Head to head
Captive or Gloomhaven
To help you decide
Why you'd pick each one
Captive
- Less well known, if you want something off the beaten track.
- Easier to teach and to get to the table: 1.2 vs 3.9 in weight.
- Brings stat check resolution and paper-and-pencil, which the other one doesn't have.
Gloomhaven
- Better rated on BoardGameGeek: 8.5 vs 6.8.
- Far more played: 67,697 ratings against 637.
- Meatier, if you want something to chew on.
- Handles up to 4 players.
- Brings hand management and multi-use cards, which the other one doesn't have.
The numbers, side by side
| Data point | Captive | Gloomhaven |
|---|---|---|
| BGG rating | 6.8 | 8.5 Better rated |
| Ratings | 637 | 67,697 |
| Players | 1 | 1–4 |
| Playing time | 30–130 min | 60–120 min |
| Complexity | 1.2 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Age | 13+ | 14+ |
| Year | 2014 | 2017 |
Only the rating gets a winner mark. A shorter or lighter game isn't a better one: it depends on what you're after.
Ratings and catalogue data are attributed to BoardGameGeek.