Arkham Horror LCG mythos phase design is the most elegant escalation mechanic in any card game I know. The scenario's doom track ticks down inexorably. Encounter cards create problems that pile up. The investigator phase is a race against an accelerating bad situation. The tension never drops.

The campaign system creates genuine stakes — investigators who are eliminated acquire trauma that follows them across scenarios. Investigators who fail often enough become permanently lost. This stakes-raising is more impactful than Legacy game sticker placement because the characters are investments of deckbuilding rather than plastic figures.

For groups interested in the LCG format but concerned about the ongoing cost, the starter investigator decks provide a complete experience for the first campaign cycle. You do not need the entire card pool to play — you need enough cards to build functional decks, which the starters and first cycle provide.