The Arkham Horror universe boasts an extensive collection of games, so much so that we've divided them into two comprehensive guides. In this buying guide, we'll explore the diverse families of board games. If you're curious about the deck-building card games within the same universe, feel free to check out our Arkham Horror: The Card Game Buying Guide.

Arkham Horror is a long-standing franchise of horror board games where players embark on cooperative missions that require ample communication to succeed. Each game offers multiple pathways, influenced by the roles, expansions, and campaigns you choose. These games are also excellent for solo play, perfect for those times when you're without a group to spend an hour or more on a board game session.

Featured in this article:

Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

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Arkham Horror: Under Dark Waves Expansion

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Arkham Horror: Secrets of The Order Expansion

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Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

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Elder Sign

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Elder Sign: The Gates of Arkham Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Pharaoh Expansion

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Elder Sign: Unseen Forces Expansion

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Elder Sign: Grave Consequences

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Elder Sign: Omens of Ice

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Deep

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Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

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Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

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Unfathomable

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Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

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Eldritch Horror

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Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Under the Pyramids Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: The Dreamlands Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Forsaken Lore Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Signs of Carcosa Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Cities in Ruin Expansion

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

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If you want to skip the detailed descriptions and dive straight into the list of games and expansions, feel free to scroll through the catalog above. For a deeper understanding of how these items connect within the broader Arkham Horror universe, continue reading below.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game

Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

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MSRP: $65.95 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Arkham Horror is a cooperative board game where players team up to combat various terrors. Journey through Arkham as one of six investigators, solving mysteries and battling horrific creatures. With multiple campaigns and a significant luck component, where dice rolls determine the success of objectives and encounters, the game offers high replayability.

However, it's not a simple game. Setup and teaching the rules can take time, and gameplay can extend over multiple hours or conclude quickly based on luck. If you lose, you can select another investigator, but you'll start over, losing any progress. My first attempt with friends on the easiest campaign was a disaster, and even solo play proved challenging. The satisfaction of that first victory, though, is unparalleled.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game Expansions

There are three expansions for Arkham Horror: The Board Game, each adding depth and new experiences to the base game.

Arkham Horror: Under the Dark Waves Expansion

Arkham Horror: Under Dark Waves Expansion

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MSRP: $59.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Under the Dark Waves is the largest expansion, focusing on aquatic horrors. It introduces eight new investigators and four new scenarios, taking players from the city to the sea.

Arkham Horror: Secrets of the Order Expansion

Arkham Horror: Secrets of The Order Expansion

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MSRP: $44.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This medium-sized expansion includes three new scenarios and three additional investigators. It opens up the French Hill neighborhood, where you'll encounter ghosts and monsters that make your visit anything but a quaint French getaway.

Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

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MSRP: $32.99 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Dead of Night is a smaller expansion with a lower price point, adding two new scenarios and four investigators to help navigate the nocturnal horrors.

Other Arkham Horror Board Games

Several other board games exist as standalone experiences within the Arkham universe, not requiring the base Arkham Horror game. Each offers a unique adventure using familiar characters from various iterations, some with their own expansions.

Elder Sign

Elder Sign

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MSRP: $39.99 USD
Players: 1-8
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Ages: 14+

Elder Sign, an early entry in the Arkham Files franchise, is a dice-rolling board game suitable for one to eight players. It's the most accessible game in the series, focusing on chance. Players roll dice to complete tasks, fight monsters, find clues, and solve mysteries before time runs out.

Elder Sign Expansions

Elder Sign: The Gates of Arkham Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Pharaoh Expansion

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Elder Sign: Unseen Forces Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Deep

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Elder Sign: Grave Consequences

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Elder Sign: Omens of Ice

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Elder Sign has six expansions: Unseen Forces, Gates of Arkham, Omens of Ice, Grave Consequences, Omens of the Deep, and Omens of the Pharaoh. Grave Consequences is a standalone deck that can be played independently or with the core game. The last expansion was released in 2018, with no further releases announced yet.

Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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MSRP: $109.95 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Mansions of Madness is an app-driven dungeon crawler set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign. It supports one to five players and uses an app to guide the narrative, setup, and gameplay. The combination of tactical gameplay and the app's assistance makes for an engaging experience. The app also allows you to pause and resume play, though you'll need to reset the physical pieces.

Mansions of Madness Expansions

Two expansions for Mansions of Madness are available, both cooperative and app-guided.

Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

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MSRP: $69.99 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This expansion takes you into the jungle, where you'll face serpents and Lovecraftian horrors. It requires the base game and is guided by the app.

Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

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MSRP: $39.19 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This more affordable expansion adds two new investigators, two scenarios, and an insanity gameplay element, making it an accessible addition to the game.

Unfathomable

Unfathomable

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MSRP: $64.99 USD
Players: 3-6
Playtime: 2-4 hours
Ages: 14+

Unfathomable involves escaping a sea of monsters on a boat, with a social deduction element. It's best for groups of five or six, where one player is secretly a traitor. It has a Battlestar Galactica vibe but set in the Lovecraftian mythos. Gameplay can last multiple hours as you navigate the game to identify the traitor and escape alive.

Unfathomable offers a distinct experience within the Arkham catalogue, appealing to fans of social deduction games like Battlestar Galactica.

Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

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This expansion introduces new prelude cards, three monstrous horrors (Shoggoth, the Drowned Spirit, and the Grasping Tendril), and new skills, items, and boon cards.

Eldritch Horror

Eldritch Horror

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MSRP: $59.95 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Eldritch Horror offers a global cooperative experience, contrasting with Arkham Horror's city-centric focus. It's more accessible, with quicker setup and simpler rules, making it ideal for beginners and mid-level gamers. The gameplay emphasizes strategy and puzzle-solving, with the first game released in 2013.

Eldritch Horror Expansions

Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Under the Pyramids Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: The Dreamlands Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Forsaken Lore Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Signs of Carcosa Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Cities in Ruin Expansion

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Eldritch Horror has eight expansions available: Forsaken Lore, Mountains of Madness, Strange Remnants, Under the Pyramids, Signs of Carcosa, The Dreamlands, Cities in Ruin, and Masks of Nyarlathotep.

Other Ways to Play

Beyond the standard board games, there are additional ways to explore the Arkham universe, including online play and tabletop roleplaying games.

The Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game

Arkham Horror ventured into tabletop roleplaying games last year with a starter set and a core rulebook. I recommend starting with the starter set to get familiar with the rules before diving into the core rulebook.

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

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MSRP: $34.99 USD
Players: 2-4
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+

The starter set is perfect for beginners, offering a sample campaign and no need for an experienced Game Master.

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

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MSRP: $49.99 USD
Players: 2-6
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+

After exploring the starter set, the Core Rulebook allows you to embark on new adventures within the Arkham Horror universe.

Video Game Versions

A digital version, Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace, was released on Steam in 2021. It's a solo game similar to the Mansions of Madness board game, available on Steam and Switch for $19.99. However, it received mixed reviews due to its story execution and handling of heavy topics.

There's also a digital version of Elder Sign, Elder Sign: Omens, available on Steam and mobile platforms for $5.99, which has received mostly positive reviews.

The Bottom Line

For fans of Lovecraftian-themed games, the Arkham Horror series is a must-explore. The games offer both solo and group play, each presenting a unique take on the Lovecraftian worlds. However, they are on the challenging side, with significant elements of chance that can enhance replayability but also lead to frustration. Setup and learning time can be substantial, though the card games are generally quicker to set up than the board games, even without expansions.