News about Arkham Horror Board Game: Ultimate Buying Guide

The Arkham Horror universe boasts an extensive catalog of games, prompting us to create two dedicated guides to help you navigate through them. In this guide, we'll explore the various families of board games within the Arkham Horror franchise. If you're interested in the deck-building card games, be sure to check out our comprehensive Arkham Horror: The Card Game Buying Guide.

Arkham Horror is a long-standing series of horror-themed board games where players embark on thrilling missions, relying heavily on communication to triumph. Each game offers multiple pathways influenced by your choice of roles, expansions, and campaigns. These games are not only perfect for group play but also excel as solo board games, ideal for those times when you're looking to dive into a chilling adventure alone.

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Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

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Arkham Horror: Under Dark Waves Expansion

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Arkham Horror: Secrets of The Order Expansion

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Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

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Elder Sign

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Elder Sign: The Gates of Arkham Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Pharaoh Expansion

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Elder Sign: Unseen Forces Expansion

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Elder Sign: Grave Consequences

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Elder Sign: Omens of Ice

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Deep

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Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

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Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

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Unfathomable

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Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

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Eldritch Horror

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Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Under the Pyramids Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: The Dreamlands Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Forsaken Lore Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Signs of Carcosa Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Cities in Ruin Expansion

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

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Want to dive straight into the various games and expansions? Feel free to scroll through the catalog above. If you're eager to understand how these items interconnect within the vast Arkham Horror universe, keep reading.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game

Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

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MSRP: $65.95 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+
Arkham Horror is a cooperative board game where teams of players work together to combat various horrors. Embark on a journey through Arkham as one of six investigators to unravel mysteries and vanquish terrifying creatures. With multiple campaigns to explore and a significant luck element, the game offers high replayability. However, be prepared: it's not an easy game to master, requiring time for setup and learning. Whether playing with friends or solo, the challenge remains intense, but the thrill of your first victory is unmatched.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game Expansions

There are three expansions that add depth to the base game of Arkham Horror.

Arkham Horror: Under the Dark Waves Expansion

Arkham Horror: Under Dark Waves Expansion

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MSRP: $59.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+
The largest expansion, Under the Dark Waves, delves into the horrors lurking beneath the water. It introduces eight new investigators and four new scenarios, expanding your adventures beyond the city into the sea.

Arkham Horror: Secrets of the Order Expansion

Arkham Horror: Secrets of The Order Expansion

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MSRP: $44.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+
This medium-sized expansion includes three new scenarios and three additional investigators. Secrets of the Order opens up the French Hill neighborhood, offering a fresh setting filled with ghostly and monstrous encounters.

Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

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MSRP: $32.99 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+
Dead of Night is a smaller expansion with a more affordable price point. It adds two new scenarios and four new investigators, perfect for deepening your experience in the dead of night.

Other Arkham Horror Board Games

Several other board games exist within the Arkham universe, each offering unique standalone adventures. These games are not directly connected to the Arkham Horror base game, allowing you to explore different facets of the Lovecraftian world with familiar characters.

Elder Sign

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MSRP: $39.99 USD
Players: 1-8
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Ages: 14+
Elder Sign, an early addition to the Arkham Files franchise, is a dice-rolling board game suitable for one to eight players. It's the most accessible game in the series, with gameplay driven primarily by dice rolls. Players must roll dice to complete tasks and navigate through encounters, striving to solve mysteries before time runs out.

Elder Sign Expansions

Elder Sign: The Gates of Arkham Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Pharaoh Expansion

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Elder Sign: Unseen Forces Expansion

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Elder Sign: Grave Consequences

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Elder Sign: Omens of Ice

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Deep

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Elder Sign features six expansions: Unseen Forces, Gates of Arkham, Omens of Ice, Grave Consequences, Omens of the Deep, and Omens of the Pharaoh. Grave Consequences can be played standalone. The latest expansion was released in 2018, with no further expansions currently announced.

Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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MSRP: $109.95 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+
Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) is an app-driven dungeon crawler within the Arkham universe. This standalone game, playable with one to five players, uses an app to guide you through its narrative. The app manages setup, narrative progression, and dice rolls, allowing for immersive gameplay. It's particularly convenient for resuming play sessions, though you'll need to reset the physical pieces.

Mansions of Madness Expansions

Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

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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 uses the app to guide gameplay.

Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

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MSRP: $39.19 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+
This more affordable expansion introduces two new investigators, two new scenarios, and an insanity mechanic, enhancing the game's depth.

Unfathomable

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MSRP: $64.99 USD
Players: 3-6
Playtime: 2-4 hours
Ages: 14+
Unfathomable is a social deduction game set on a boat amidst sea monsters. Best for groups of five or six, it features a traitor mechanic reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica, but set in the Lovecraftian mythos. Players must navigate the game to identify the traitor while trying to escape alive.

Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

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This expansion introduces new prelude cards, three new monstrous horrors, and additional skills, items, and boon cards, enhancing the game's variety and challenge.

Eldritch Horror

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MSRP: $59.95 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+
Eldritch Horror offers a global adventure, contrasting with the city-centric focus of Arkham Horror. It's more accessible with quicker setup and simpler rules, appealing to both beginners and seasoned players. The focus is on strategy and puzzle-solving, providing a different experience from its Arkham counterpart.

Eldritch Horror Expansions

Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Under the Pyramids Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: The Dreamlands Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Forsaken Lore Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Signs of Carcosa Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Cities in Ruin Expansion

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Eldritch Horror has eight expansions, each adding new elements and challenges: Forsaken Lore, Mountains of Madness, Strange Remnants, Under the Pyramids, Signs of Carcosa, The Dreamlands, Cities in Ruin, and Masks of Nyarlathotep.

Other Ways to Play

Beyond the traditional board games, the Arkham universe offers additional experiences, including online versions and a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG).

The Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game

Arkham Horror introduced its first TTRPG last year, starting with a starter set followed by a core rulebook. The starter set is ideal for beginners, offering a sample campaign and no need for an experienced Game Master.

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

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MSRP: $34.99 USD
Players: 2-4
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+
The starter set is perfect for newcomers to TTRPGs, providing an accessible entry point into the Arkham Horror universe.

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

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MSRP: $49.99 USD
Players: 2-6
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+
Once familiar with the starter set, players can dive deeper into the Arkham Horror TTRPG with the Core Rulebook, enabling new adventures and expanded gameplay.

Video Game Versions

A digital version, Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace, was released on Steam in 2021. This single-player game, similar to the Mansions of Madness board game, is available for solo play on Steam and Switch at an MSRP of $19.99. However, it has received mixed reviews due to its storytelling. Additionally, Elder Sign: Omens is available on Steam and mobile platforms, offering a more affordable digital experience at $5.99 and earning mostly positive feedback.

The Bottom Line

For fans of Lovecraftian-themed games, the Arkham Horror series is a treasure trove of thrilling experiences. The games are suitable for both solo and group play, each offering a unique exploration of the Lovecraftian worlds. However, they can be challenging, with significant elements of chance that enhance replayability but may also lead to frustration. Setup and learning times can be substantial, though card games within the series are generally quicker to set up than board games, even without expansions.