Arkham Horror

2005 · Novel-based

Arkham Horror

Play as a team of 1920s investigators battling otherworldly horrors in a city beset by opening gates to alien realms. Players choose unique investigators, gain skills, allies, items, weapons, and spells, move through the city, fight varied monsters, and attempt to close dimensional gates before too many open. One of several Ancient Ones is selected at the start; if it awakens, the investigators face a final confrontation to stop it from breaking into the world.

Players
1–8 best 4
Playing time
120–240 min
Age
14+
Complexity
3.6 / 5
7.1 on Ludoyafrom $71.99AdventureFightingDice RollingHand ManagementCooperative Game

On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya
313
Plays logged
228
Players
3h
Average play
138
In collections
9
On wishlists

7.1/10

from 80 Ludoya reviews

  • Fun10.0
  • Interaction10.0
  • Replayability10.0
  • Uniqueness10.0
  • Looks10.0
  • Accessibility10.0
  • BWizard6.6

    [c] (15x) GAMING EXPERIENCE: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: (5x) DEPTH / WEIGHT: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar: (5x) LUCK: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: (10x) REPLAYABILITY: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: (6x) MECHANICS: :star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: (6x) PLAYER INTERACTION: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar: (3x) SCALABILITY (PLAYER COUNT): :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: (2x) LENGTH: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: (2x) CLARITY OF RULES: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar: (6x) COMPONENT QUALITY: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar: [/c]

  • Mestremuten6.0

    Rating: 3/5 Production value: 3/4 Is the game in my collection/Love to have?: 0/1

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Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

Do monsters block movement — can I move through a space that has a monster on it?

Whenever you attempt to leave or end movement in an area containing one or more monsters you must either fight or evade each monster; if you fail to evade you take its damage and enter combat, and once you begin combat your movement ends (pp. 6–8, 14).

If a gate opens on my location during the Mythos phase, am I pulled through right away and do I lose my next Movement?

If a gate opens where an investigator is, that investigator is immediately drawn through to the first area of the Other World and is delayed (place the marker on its side), so they receive no movement points on their next Movement Phase (pp. 9–10, 8).

What's the difference between closing a gate and sealing a gate, and how many clues does sealing take?

Closing a gate requires entering and exploring the Other World, returning with an explored marker, then succeeding at a Lore or Fight check to remove the gate marker; sealing a gate is done after a successful close by spending 5 Clue tokens (or using an Elder Sign) to place an elder‑sign token and permanently prevent future gates/monsters at that location (pp. 17–18).

When I fight a monster, do I make a Will (Horror) check first or a Combat check first?

You always make the Horror check (Will) first to see if you lose Sanity, and only afterward choose to flee or fight and resolve the Evade or Combat check (pp. 14–15).

How many clues are needed to seal a gate — can other players contribute their clues to seal it for me?

A gate is sealed by spending five Clue tokens after successfully closing it (or by using an Elder Sign); the rule describes the closing player spending the five clues, so sealing is performed when that investigator spends the required Clue tokens or an Elder Sign (pp. 17–18).

What can wake the Ancient One, and what happens when the doom track fills?

There are five awakening triggers (doom track filled by gate openings, too many open gates, no gate markers left, empty monster cup, or terror 10 with too many monsters); placing a doom token on the last doom space immediately awakens the Ancient One and you proceed to the final battle (pp. 10, 20).

Opens Ludoya's rules assistant, which reads this game's rulebook.

Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.