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Ask anything about Arkham Horror: rules, setup, components, complexity, price, or whether it fits your group.
If you're a fan of cooperative horror and deep, thematic adventures, Arkham Horror will pull you into its unsettling world. It's a sprawling narrative experience where every decision feels weighty.
- Immersive Lovecraftian horror theme
- Rich, branching narrative possibilities
- Deep strategic investigator customization
- High replayability with varied Old Ones
- Long playtime commitment
- High complexity learning curve
- Can be punishingly difficult
About the game
What you do in a play session
Only sixteen investigators stand between humanity and annihilation. Arkham Horror is a cooperative adventure and horror game inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Before the game begins, one of eight Old Ones is selected as the final threat. Each player controls an investigator, roaming the streets of Arkham, acquiring items, weapons, allies, spells, and new skills. The main challenge is sealing the gates that open across the city map before they accumulate. Monsters appear each turn and must be fought or avoided, and event cards can upend everything. When the situation becomes untenable, the investigators face the chosen Old One in a final showdown.
The game supports 1 to 8 players, runs 2 to 4 hours, and has moderate-to-heavy weight. The components are generous — city maps, tokens, dice, cards — and setup takes a few minutes, but it's worth it. The Lovecraftian atmosphere is the highlight: every round raises the tension, and when things climax, it's unforgettable. If you enjoy immersive narratives, cosmic horror, and long sessions with friends, this game will hook you.
Expansions
Published additional content
Arkham Horror: Curse of the Dark Pharaoh Expansion
Arkham Horror: Dunwich Horror Expansion
Arkham Horror: Innsmouth Horror Expansion
Arkham Horror: Kingsport Horror Expansion
Arkham Horror: Miskatonic Horror Expansion
Arkham Horror: The Black Goat of the Woods Expansion
Arkham Horror: The Curse of the Dark Pharaoh Expansion (Revised Edition)
Arkham Horror: The Dark Pharaoh (Herald)
Arkham Horror: The Dunwich Horror (Herald)
Arkham Horror: The King in Yellow Expansion
Arkham Horror: The Lurker at the Threshold Expansion
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
In English
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Box of Delights Play-Through
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Arkham Horror Storage
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AH - intro
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Off The Shelf Board Game Reviews Presents - Arkham Horror (part 1 How To Play)
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Token box with tentacles
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Arkham Horror 3D GUI
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Tutorial for custom Arkham Horror tokens
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Arkham Horror Learn to Play
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Arkham Horror Setup Solutions
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Fixing AH Setup Time (including all the expansions)
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2GASCB - Arkham Horror Tutorial Part 2 (Solstice Special)
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Arkham Horror: Storage & Setup - The Dragon Table: Episode 17a
Rules manual
Official PDF file
Best player count
BGG community vote
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
Where to Buy
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
How many players does it support?
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What's in the box?
Do you need to know Lovecraft?
Can you play solo?
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