The next Gloomhaven game is something completely unexpected

It’s only been a matter of months since Isaac Childres’ outstanding legacy RPG-in-a-box Gloomhaven made a big splash in the world of board games, but that hasn’t stopped the designer launching a Kickstarter for a brand new game set in the fantasy world.

If you’re expecting a similar game to the epic adventure, though, you’re in for a shock: Founders of Gloomhaven is nothing like its predecessor.

The game takes place hundreds of years before the original Gloomhaven and, as the name suggests, casts players as the builders of the titular city.

Gone is the co-op exploration and combat of Gloomhaven, replaced by Euro game mechanics that blend together tile placement, action selection, hand management, worker placement and bidding elements into a head-to-head battle between up to four people.

Players gather resources and place them onto the central board to start construction of various buildings. The trick is that you’ll need to combine your own resources with those of other players to create advanced goods, before delivering them to certain ‘prestige’ buildings to earn points.

All this is dictated by each player’s deck of action cards, which they can use to recruit advisers and increase their building prowess.

When the cards run out, players need to call a vote to refresh their deck, but that opens the chance for their rivals to collect income and place a new prestige building.

It’s an interesting mix, and a massive leap away from Gloomhaven’s card-driven battles and legacy-influenced roleplaying events.

Founders of Gloomhaven has already raised more than $200,000 on Kickstarter, smashing its original $50,000 goal.

It’s still got a way to go before it reaches the more than $4 million raised by the combined first and second printings of Gloomhaven – although it costs half the price, at $49 (£38) (plus $7/£5 postage) for the box, versus Gloomhaven’s $99 (£76) price tag.

Founders of Gloomhaven will be out next January.