Designers: Nate French, Matthew Newman

The original Arkham Horror was the definitive Cthulhu-based adventuring board game for quite some time, but was also a finicky, swingy game that could go from zero to sixty at a ‘holy fuck’ rate of speed. Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a vastly better balanced, streamlined experience by the same company. In this cooperative game, players will seek out weapons and equipments, deal with their inner demons, and try to seek the secrets of whatever demonic horror is in whatever entirely too creepy location they’ve decided to wander into against their better judgment.

Interesting Design Mechanic: Clues. Arkham Horror: the Card Game does an admirable version of telling a storytelling experience in a very simple way. You set up the story cards in a certain order. You seek out generic clues, and when you find enough clues, you proceed to the next chapter of the story. This is a very simple mechanic that allows a detailed story to be progressed without an active storyteller while also being agnostic to whichever character (and character abilities) you have chosen.

Arkham Horror isn’t going to replace D&D for its storytelling, but if you’re looking for a well-balanced, interesting Cthulhu game that fits into a relatively short period of time, Arkham Horror: the Card Game may be a good fit.

(Photo Credit: Board Game Realm)