I first encountered the spooky shenanigans of Betrayal at House on the Hill well over a decade ago, and I fell in love with this horror board game right away. That's why I feel honor-bound to yell about this Prime Day discount like one of the ill-fated heroes in the pulp movies this is inspired by.
Thanks to 50 unique scenarios and a wealth of different ways things can go depending on what you choose, this horror board game isn't one you'll get bored of any time soon – and it's currently $38.02 at Amazon instead of the usual $55.99 ahead of this month's Prime Day board game deals. That's a huge price cut on what I think might be one of the best board games.
Should you buy Betrayal at House on the Hill?
This is a game that lets you star in your own horror movie, essentially; you play as one of many cliches (the jock, the misunderstood rebel with a cause, the creepy little kid, etc) that arrive at a creepy manor for a randomly-drawn reason. This ranges from a Scooby Doo-style case to a mysterious invitation, and you've got to explore the house room by room to uncover what's going on. As I mention in my Betrayal at House on the Hill 3rd Edition review, that's one of the neat things about the game; every time you open a door, you draw a random room tile and plonk it down. That means the layout of the board is different each and every time you play.
Explore enough and you'll eventually trigger a 'Haunt' – a scenario decided by the rooms and items you've found. This is where things get really interesting, because these missions usually pit one or more of your group against everyone else (the title isn't an empty threat, after all). They have their own secret mission and will start working against you, usually with a nefarious time-limit that pushes you to your limit. They might be a lackey of the dreaded serial killer Crimson Jack, for example, hoping to trap you inside so that you can be his next victims. You might be pursued by a ghost that's flooding the mansion, on the other hand. It feels like the sky's the limit in terms of creativity, and that ratchets up the tension because you don't know what's coming next.
It's not perfect by any means. Those scenarios aren't always well-balanced, even if they are fun. The idea has been done better by the likes of Nemesis, too. However, this is a very accessible title and is a great horror board game for most people. In a time where we're all so busy and can't necessarily commit to something labyrinthine and complex, that counts for a lot.
Naturally, it's far from the only offer that's flying around ahead of Prime Day. You can see all the latest from our Prime Day gaming deals guide, with everything from games to controllers getting hefty reductions.
- Save up to $50 at Amazon
- Mysterium:
$54.99$33.49 at Amazon - Nemesis:
$159.99$106.48 at Amazon
For more tabletop recommendations, don't miss the best adult board games. You can also save a bit of cash with our guide to the latest board game deals.
