Board games are diving deeper than ever into storytelling and world-building. And if this latest trio of upcoming titles is any indication, 2024 might be one of the most exciting years yet for tabletop adventurers. From sculpting terraced rice fields beneath the Southeast Asian sun, to navigating shape-shifting forests, to surviving brutal raids in a snow-locked wasteland—there’s a game for every kind of strategist out there.
Here’s a closer look at three wildly different, wonderfully immersive board games that are all headed your way soon.
1. Terrasse: A Gentle Strategy Where You Build to the Sky and the Earth Helps You Grow
Imagine standing atop a lush hillside, the sun shimmering over neat layers of rice paddies. That’s the vibe of Terrasse, one of the first entries in designer Chris Swart’s upcoming Tenfold series.
Set against the tranquil landscape of Southeast Asia, Terrasse is not your average Eurogame. Sure, you’re managing resources and building an engine, but you’re doing so by literally shaping the land. Players place tiered tiles to create a three-dimensional terrain—each level affecting how water flows through your paddies and how easily you can plant and harvest your crops.
You’re not just farming here; you’re trading with locals, building sacred pillars to satisfy ancient gods, and trying to balance productivity with piety on a modular game board that evolves from one playthrough to the next.
Why Terrasse stands out:
- A clever height mechanic rewards careful architectural planning.
- Real-world inspiration: The design draws on regional agricultural practices rarely explored in games with this level of depth.
- A rich engine-building system that allows you to string together powerful moves as you master your terrain.
Add in transparent blue water tokens and hand-carved wooden components, and you’re looking at a beautiful, tactile experience that rewards both brainpower and attention to detail. With input from cultural consultants to ensure authenticity, Terrasse promises to bring heart, history, and plenty of strategic depth to your tabletop. Watch for its Kickstarter launch in late 2024.
2. Weird Wood: A Living Forest Where Nothing Stays the Same
If Terrasse is a slow, meditative strategy game, Weird Wood is its twitchy, dreamlike cousin. Designed for 1–3 players, it invites you to step into an ever-shifting enchanted forest—where even the board itself can rotate and change before your eyes.
The game’s premise feels like a fairytale gone slightly off-kilter: you’re moving through a sentient forest, seeking sacred seeds while trying to avoid corrupted creatures that seem to crawl right out of the shadows. And the forest… it watches you. It reacts.
In gameplay terms, you’re juggling puzzle-solving, time management, and narrative exploration. The forest is controlled by a round-based AI system that changes encounters dynamically—you’re trying to outwit the woods themselves.
What makes Weird Wood magical:
- A modular, physically rotating board that mimics living terrain.
- Unique time-based mechanics where your actions might shift the very rhythm of nature.
- Easy to learn but surprisingly strategic, with each session packed into a brisk 30–45 minutes.
Visually, Weird Wood is a stunner, with dreamy, surreal artwork that feels more like a storybook illustration than a tactical game. It’s the kind of game that draws you in with atmosphere, but keeps you coming back for the layered strategic choices. Whether you’re playing solo or with a couple of friends, this forest is always a few steps ahead of you—and that’s part of the fun.
3. Red North: Where War Has Ice in Its Veins
Now, let’s take a hard pivot from meditative fields and whispering forests to someplace far grimmer. Picture a frostbitten wasteland dotted with derelict mining towns and ice-blasted bunkers—this is the world of Red North, the latest strategic heavy-hitter from designer J.B. Howell and IV Studio, the folks behind Mythic Mischief and Moonrakers.
Red North is what happens when asymmetric faction strategy, brutal raids, and emerging diplomacy collide in one icy battlefield. Up to six players choose from a set of wildly different factions, each with its own unique strengths, weaknesses, and secret motives. One group might thrive on brute force; another could manipulate alliances. Everyone’s fighting for scraps of control over a crumbling region frozen in endless winter.
The game blends action-selection mechanics with a cunning political undercurrent. Just because someone’s your ally now doesn’t mean they won’t raid your outpost three turns from now.
What sets Red North apart:
- Deep asymmetry: Each group not only plays differently but evolves narratively across a campaign.
- A raid system that lets you strike others—or fend off assaults from an AI-controlled enemy.
- A dynamic weather meter that shapes movement, battle effectiveness, and even infrastructure endurance.
It’s gritty, it’s unforgiving, and it demands tough choices. But for strategy gamers who love to get lost in long arcs, shifting allegiances, and nail-biting standoffs—it might be your next obsession.
Red North is building major buzz in the community ahead of its crowdfunding campaign later this year. And with IV Studio’s signature art direction pulling everything together, it’s shaping up to be the kind of ambitious, table-dominating experience that you’ll want to dig into again and again.
Which World Will You Enter?
All three of these upcoming games offer something unique, both in style and substance. Whether you’re in the mood to:
- Cultivate serenity among cascading rice fields (Terrasse)
- Lose yourself in a sentient, shifting wilderness (Weird Wood)
- Or push your tactics to the limit in a chilling warzone (Red North)
There’s no shortage of stunning ideas coming to the tabletop in 2024.
| Game | Core Mechanics | Vibe | Perfect For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrasse | Tile-laying, Engine-building | Calm and contemplative | Eurogame fans who love slow-burn optimization |
| Weird Wood | Modular map, Co-op exploration | Surreal and story-rich | Co-op lovers and solo players looking for something different |
| Red North | Area control, Asymmetry | Brutal, tactical warfare | Heavy strategists and campaign game aficionados |
So—where will your next adventure take you?
Let us know which game you’re most excited for. Are you drawn to the poetic farmland of Terrasse, the unpredictable mirage of Weird Wood, or the icy standoff in Red North? Share your thoughts in the comments or join the discussion on social media!