The Arkham Horror universe boasts an extensive range of board games, so much so that we've divided them into two comprehensive guides. This buying guide focuses on the various families of board games within the franchise. For those interested in the deck-building card games, please refer to our dedicated guide, the Arkham Horror: The Card Game Buying Guide.
Arkham Horror is a long-standing franchise known for its immersive horror-themed board games. Players embark on thrilling missions that require effective communication to succeed. The games offer multiple pathways influenced by the roles, expansions, and campaigns you choose, making them not only great for group play but also excellent for solo sessions when you're looking to spend an hour or more immersed in a board game.
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If you're eager to dive straight into the catalog of games and expansions, feel free to scroll through the list above. For a deeper understanding of how these items interconnect within the broader Arkham Horror universe, continue reading below.
Arkham Horror: The Board Game
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $65.95 USD Players: 1-6 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ Arkham Horror is a cooperative board game where players team up to combat various horrors. You can explore Arkham as one of six investigators, solving mysteries and battling terrifying creatures. With multiple campaigns and a significant luck element, the game offers high replayability. However, it's not an easy game; setup and teaching can take time, and gameplay can last several hours. It's also enjoyable as a solo experience, though challenging.
Arkham Horror: The Board Game Expansions
There are three expansions for the Arkham Horror board game, each adding depth and new experiences to the base game.
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $59.99 USD Players: 1-6 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ Under the Dark Waves is the largest expansion, focusing on underwater horrors. It introduces eight new investigators and four new scenarios, taking players from the city to the sea.
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $44.99 USD Players: 1-6 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ This medium-sized expansion adds three new scenarios and three investigators, expanding the game to include the French Hill neighborhood, where players must navigate ghosts and monsters.
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $32.99 USD Players: 1-4 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ The Dead of Night is a smaller expansion with two new scenarios and four investigators, enhancing the base game with new challenges to face in the dead of night.
Other Arkham Horror Board Games
Several other board games within the Arkham Horror universe offer standalone adventures, each with its own unique gameplay and expansions.
Elder Sign
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $39.99 USD Players: 1-8 Playtime: 1-2 hours Ages: 14+ Elder Sign is a dice-rolling game that can accommodate one to eight players. It's the most accessible game in the Arkham Files franchise, focusing on completing tasks and solving mysteries through dice rolls.
Elder Sign Expansions
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0See it at Asmodee Elder Sign has six expansions, each adding new elements and challenges to the game. Grave Consequences is a standalone deck that can be played independently or with the core game.
Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $109.95 USD Players: 1-5 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ Mansions of Madness is an app-driven dungeon crawler set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign. It supports one to five players and uses an app to guide the narrative and gameplay, making it easy to pause and resume sessions.
Mansions of Madness Expansions
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $69.99 USD Players: 1-5 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ This expansion takes players into the jungle, facing Lovecraftian horrors. It requires the base game and is guided by the app.
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $39.19 USD Players: 1-5 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+ This expansion introduces two new investigators, two scenarios, and an insanity gameplay element, making it an affordable addition to the game.
Unfathomable
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $64.99 USD Players: 3-6 Playtime: 2-4 hours Ages: 14+ Unfathomable is a social deduction game set on a boat, where players must escape from sea monsters while identifying a traitor among them. It's best suited for larger groups and offers a unique experience within the Arkham catalog.
0See it at Amazon This expansion adds new prelude cards, monstrous horrors, skills, items, and boon cards, enhancing the base game's variety and challenge.
Eldritch Horror
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $59.95 USD Players: 1-4 Playtime: 1-3 hours Ages: 14+ Eldritch Horror offers a global adventure, with players traveling worldwide to complete objectives. It's more accessible than Arkham Horror, with quicker setup and simpler rules, focusing on strategy and puzzle-solving.
Eldritch Horror Expansions
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Other Ways to Play
Beyond traditional board games, the Arkham universe offers digital and tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) experiences.
The Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game
Arkham Horror ventured into TTRPGs with a starter set and a core rulebook. The starter set is ideal for beginners, offering a sample campaign without needing an experienced Game Master.
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $34.99 USD Players: 2-4 Playtime: 1-3 hours Ages: 14+ The starter set is perfect for those new to TTRPGs, providing an accessible entry point into the Arkham Horror universe.
0See it at Amazon MSRP: $49.99 USD Players: 2-6 Playtime: 1-3 hours Ages: 14+ After trying the starter set, players can delve deeper with the Core Rulebook, creating their own adventures in the Arkham Horror universe.
Video Game Versions
A digital version, Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace, was released on Steam in 2021. It's a solo game similar to the Mansions of Madness board game expansion, available on Steam and Switch for $19.99. However, it has received mixed reviews due to its story execution. Another digital version, Elder Sign: Omens, is available on Steam and mobile platforms for $5.99 and has garnered mostly positive reviews.
The Bottom Line
For fans of Lovecraftian mythos, the Arkham Horror franchise offers a rich and varied gaming experience. Many of these games can be enjoyed solo or with friends, each providing a unique take on the Lovecraftian worlds. However, they are challenging, with significant elements of chance that can enhance replayability but also increase frustration. Setup and learning times can be lengthy, though card games tend to be quicker to set up than board games, even without expansions.
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