Atmospheric Anxiety - how board games create tense emotions (Topic Discussion)

Atmosphere in board games is one of those things that is felt. It is not just about how a game looks or sounds, nor simply the story it tells. Instead, atmosphere is the subtle, almost elusive quality that emerges from the right mixture of art and illustrations, sound, gameplay and a player's imagination. It is what remains with us when all the noise fades and we are left with a sense of immersion and feeling unique to that game world. In this article, I want to explore what atmosphere means in board games and how it can be crafted.

Read the full topic discussion article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/07/29/atmospheric-anxiety-how-board-games-create-tense-emotions-topic-discussion/

Useful Links

• Nemesis review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/06/18/nemesis-saturday-review/
• Adam Kwapiński's design diary for Heroes: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/46089/designer-diary-all-about-the-atmosphere-or-the-des

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