Horror board games are a great way to gather friends or family for a night of spooks, thrills, and a good time. Whether you are a fan of classic horror movies or modern horror fiction, there is a game out there that will make your heart race and your skin crawl.
Here are some of the best horror board games you can play in 2023.
- Players: 3-5
- Ages: 12+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Intermediate
Betrayal Legacy is a tabletop game that combines strategy, storytelling, and horror elements to create a unique experience. The game follows the story of a family haunted for generations by an evil presence in their ancestral home. Players must explore the mansion, uncover its secrets, and confront the dark forces that dwell within it.
The legacy system changes the rules and adds new elements as the story progresses, creating a dynamic and engaging experience.
- Players: 1-4
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Advanced
Based on the popular video game of the same name, Bloodborne: The Board Game is a fast-paced and challenging game that will test your strategic skills. Players must fight through the city of Yharnam, battling monsters and discovering the secrets of the game’s dark and twisted lore.
The game has a unique mechanic that simulates the “hunt” aspect of the video game, making it a thrilling and immersive experience.
- Players: 1-8
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 2+ Hours
- Complexity: Advanced
Eldritch Horror is a cooperative game that takes players on a global adventure to stop the awakening of ancient and malevolent beings. Players must gather clues, solve puzzles, and fight off monsters as they race against the clock to prevent the world’s end.
Eldritch Horror is based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft and features a rich and immersive narrative that will keep players engaged from start to finish.
- Players: 1-5
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Intermediate
Cthulhu: Death May Die is a fast-paced game that pits players against the most terrifying Lovecraftian creatures. Players must work together to stop the cultists from summoning the Great Old Ones and unleashing chaos upon the world.
The unique sanity mechanic adds an extra layer of tension and fear to the gameplay.
- Players: 1-5
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 2+ Hours
- Complexity: Intermediate
Mansions of Madness is a cooperative game that takes players on a journey through haunted mansions and supernatural locations. Players must solve puzzles, fight monsters, and explore the mysteries of each location to uncover the secrets that lie within.
The game features an app that controls the narrative and adds a level of unpredictability to the gameplay.
- Players: 1-5
- Ages: 12+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Advanced
Nemesis is a game that simulates a sci-fi horror movie. Players take on the roles of space travelers who have awoken from cryosleep to find their spaceship infested with deadly aliens. Players must work together to survive and escape the ship before it’s too late.
The game features a unique hidden traitor mechanic that adds an extra layer of suspense and intrigue.
- Players: 1-2
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Advanced
Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a living card game that follows the story of investigators battling against the horrors of the Cthulhu mythos. Players build decks of cards that represent their investigator’s skills, equipment, and abilities and then face off against the game’s challenges.
Arkham Horror’s branching narrative changes based on the player’s choices, making it a highly replayable and engaging experience.
- Players: 1-6
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Intermediate
Zombiecide is a fast-paced and action-packed game that pits players against hordes of zombies. Players must work together to survive and complete objectives as they fight their way through a zombie-infested city.
It features a wide variety of zombies and survivors and a customizable board that can be changed for each game.
- Players: 2-7
- Ages: 10+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Beginner
Mysterium is a cooperative game that puts players in the role of psychic investigators trying to solve a murder mystery. One player takes on the part of a ghost who communicates with the other players through abstract clues and visions. The players must work together to interpret the clues and identify the culprit before time runs out.
Mysterium has a hauntingly immersive atmosphere.
- Players: 1-5
- Ages: 10+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Beginner
Horrified is a cooperative game that puts players in the shoes of classic horror movie heroes trying to save their town from various monsters. Players must collect items, complete objectives, and defeat the monsters to win the game.
Iconic monsters such as Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Wolfman are featured in the game.
Horrified has a modular board that can be customized for each game.
- Players: 3-10
- Ages: 10+
- Play Time: 10+ Minutes
- Complexity: Beginner
One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a fast and fun social deduction game that puts players in the roles of villagers and werewolves. Players must use their powers of deduction and persuasion to determine who among them is the werewolf before time runs out.
The game is quick and easy to learn, making it an excellent choice for parties or casual game nights.
- Players: 2-6
- Ages: 15+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Beginner
Zombies!!! is a classic survival horror game that puts players in the middle of a zombie outbreak. Players must fight through hordes of zombies, collect weapons and items, and reach the helipad to escape the city.
Zombies!!! features a modular board that can be customized for each game and a wide variety of zombie and survivor miniatures.
- Players: 2-5
- Ages: 13+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Intermediate
Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game is a cooperative game that puts players in the roles of survivors trying to survive a harsh winter in a post-apocalyptic world. Players must work together to complete objectives, gather resources, and fend off zombies and other dangers.
The crossroads system adds an element of story-driven gameplay, and the traitor mechanic adds tension and mistrust among the players.
Nyctophobia
- Players: 3-5
- Ages: 9+
- Play Time: 30+ Minutes
- Complexity: Beginner
Nyctophobia is a unique horror game that simulates the experience of being lost in the woods at night. One player takes on the role of the “Hunter,” while the other players are blindfolded and must navigate the board using only touch and sound.
Nyctophobia’s unique and immersive gameplay creates a sense of fear and tension.
- Players: 1-8
- Ages: 13+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Beginner
Elder Sign is a cooperative game that puts players in the roles of investigators trying to prevent the awakening of the Ancient Ones. Players must collect powerful artifacts and solve mysteries to complete the game’s objectives before time runs out.
The game features a dice-rolling mechanic that adds an element of luck to the gameplay, as well as a wide variety of monsters and locations inspired by Lovecraft’s stories.
- Players: 2-5
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 2+ Hours
- Complexity: Advanced
Fury of Dracula is a game that puts players in the roles of vampire hunters trying to track down and defeat Dracula himself. Players must explore the board, gather clues, and use their powers and abilities to defeat the vampire lord.
The game features a hidden movement mechanic that adds an element of strategy and deception to the gameplay.
- Players: 2-4
- Ages: 13+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Beginner
Gloom is a card game that puts players in control of a family of misfits and malcontents trying to outdo each other in misery and despair. Players must play cards to inflict terrible events upon their families while playing positive cards on their opponents’ families.
Gloom’s unique storytelling element encourages players to create dark and twisted narratives for their families.
- Players: 2-6
- Ages: 12+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Beginner
Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game is a survival horror game that puts players in the roles of survivors trying to make it through the night in a small town infested with zombies. Players must work together to complete objectives and fend off the zombie horde while also dealing with the unpredictable actions of a player-controlled zombie master.
Last Night on Earth has a modular board that can be customized for each game and a wide variety of survivor and zombie miniatures.
- Players: 2-5
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 1+ Hours
- Complexity: Intermediate
The Others is a game that puts players in the roles of heroes trying to save a city from seven deadly sins personified as monsters. Players must explore the city, fight off the monsters, and complete objectives to win the game.
A unique corruption mechanic can turn heroes into monsters. The board game is modular and can be customized for each game.
- Players: 1-4
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 30+ Minutes
- Complexity: Intermediate
The Bloody Inn is a game that puts players in the roles of innkeepers running a profitable but illegal business. Players must lure wealthy guests to their inn, murder them, and dispose of their bodies while avoiding suspicion from the authorities.
Players use the worker placement mechanic to hire and fire workers to help them run their inn.
- Players: 3-6
- Ages: 14+
- Play Time: 2+ Hours
- Complexity: Advanced
Unfathomable is a game that puts players in the roles of crew members aboard a submarine being attacked by a mysterious and deadly creature. Players must work together to repair the ship, fight off the creature, and complete objectives to win the game.
Unfathomable features a hidden traitor mechanic that can create tension and mistrust among the players and a unique sanity mechanic that adds an element of fear and uncertainty to the gameplay.
In conclusion, horror board games offer a unique and thrilling gaming experience that can be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good scare. Whether you prefer classic horror movies, modern horror fiction, or Lovecraftian tales of cosmic horror, there is a game out there that will satisfy your craving for horror and suspense.
So gather your friends or family, turn off the lights, and get ready to face your fears with these best horror board games.
Source: Tabletop Gaming News
