Looking to add some spooky fun to your board game night?
The lights are low, the table is set, the candles are lit. Everything seems perfectly in place. Well, everything but the star of the night. The board game. You’re left wondering which horror board game is right for you and your group. Lucky for you, this article will help you figure out the answer to that difficult question. Laid out before you is a selection of the best horror board games available. From alien plagues to ghosts to zombies, there’s something for everyone on this list. All you have to do is be brave enough to look…
10. One Night Ultimate Werewolf
The lineup of roles.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a fast-paced hidden role game. With unique rules and dynamics between the different roles, this will be a hit with any game-loving group. The game even has a companion app to help facilitate your game!
The objective of this game is simple. The villagers have one round to determine who among them is a werewolf. The werewolf (and their possible allies) do their best to divert suspicion and survive to the end of the round. Your group can be as small as three players, or as large as ten, making this game perfect for anything from a family game night to a board game extravaganza.
Top three things that make One Night Ultimate Werewolf fun:
- A plethora of different roles! With nearly every player having a hidden agenda, no two games are ever going to be the same.
- It’s quick. Each round only takes ten minutes, making it perfect for the group on the go.
- The rules are simple. One Night Ultimate Werewolf is easy for anyone to pick up. The fun and complexity of this game comes from the players rather than the game itself.
Price: $14
9. Elder Sign
Please, don't put candles in wooden boxes.
Elder Sign is an absolute must-own for any fans of HP Lovecraft’s style of horror. Set in a museum during the 1920s, a group of investigators must rush to stop ancient horrors from entering our world and tearing it to pieces. One to eight players must race against the clock to collect the elder signs and seal away the evil for good.
Top Three Things That Make Elder Sign Fun:
- Wonderful theming. This game is full of well-designed game pieces and gorgeous art that will put you in the mood to do your part to lock away the ancient ones.
- Unique dice! The dice serve a large part in the gameplay of Elder Signs, but they’re not just standard numbered dice.
- Player number variety. Some of the best board games are hard to enjoy due to needing a large group of people to get the best experience. With the ability to play solo, you can dive into this horrific adventure whenever the mood strikes you.
Price: $35
8. Fury of Dracula
Wooden stake and garlic not included.
In this hidden movement game, one player takes on the role of the legendary Count Dracula while the rest play as vampire hunters, determined to bring his reign of terror to an end. Dracula moves at night, traveling across Europe, setting traps and turning humans with his deadly bite. The hunters follow behind during the day, trying to catch and destroy the count. This game is for 2-5 players.
Top Three Things That Make Fury of Dracula Fun:
- Hidden movement mechanics. Not knowing what comes next is a core value in horror, and this game is no different. You’ll never know what’s waiting for you in the next round, no matter which side you’re on.
- New edition. With the newly released 4th edition of Fury of Dracula, even those who have played before can find something in this board game.
- Classic horror. Dracula has been a staple of horror for over a hundred years. Any horror fan will enjoy taking on the role of the famous Count.
Price: $45
7. The Bloody Inn
A preview of the beautiful art style on the cards
Everyone is a villain in this card game. Up to four players take on the role of family members in 17th century France, trying to make their fortune through their inn. The way to do that? Killing the guests, hiding their bodies, and taking their valuables. The winner is whoever has the most money at the end of the game, but be careful! The police won’t stay blind to all these disappearances for long.
Top Three Things That Make The Bloody Inn Fun:
- Resource management. This game is a balancing act in many ways, most importantly how you manage your money. How do you weigh out paying people off to keep your crimes a secret, while still having enough left to win the game? That’s up to you.
- Unique art style. With a beautifully macabre style drawn onto all the cards in this game, it’s both a treat to play and to look at.
- Good for smaller groups. With a player cap of four, this game is perfect for bringing a bit of dark fun to smaller gatherings.
Price: $27
6. Dead of Winter
Betrayals and zombies and snow, oh my!
In this post-apocalyptic, zombie-ridden game, the real horror comes from the survivors. Two to five players will come together to attempt to survive until the end, but everyone has their own objectives. Some of these hidden goals will be for the betterment of the group, while some will seek to destroy it.
Top Three Things That Make Dead of Winter Fun:
- Dozens of characters. The number of possible character combinations in this game gives it an amazing replayability factor.
- Psychological Horror. While there is the looming threat of zombies in this game, the main threat comes from inside the group.
- Award-winning. This game comes with a boatload of pedigrees that let you know it’s worth playing.
Price: $45
5. Mysterium
Knock twice if you want a fun board game
In this asymmetrical game, one player takes on the role of a murdered ghost, while the rest are mediums trying to put the spirit to rest. The ghost can not speak and communicates clues about their murder through cards given to the mediums. The mediums have to use these clues to guess a suspect, location, and murder weapon. Two to seven players must attempt to solve the murder before time runs out, or else the ghost will disappear, leaving the story a mystery forever.
Top Three Things That Make Mysterium Fun:
- Unique mechanics. The aspect of the game that does not allow the ghost to speak is something unlike most games on this list that require a large amount of communication between players.
- Quick playtime. With an estimated length of thirty to forty-five minutes, Mysterium is a good game for those short on time.
- Age range. This game is for players 10+, making it fun for the whole family.
Price: $40
4. Ghost Stories
Hope you ain't afraid of no ghosts
In Ghost Stories, players take on the role of Taoist monks, trying to save the village from the evil spirit Wu-Feng. One to four players faces off against this evil spirit as well as his army of ghosts, gaining advantages and bonuses for non-haunted village tiles. At the end of the game, one or more incarnations of Wu-Feng will appear, and the monks have to defeat him to win.
Top Three Things That Make Ghost Stories Fun:
- Cooperative gameplay. Unlike many horror board games, every player is working towards a common goal of defeating Wu-Feng. There are no hidden roles or motives, just teamwork.
- Interesting backstory. Rather than taking place in a haunted house or evil woods, this game has players becoming monks protecting a village.
- Varying difficulty. This game has four separate difficulty levels, Initiation Normal Nightmare and Hell. All of these different levels of challenge are sure to keep you coming back to Ghost Stories.
Price: $45
3. Escape From The Aliens In Outer Space
You know what they say about screaming in space...
Much like what the title of this game implies, you’ll be tasked with escaping a darkened space ship filled with a plague turning crew members into terrifying monsters. The catch? You don’t know who you can trust. Three to eight players each have both a hidden role and a secret position. The humans must reach the escape pods to win, while the aliens are hunting down the fleeing humans. Using coordinates and a dry erase map, track both yours and others positions to determine who is friend or foe before it is too late.
Top Three Things That Make Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space Fun:
- Sci-Fi setting. In this game, you are aboard a research vessel in deep space. As if that isn’t cool enough, there’s also an alien plague tearing through the crew.
- Hidden positions. Hidden role games are already fun, but if you add in not knowing where your allies and enemies are lurking, there’s no way each round of this game won’t keep you on your toes.
- Bluffing. You’ll be able to flex your lie detector skills in this game. With everyone having their own doubts and suspicions, you can only rely on your own perception to keep you safe.
Price: $35
2. Nyctophobia
A game with feeling
By far the most experimental of all the games on this list, Nyctophobia won’t just ask if you’re afraid of the dark, it’ll put it to the test. This game supports up to five players, and all but one will be blinded by a pair of glasses that will leave them in darkness. The one who is without these glasses will take on the part of the hunter. From there, it’s a rather simple game. The hunted have to use just their touch to find their way to the car and wait until the police come and rescue them. The hunter has to reduce one of the hunted’s health to zero before the police arrive.
Top Three Things That Make Nyctophobia Fun:
- Unique gameplay. I struggle to think of another board game across any genre that blinds more than half the players for the entirety of the game. If you’re looking for a one of a kind experience, this is the game for you.
- Interesting game board. Depending on the type of hunter you’ve chosen for your game, the maze-like board can be constantly shifting and changing.
- True horror movie experience. What is more essential to horror than running through the darkened woods as you and your friends are being chased by a murderer? This game does a fantastic job in capturing the panic displayed in those scenes of horror films.
Price: $28
1. Betrayal at House on the Hill
Who puts a coal shoot next to a ballroom anyway?
With a constantly evolving game board, a plethora of enemies and win conditions, and a changing bank of stats for each character, you’ll never feel burnt out with this game. The first half of the game is exploration. Players build the house from various tiles, collect items, and, most importantly, collect curses. Every time a curse is collected, the player must roll to see if the second half of the game starts. Once the second half, known as the haunt, begins, the dynamics change. One player from the group becomes the enemy, and the rest of the group must complete challenges to defeat them before it’s too late. Three to six players can band together to see if they can escape the house on the hill with their lives.
Top Three Things That Make Betrayal at House on the Hill Fun:
- Enemy types. Included with the game is a thick booklet that contains all the different types of haunts you can be thrust into depending on the curse you get. In playing this game, you could face off against anything from a witch to Ouroboros.
- No two games are alike. With the tile building system of the game, you’re never going to have two identical boards. This keeps it feeling like you’re playing a new game each time.
- Win conditions. It’s hardly ever as simple as just making it to the exit of the house in this game. You might have to collect items for a ritual or find a specific weapon to destroy whatever enemy the game has thrown at you.
Price: $30
