Do you like board games? Role playing? Betrayal at house on the hill is a haunted house board game that combines these and multiple other elements. Work together to investigate a mansion. Only at some point in the game, one of the players turns against the others. This is one of my favorite board games. In this blog I will give you an idea of the game, so that you can decide if it is a game for you. I will also go over what is in the box, is this game worth the money?
About Betrayal at house on the hill
The House on the Hill still sits abandoned, and fearless group of explorers has been drawn to the house to discover its dark secrets. Immerse yourself in the narrative game play as you take on the role of one of those explorers.
The co-operative board game Betrayal at House on the Hill: 3rd Edition includes fifty haunts and dozens of danger-filled rooms that will terrify even the strongest among you. At first you’ll work together, but beware…one explorer will betray the others and then the haunt begins.
This edition of the popular haunted house traitor game features content and gaming elements that help new players jump right in. So gather friends for a game night of monsters, miniatures, and modular board pieces in this immersive, story-driven hidden traitor game.
Practical information
An average game of Betrayal at house on the hill takes 60 minutes. Playable with 3-6 people, ages 12 and above. Within its style of game it is actually one of the simpler games. That is because you do not have to learn a lot before you start playing. You can go with the flow of the game and read what you need to whilst playing. To start, set up the table and pick your characters. There are six of them, all with their own miniature (that is colored and everything!). They are simple but I like them. I would have loved a few creepy ones for the traitors though. Character stats are: speed, might, sanity and knowledge.
Inside the box
- 1 Rulebook
- 2 Haunt books
- Traitor’s Tome
- Secrets of Survival
- 44 Room tiles
- 1 Entrance Hall/Foyer/Grand Staircase tile
- 6 Plastic explorer figures
- 6 Two-sided character cards
- 30 Plastic clips
- 8 Dice
- 1 Turn/Damage track
- 80 Cards
- 13 Omen cards
- 22 Item cards
- 45 Event cards
- 149 Tokens
Betrayed? Gameplay
You start as a team and explore the house. As you all lay tiles you will find items, omens, and trigger events. For every omen you roll the dice and at some point the game will turn and a scenario will trigger. You will either have to survive with the remaining players or betray the others. Each has their own rules unique to the scenario. This is the point to make plans and strategize. Be careful, because players can actually die in this game. It is unforgiving like this. I think this makes it all the more fun and rewarding when you are successful.
The box of Betrayal at house on the hill comes with an insert. It fits all products well. Except when you sleeve your cards. I can really appreciate the inlay that comes with it but I also like sleeving my cards of games I love.
If you like to try out new board games, there is an online platform called Board Game Arena where you can do this. I wrote a blog to share my experiences and answer the most asked questions: Board Game Arena – Try out new board games online.
Replay value
Because of the tile playing mechanic of this game, as well as the different event and omen cards, each game is different. There is a lot of replay value and I like every game. Even if you play a same scenario, the traitor and survivors can react totally different. I like the revealing moment where you find out the scenario and the game always gives me a thrill. So far everyone I have played this with enjoyed it as well. It can be a great game that does not take that long for people who like role-playing games.
If you still feel like expanding your options, there is an expansion for Betrayal at house of the hill. It is called Widow’s walk. It contains the following:
- 2 haunt books
- 1 rule book
- 20 room tiles
- 8 omen cards
- 11 item cards
- 11 event cards
- 76 tokens
Conclusion
A fun game that is easy to play. Explain/ learn the basics and find out other things while they come up. Being a more experienced player does not really give advantages, since every game is different. Around an hour of playtime per game. Enough to enjoy but not too long to fit in a game-night.
I hope that by now, you have an idea of Betrayal at house on the hill and can decide if it is for you. As you may have seen on the pictures, the box of my game has quite some shelf-wear. I have had it for some time now and like playing it again every now and then. I love exploring tiles and now having any idea how the game will progress. If you have any questions, remarks or own experiences to share, feel free to comment or send me a message.
