into mice. They now need to fight their way to safety in a world where even the smallest of insects is a massive threat.

The game does a lot with its central premise of a teeny tiny group of adventurers. You're a pint sized party will undergo some really creative quests over the course of Mice and Mystics' 11 act campaign.

Descent: Legends of the Dark captures the experience of a full-on PC, or console, roleplaying game in a box that you can bring to your table.

Assisted by an app, that helps keep the adventure running smoothly and narrates the story, you'll embark on a grand quest across the fantasy world of Terrinoth.

Descent is epic in its scope and offers a 40 hour long adventure that will keep a group of 1-4 dungeon delvers occupied for months on end.

Earthorne Rangers is a cooperative game of open world exploration. 1-4 players take on the role of the protectors of a mystical mountain valley, living in harmony with nature.

The game has a branching storyline that is designed to be experienced over the course of many, many play sessions. There are also a lot of options available for customising your characters, including modifying their backstory, personality, and interests.

In line with its environmentalist themes, Earthborne Rangers is also biodegradable.

If you've ever wanted to take Skyrim off the screen and try it out in real life, then The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era can provide exactly what you're searching for.

Just like the open world Elder Scrolls games that Betrayal of the Second Era is based on, choice is the core of the experience here. Your party of 1-4 players can set off to explore the sweeping forests of Cyrodil, the mountainous peaks of Highrock, and many other regions from the land of Tamriel, where you'll complete quests for a variety of different factions.

Every playthrough of the game is split into three acts, but just how you'll navigate each chapter of your adventure is free for you to determine. You can quest through different provinces every time you pick up the game, offering a radically different experience from one campaign to the next.

Arkham Horror: the Card Game is a deep dive into the world of the eldritch and the unknown. Inspired by H.P Lovecraft's Cthulu Mythos, Arkham Horror tasks 1-4 detectives with investigating a series of supernatural mysteries plaguing the city of Arkham, Massachusetts.

The secret to Arkham Horror's success is the variety of different scenarios the game is able to explore using the same ruleset. You might be unravelling an otherworldly conspiracy, unearthing lost civilisations, or even venturing into the arctic.

A revised core set is due to release in March, making now a great time to start your descent into the unknown world of Arkham Horror.

Since its release in 2017, Gloomhaven has remained the gold standard when it comes to RPG board games. With a storyline that can last for more than 100 hours, Gloomhaven has a plot that spans multiple sets of characters, as adventurers rise to glory, make a name for themselves, and then retire as fresh faces step in.

The game's tight tactical combat requires precision to master, as you need to efficiently choose your attacks to bring down your enemies quickly and avoid exhausting yourself.

In 2022, the sequel Frosthaven expanded the formula by adding an extensive new town management system on top of the dungeon delving gameplay.

Gloomhaven lets you grab a group of 1-4 friends and embark on one of the best fantasy adventures that you can experience in the world of tabletop gaming.

Roleplaying games offer a wide selection of imaginative worlds to immerse yourself in. You can crack cryptic cases in Arkham Horror, delve into the darkness in Dungeon Legends, or explore the troubles of childhood in Stuffed Fables. Whatever their differences may be, all of these games share an ability to blend rewarding storytelling with tactical turn based gameplay.

If you're looking for more longform campaign experiences that'll provide you with weeks of entertainment, check out our list of the 10 best legacy board games.

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