10 great Horror games for halloween 2022
Halloween is a magical time for friends and family to get together and celebrate all things spooky and otherwise traumatic. While preparing your costumes, candy, and parties, why not introduce some excellent horror games into the mix? Here are 10 of our favorite horror themed games sure to bring more excitement and terror to whatever you are planning this Halloween!
Betrayal at House on the Hill
What horror game list would be complete without Betrayal at House on the Hill? With a group of 3 to 6 players, explore an abandoned house and discover its dark mysteries. Each player is given a role at the beginning of each game, and with over 50 possible scenarios the story is sure to be unique and exciting each time.
This most recent edition released this year, featuring even more dark and horrific scenarios for each player to survive. In addition to new characters and scenarios, the 3rd edition also makes the game more accessible to newcomers. Betrayal at House on the Hill has been a staple horror game for over a decade, and with the new edition’s improvements we foresee it staying that way.
Bloodborne The Board Game
I will take any and every opportunity to recommend anything related to Bloodborne. Simply put, this game takes the masterpiece that is the Bloodborne video game and translates it to a tabletop strategy, horror, adventure game.
In Bloodborne the Board Game, up to 4 players can take on the role of Hunters and work together to uncover the hidden mysteries within the gothic Victorian city of Yharnam. The players will take on many quests while fighting through the plague that has turned man into beast. Using the combat deck, players will have to be quick to adapt their tactics and use their trick weapons to overcome their foes. The game also includes detailed game tiles that allow you to build the board as you play, so no two games are ever the same.
The game takes a short amount of time for new players to figure out how to play, but once learned the game flows well with the average playtime ranging from 60 minutes to 90 minutes. As a huge fan of the video game, the art and miniatures drew me in immediately. I played with people unfamiliar with the game and they quickly fell in love with the unique combat mechanics and lore of the world. If you are planning to spend Halloween with a small group of friends, Bloodborne the Board Game will be a great addition to your night.
Dead of Winter
Dead of Winter is a cooperative, psychological, zombie survival game for 2 to 5 players that has each player working together towards a victory condition while also working to complete their own secrete objective. These secret objectives could be harmless to other players, or it could be a dangerous obsession that risks putting the main objective and the lives of every player at risk.
We love Dead of Winter for its intense, story-centric gameplay. Each game can last from an hour to two hours, not accounting for the time it may take for new players to fully understand the rules. Each player is responsible for leading a faction of survivors with dozens of different characters. Thankfully it sounds more complicated than it actually is. The fun of the game comes from the difficult and thematic decisions that have to be made frequently, which forces players to decide between what is best for the group of survivors, or what is best for themselves. If you and your friends are fans of zombie apocalypse survival, Dead of Winter is the game for you.
Death by Trivia
If you and your group love trivia, look no further than this excellent horror themed trivia game. Test your knowledge of the dark and sinister with questions ranging from real world events, books, movies, and TV. Each player is competing to be the last player alive. Every wrong answer can get you killed, while correct answers keep you alive. This trivia game features a unique death mechanic that helps keep the game moving at a steady pace. Don’t worry, if you die there is a separate deck of trivia cards that just might allow you to come back from the dead.
As someone who is barely good at trivia, I had a lot of fun with this game. Some of the questions are hard for sure, but I was surprised by how many I was able to get right. If nothing else, I walked away with more obscure horror knowledge than I started the game with which is a win in my book. If you and your friends like testing each other’s knowledge or are huge horror media fans, Death by Trivia is a game we couldn’t recommend more.
Don't Get Stabbed
Don’t Get Stabbed is an excellent edition to any Halloween party. This lighthearted game is inspired by slasher horror movies of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. One player is always the killer, and it is everyone else’s job to not end up as a victim. The card art may seem kid friendly, but due to the subject matter the game is only recommended for those 18 and up.
As a fan of classic slasher movies such as Friday the 13th and especially Scream, I had a ton of fun with the cards which feature class horror movie tropes for the victims to have to work through in order to survive. Even people who are not familiar with these types of horror movies are likely to enjoy it since the game is simple and lacks in complexity or depth. That may sound like a complaint, but the simplicity of Don’t Get Stabbed is exactly what makes it such a great party game. Everyone will have an easy time learning the rules and getting right to the fun.
Eldritch Horror
Eldritch Horror is a globetrotting adventure game that can be played solo or with up to 8 players. Each player is an investigator with the goal of gathering clues to solve ancient mysteries and protect the world from an elder being who seeks to destroy all life on Earth.
Eldritch Horror is inspired by the game Arkham Horror which was originally published in 1987. The main difference is that Arkham Horror takes place in one city while Eldritch Horror takes place around the entire globe.
The rules of Eldritch Horror can be a bit complicated for new players, so we recommend this game for a group of friends looking to devote and entire evening, or multiple sessions, to playing. This isn’t meant as discouragement, as once the group becomes familiar with the rules the game has a wonderful pace and is a ton of fun to play. Additionally, there are 8 expansions available for those who are looking to continue the adventure.
Horrified: Universal Monsters
In Horrified: Universal Monsters, 1 to 5 players must defend their town against the notorious Universal Studios monsters Frankenstein, the bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, the Invisible Man, the Mummy, and the creature from the black lagoon.
Easily the best thing about Horrified: Universal Monsters is how easy it is to learn and set up. This simplicity makes this an excellent game for young players and people who are not familiar with board games. The roster of famous monsters makes this a great entry point for anyone looking to play board games for the first time. The game is rated for players 10 and up, so we highly recommend this game to families with kids. Horrified: Universal Monsters is great way to spend Halloween night around the table with your family, dressed in costumes, and snacking on candy.
Mysterium
In Mysterium one player takes on the role of a murder victim who is now a ghost and the other players take on the role of psychic detectives. Every player must work together to interpret the numerous visions given to them by the ghost to find the killer.
Offering dozens of different suspects and weapons, there are a variety of different outcomes for each game. With easy-to-understand rules and an average playtime of about 45 minutes, Mysterium is another great option for a family game night. We found that the game quickly becomes hilarious when listening to the ghost’s clues and arguing amongst ourselves to try and interpret them. Let’s just say that there was rarely a dull moment while playing Mysterium.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf
One Night Ultimate Werewolf takes the idea of Ultimate Werewolf and condenses it into a short 10-minute party game for 3 to 10 players. The rules are so simple in this version that it will take no time for everyone to be ready to play. There is also a free app to download that will narrate the game, walking all players through each phase in minutes. Each player is given a unique role with special abilities. It is up to everyone to work together and discover who the werewolf is. With only five minutes to uncover the truth, this game is sure to get intense. If the werewolf is found, the villagers win… but if the werewolf isn’t found, then they win!
I love how simple this game is to set up compared to Ultimate Werewolf. There is no planning the game and having a player sit out to narrate and watch over the other players. Thanks to the app everyone gets to take part in the game. There are certainly advantages to the full game of Ultimate Werewolf, but for a night with a few friends One Night Ultimate Werewolf is the perfect choice.
Unmatched: Cobble & Fog
Unmatched: Cobble & Fog is a is a fast-paced, asymmetric miniature fighting game featuring heroes and villains from classic European novels. In this lineup, battle as the blood thirsty Dracula, the sporadic Jekyll & Hyde, the genius detective Sherlock Holmes, or the ever-elusive Invisible Man. Each character comes with a miniature figurine and a unique deck to evoke their legacy, and the set also included is a two-sided game board that brings the battle to the streets of Soho, London and the Bakersville Manor. It can be played with up to four players by playing 1v1, 2v2, or a 3 to 4 player free-for-all.
Unmatched is a favorite here at Gridbeast. We even have a dedicated section of our site devoted to breaking down each edition and hero currently available. There are many expansions to Unmatched, and Cobble & Fog remains one of our favorites. Each set includes their own iconic characters, including another notable horror icon Bloody Mary.
If you’re interested in learning more about the game and its heroes, follow the links below:
