2024 is over and it’s time to look back and see the top games of the year… Or the top campaigns of the year…
Alright, I did this last year and wanted to do it again. The top games played of 2024! Well, at least, that’s what I wanted to do. But then I pulled my game history and found that I didn’t really play a diverse number of games in 2024. What I did play was Arkham Horror LCG.
I used two different programs to pull my 2024 played games. One is geekgroup.app and the other is the BGG stats app on my phone. They make the most wonderful graphs, but it really stood out that my game diversity was rather low… So low that my top 10 played games would have to include games that I played only once! That didn’t feel quite right…
The graphs also made it apparent that I favored one game above all others in 2024. The image is a sea of green with the Arkham cover really taking over. The BGG stats app showed that I played 100 games in 2024. O.o That was actually far more than I expected.
I knew that I had played through several campaigns, but I didn’t realize just how many! So, instead of doing the 10 most played games of 2024, I decided I wanted to do a list of the top 5 campaigns played of the year. Check below for the video or keep going for the longer article!
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Arkham Horror Campaigns
Before I make my list of top campaigns, I wanted to start with what campaigns I played during the year. Seems like a good place to start. Over the year, I ended up doing a total of 13 campaigns (listed in order played):
- The Dunwich Legacy
- Return to the Dunwich Legacy
- The Path to Carcosa
- Edge of the Earth
- The Innsmouth Conspiracy
- The Dream-Eaters
a. Murder at the Excelsior Hotel
b. Barkham Horror - The Circle Undone
- The Forgotten Age
- The Scarlet Keys
- The Feast of Hemlock Vale
- The Path to Carcosa Revisited
- Dark Matter
- Bloodborne
While trying to figure out my top five campaigns, I felt like I was put into a bind. There were some that I really liked that did not make it into the top 5 but they were edged out by just a bit. I do think this list would change depending on the day and my mood. I am trying not to give away too much about any particular scenario which is why the sections below might come across as a little vague.
Number 5: The Path to Carcosa
The Path to Carcosa is a classic campaign exploring the mysteries of a play that seems have taken an unexpected turn. This is one of the earlier released campaigns, but it is well created and stands the test of time. The one thing I noticed about The Path to Carcosa is that every scenario is generally solid. There are not many high highs or low lows that come to mind immediately.
There are some impactful decisions that do stick out in my brain but those don’t necessarily correlate to exciting moments. All in all, The Path to Carcosa is a very solid campaign and one I would mind playing again and again.
Number 4: The Innsmouth Conspiracy
The Innsmouth Conspiracy is another classic, maybe because of the elder ones being so iconic. I feel like fish creatures as a staple from Eldritch lore. I also read the Silas Marsh book recently so I have an even softer spot for it now than I did before. And we are currently in the middle of the Return to campaign for Innsmouth so it is at the front of my mind.
The interesting thing about Innsmouth is that a lot of scenarios feel more push your luck than anything else. Do as much as you can before the scenario ends or, more likely, before it ends you. The whole situation is a wild ride and one that has an interesting push and pull mechanic.
Number 3: The Feast of Hemlock Vale
The Feast for Hemlock Vale is the newest, released campaign (drowned city feels so close). I have only played through the campaign once which does tinge my view of it. There are several routes that can be taken as this is an open world type of experience. The [players decisions on what to do when can really modify the experience from group to group.
While I had a fantastic time playing The Feast for Hemlock Vale, I have discovered that my group did the most canon route. This was not intentional, but the game seemed to point us in a particular direction, and we just decided to follow. Seemed easy enough. Overall, that choice led to a very positive experience albeit a difficult one at times.
From what I have heard, other groups have not been so lucky. Taking the non-canon route might lead to a more frustrating experience for some. Unfortunately, I cannot comment too much on this as I have yet to experience it. But The Feast for Hemlock Vale ended up as 3rd because of what I did experience. I am looking forward to taking deviations next time and seeing how that changes my opinion of the campaign as a whole.
Number 2: The Forgotten Age
Second from the top is The Forgotten Age. I feel like this one is a great adventure game that really goes into some wild decision making. There are definitely some scenarios that stand out, for better or worse. I know we got stuck in a time loop at one point and were basically forced to keep moving. But even after replaying something, I would happily replay it again. I am also a glutton for punishment.
The story is also enchanting although a little strange. There are some setting changes that feel out of place, but the gameplay overcomes this in a very big way. Choosing between my top two campaigns was extremely difficult. I am very excited to play the return version of The Forgotten Age and see what other choices we can make and what ending that leads to.
Honorable Mention: Bloodborne (Fan Campaign)
Before getting to the number one campaign, I want to do an honorable mention. My list of played campaigns includes two campaigns made by my fans (i.e., they are unofficial). And one of them really grabbed my attention. I will admit having a bias toward Bloodborne, as it is one of my favorite Ips, but I’m also taking into consideration the input of someone from the group who does not know the video game well.
There were some odd issues with Bloodborne that would make it more challenging for newer players than experienced ones. While the story was well thought out, the mechanics were not always as detailed as I felt they should be. There were a few times where we acted on what we thought the intention of the scenario was rather than what was written (or more accurately, what wasn’t written).
There was also an interesting power curve that came with a lot of the bosses in each scenario. Sometimes they felt like a finale, and sometimes they were just kind of… there. The equipment gained throughout the game did make things easier and easier as time went on. Not saying this is a bad thing, just an observation that I think about a lot.
Overall, with a little more polish on the mechanics, I think Bloodborne could easier get higher in the ranks. It had some of the highest highs but also the lowest lows. The little bit of polish would get rid of quite a few of those lows and bring the campaign up to a fairly high standard.
Number 1: The Circle Undone
And finally! My favorite campaign of 2024 is The Circle Undone! Apparently, some might see this as controversial because there seems to be quite a bit of hate for The Circle Undone in the Arkham community. But it’s my favorite none the less.
The campaign has an interesting take on playing the field to eventually choose sides and get different endings. This campaign is also hard. There are a couple of scenarios that are absolutely miserable but I think our group (or most of it) have the most fun when we are struggling. I want to be able to overcome (and not necessarily control) a bad situation, but I do understand that not everyone wants to play that way.
The Circle Undone has a lot of components I really like, from the optional cold opening to the spooky ambiance that feels ever present throughout the campaign. I felt like there was a presence always looming over us even if it wasn’t clear what that presence was. I cannot wait to play the return to for this scenario and I am excited to see what it improves upon.
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