Traitor mechanic at the source
That’s right, the 3rd edition of this great board game is coming to our gaming tables. Betrayal at House on the Hill hides behind a complicated name, a great thrill adventure, the main characteristic of which is the traitor mechanic. The entire gameplay is based on the cooperation of players, with one exception, which is this mechanism. If you love telling scary stories and popular culture has made you eagerly anticipate more horror stories, you’ll love House on the Hill .
A treasure trove of chips
After opening the box, we will see a real wealth of elements. 42 room tiles (not including a slightly larger starting tile), 5 scenario cards, 8 dice, 6 hero cards, 6 detailed figures, 74 item, event and omen cards, 120 assorted tokens, and two thick volumes containing instructions for traitors and heroes in case of so-called “hauntings”. The visual side and the quality of individual elements are definitely one of the greatest advantages of Betrayal at House on the Hill . The graphics maintained in a dark atmosphere will certainly put the players in the right mood.
Extensive description of simple rules
Probably the only aspect that can be considered a minus of the game is the necessary, quite arduous, breaking through the rules. For my bunch of friends, it took about an hour, but then it was a great game. The game, although quite simple, requires understanding a few intricacies. It is designed for 3 to 6 players, it is worth spending about 90 minutes on the fun itself. The whole is divided into a kind of two parts. In the first one, a group of heroes discovers a dark house, tries to develop characters and explores rooms. At some point, however, the titular betrayal occurs. Then the formula of the game changes.
A visitation ensues…
The traitor is revealed, players will learn a little more details of the scenario. Additional manuals are on the way: The Book of the Betrayer and Secrets of Survival. After getting acquainted with the details of the upcoming gameplay and the storyline, we move on to the actual second stage of the game. Both sides get different victory objectives, new mechanics appear, each session becomes unique. That’s what’s beautiful about this board game. There are as many as 50 different “haunting” scenarios. Their choice depends on what items the players will find during the first phase of the game. This number may not seem very impressive, but it will certainly be enough for a few months of fun. Or a very intense week.
Exploration of an abandoned (?) house
The unpredictability of the game is not limited to the choice of the scenario. Also during the exploration of the house, we never know which tile we will find. Will it just be a living room? Or maybe a laboratory? A haunted chapel? There are as many as 42 options. Just discovering the dark building becomes an exciting adventure. The whole consists of three floors, and the individual tiles are assigned to the floors.
Randomness isn’t that bad
It would seem that the game will be hurt by randomness. In fact, most decisions are made with dice. It turns out, however, that a lot depends on the statistics, which can be effectively conquered using found items and our actions during the game. During the fight, we can also decide whether our character will receive mental or physical damage. A lot can depend on this choice, so be careful!
Undead Grandma and the Phantom Shark
Example scenarios we came across with friends? One player turned out to be a cultist who wanted to resurrect his long-dead grandmother, and this required human sacrifice. Another time, a ghostly shark roamed the corridors of the house, flooding rooms with water. The variety is huge – I can guarantee you that most of the scenarios will surprise you, and maybe even scare you.
A good team is the key to having fun
The most important requirement for a successful game in Betrayal at House on the Hill seems to me to be a really well-coordinated team. You need people who get into the dark atmosphere of the game, sometimes even going so far as to play their characters. If you have such a pack of friends, the game will be an amazing adventure. I would like to add that the presented title is not complicated at all, which only makes it easier to start playing quickly. Are you ready for visitations?
