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on April 24, 2012
Wow, this game is like an RPG board-game based on every good horror movie ever made which also plays like a mystery (think of Clue) with a very awesome plot twist that I'll explain in a bit. It reminds me a little of those "choose your own adventure" books that were so popular in the 80's except that you're competing with up to six players and the story possibilities are virtually unlimited which adds a serious creativity factor and makes for high re-playability value.
Now be aware there isn't a game-board in the conventional sense, rather there is a stack of fairly thick, and nicely-illustrated room tiles that will be connected to each other as player characters (each represented by a detailed miniature) explore one of three levels in a mysterious, old mansion. There are six playable characters to choose from and each also has a small information card (two-sided for dual personalities so really 12 choices) with attachable pointers to keep track of statistics such as "might", "speed" etc. which dictate performance and add the element of character diversity. There are also a ton of events and omens which are triggered by entering certain rooms as well as usable items (including pets) which brings me to the "twist" I mentioned earlier. Basically every time a player draws one of the omen cards, he/she must perform a dice roll to see if they have triggered an event know as "the haunt". Fifty individual scenarios comprise this part of the game wherein one player (a.k.a. "the traitor") becomes insanely bent on taking out everyone else, employing any items they might have picked up along the way and basically joining forces with any monster NPC's that may have been unleashed.
Sounds complicated? Well it is at first, but my advice is to sit down with at least one other serious gamer and just play through while simultaneously learning the rules. No this isn't for the casual gamer but don't be intimidated; it just requires a little patience and some decent reading skills. Also, as I mentioned earlier, the game-board isn't the static, foldout variety (please see pics at top of this page) but rather expands dynamically with each game so try to play on something bigger than a card table if at all possible. As I've alluded to, this box contains detailed, quality pieces (no cheapness here) and well-developed rules and, at the writing of this review anyway, a pretty reasonable price to pay for hours and hours of serious, group gaming fun.
Please play this one on a dark, stormy night whenever possible. Good gaming! :o)
Now be aware there isn't a game-board in the conventional sense, rather there is a stack of fairly thick, and nicely-illustrated room tiles that will be connected to each other as player characters (each represented by a detailed miniature) explore one of three levels in a mysterious, old mansion. There are six playable characters to choose from and each also has a small information card (two-sided for dual personalities so really 12 choices) with attachable pointers to keep track of statistics such as "might", "speed" etc. which dictate performance and add the element of character diversity. There are also a ton of events and omens which are triggered by entering certain rooms as well as usable items (including pets) which brings me to the "twist" I mentioned earlier. Basically every time a player draws one of the omen cards, he/she must perform a dice roll to see if they have triggered an event know as "the haunt". Fifty individual scenarios comprise this part of the game wherein one player (a.k.a. "the traitor") becomes insanely bent on taking out everyone else, employing any items they might have picked up along the way and basically joining forces with any monster NPC's that may have been unleashed.
Sounds complicated? Well it is at first, but my advice is to sit down with at least one other serious gamer and just play through while simultaneously learning the rules. No this isn't for the casual gamer but don't be intimidated; it just requires a little patience and some decent reading skills. Also, as I mentioned earlier, the game-board isn't the static, foldout variety (please see pics at top of this page) but rather expands dynamically with each game so try to play on something bigger than a card table if at all possible. As I've alluded to, this box contains detailed, quality pieces (no cheapness here) and well-developed rules and, at the writing of this review anyway, a pretty reasonable price to pay for hours and hours of serious, group gaming fun.
Please play this one on a dark, stormy night whenever possible. Good gaming! :o)
on November 22, 2015
Betrayal is one of my top favorite board games that I'm constantly trying to get my friends to play. It's a fun, challenging game that's really enjoyable with the right group of people.
It's an exploration/board building game with an eerie theme about it and a really unique mechanic.
Players begin by choosing a character -- one of 12, each of which have their own set of stats. Then players enter the house, flipping cards to uncover rooms to build out the mansion. Rooms can contain special events, items (like weapons, armor, or occult paraphernalia), or omens. Which are bad.
Whenever an omen is found, the player that found it must roll the die and roll more than the number of omens that have currently been found. If a player fails to roll more than the number of omens, then THE HAUNT BEGINS. At this point, the instruction book is consulted which will tell you which haunt scenario to follow based on the conditions that caused it to occur. Usually one player is named the betrayer and is given their on set of instructions to follow (I suggest you make them leave the room) while the rest of the explorers plan their strategy to defeat them.
There are around 30 different scenarios you can play out, which means that you can play several different unique stories. The flavor text of all the cards is pretty entertaining, so things are best if everyone can get into it when they're reading to the group.
Overall it's a really fun game that can be enjoyed by both seasoned board gamers and beginners.
It's an exploration/board building game with an eerie theme about it and a really unique mechanic.
Players begin by choosing a character -- one of 12, each of which have their own set of stats. Then players enter the house, flipping cards to uncover rooms to build out the mansion. Rooms can contain special events, items (like weapons, armor, or occult paraphernalia), or omens. Which are bad.
Whenever an omen is found, the player that found it must roll the die and roll more than the number of omens that have currently been found. If a player fails to roll more than the number of omens, then THE HAUNT BEGINS. At this point, the instruction book is consulted which will tell you which haunt scenario to follow based on the conditions that caused it to occur. Usually one player is named the betrayer and is given their on set of instructions to follow (I suggest you make them leave the room) while the rest of the explorers plan their strategy to defeat them.
There are around 30 different scenarios you can play out, which means that you can play several different unique stories. The flavor text of all the cards is pretty entertaining, so things are best if everyone can get into it when they're reading to the group.
Overall it's a really fun game that can be enjoyed by both seasoned board gamers and beginners.
on September 4, 2016
This board game is an absolute favorite of mine, and many people I play with. Since I've memorized all the rules, teaching it to people is an absolute breeze, especially since hand-holding is very easy to do in this game (until the haunt happens that is). The dynamic procedural generation of the game makes it incredibly replayable. Also the 50 different haunt scenarios always add a random feel to each playthrough. Unfortunately, after playing the game about 30 or so times, I've gotten this one specific haunt roughly 5 times and haven't experienced the other half of the haunts, so the randomness does have its downsides. Regardless, if I could buy expansions for this game, I would do it in a heartbeat. I play lots of board games, and whenever someone asks which I want to play, this one is always on my mind.
on August 16, 2016
We love this game. We've played it so many times, and every time is different. There are still so many haunts that we haven't experienced yet. the replay value of this game is outstanding. Very fun to get spooked out with friends on game night.
The rules are not too complicated, so it's easy for those who are not as familiar with these types of games to get into. The interesting scenarios and unfolding story keeps everyone attentive. It's probably not a good game to play in a distracting environment, such as a large party or while a movie is playing, but it's engaging enough that no one is bored.
Also, download the character sheet app in iTunes and Google Play. It works a lot better than the little black clips that slide up and down the edges of the character cards.
The rules are not too complicated, so it's easy for those who are not as familiar with these types of games to get into. The interesting scenarios and unfolding story keeps everyone attentive. It's probably not a good game to play in a distracting environment, such as a large party or while a movie is playing, but it's engaging enough that no one is bored.
Also, download the character sheet app in iTunes and Google Play. It works a lot better than the little black clips that slide up and down the edges of the character cards.
on February 7, 2016
My family is pretty much casual gamers- although we enjoy games like Settlers and Pandemic, we just don't seem to have the time or endurance to learn longer, more complex games. Being a big horror fan, I've been wanting to get this for years, but put it off for that reason. This year I broke down and got it, and we're been loving it. It's really not that hard, and is a lot of fun. My 11-yr-old daughter can't get enough of it, and takes the betrayal very seriously. The first part of the game is easy: Just move through the house, exploring tiles and experiences minor challenges. Then the Haunt is revealed: One of 50 Random stories. Each of these plays like a slightly different game using the same rules as the first part. It's a lot of fun, and challenging.
on May 30, 2016
I really enjoy this game; I've played it probably half a dozen times or so. I feel like reviews are easier if I break it down into pros and cons, so you can decide if this game is for you or not:
Pros:
-lots of fun (yes I know that's an opinion)
-games are completely different every time you play.
- strategies are deep, and teamwork is a must.
-You can find out which of your friends are sociopaths.
Cons:
-Tons of pieces to keep track of (I've spent a lot of time digging for a 'secret stairs' token, or something similar).
-Complicated. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does kind of slow down the game when you have to pause to look up minion movement or something obscure.
All in all, I still think this is a great game, but if you and your friends are the kind of person that prefers a linear or straightforward game, this one might not be for you.
Pros:
-lots of fun (yes I know that's an opinion)
-games are completely different every time you play.
- strategies are deep, and teamwork is a must.
-You can find out which of your friends are sociopaths.
Cons:
-Tons of pieces to keep track of (I've spent a lot of time digging for a 'secret stairs' token, or something similar).
-Complicated. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does kind of slow down the game when you have to pause to look up minion movement or something obscure.
All in all, I still think this is a great game, but if you and your friends are the kind of person that prefers a linear or straightforward game, this one might not be for you.
on May 10, 2017
I bought this for our family board game nights. My 16 year old had suggested it and I thought might as well if it keeps even a 16 year old engaged with the family and off the electronics. To my amazement it is a great game that is different each and every time we play. I am not sure the age range off the top of my head now but our youngest is 11 and he was able to participate in the game and stay attentive (game can be an hour to play or more) But I think it would be easy enough for even an 8 year old or pair an adult with a youngest if need be. It's a lot of fun! Often my son now takes it to his friends house to play with a group of buddies! Whatever keeps them out of trouble is well worth the money.
on September 9, 2016
LOVE! I am a big fan of spooky horror and zombie movies. I also like a good board game. I am somewhat of an newb to these types of games. This being the 3rd one I own. I started with Forbidden Island, then Ticket to Ride and now this. Yes, some of the cards are complicated and rather long, but I like the idea of exploring a creepy old house with surprises. We played this with my 13 year old daughter and it worked really well.
I would suggest watching some youtube video's of the game in play, to help take away some of the panic of the three manuals it comes with. This really helped to lessen my anxiety on learning this game from scratch. Once I had watched a few youtube videos, I felt quite a bit better on tackling such a game. (Remember my newbness)
I had read some reviews critiquing the little markers falling off from the cards; however, I did not run into that, but could see it happening over time. Luckily, someone else has solved that problem with a handy app in the android app store, that does it for you, should you run into that issue.
I am looking forward to playing this game, at least the 50 times for the various scenarios one can play with. And will get the expansion pack that comes out next month. This really is worth the money!!!
I would suggest watching some youtube video's of the game in play, to help take away some of the panic of the three manuals it comes with. This really helped to lessen my anxiety on learning this game from scratch. Once I had watched a few youtube videos, I felt quite a bit better on tackling such a game. (Remember my newbness)
I had read some reviews critiquing the little markers falling off from the cards; however, I did not run into that, but could see it happening over time. Luckily, someone else has solved that problem with a handy app in the android app store, that does it for you, should you run into that issue.
I am looking forward to playing this game, at least the 50 times for the various scenarios one can play with. And will get the expansion pack that comes out next month. This really is worth the money!!!
on March 25, 2017
This game is a blast. It has become a must for our game night with friends. We've played through at least 4 times now and haven't repeated a haunt. The rules can be confusing sometimes, especially for the haunts but so far we haven't had trouble agreeing on an interpretation. The premise is a group of friends come across a creepy house and in the style of all good 80's horror movies, their best idea is to go in and explore it. As you play through, one player will betray the others and attempt to murder them all. No one will know who the traitor is until the haunt begins and that is when the game really shines.
This is easily the best game in our library at the moment.
This is easily the best game in our library at the moment.
on October 24, 2016
This game is so much fun. I cannot recommend this game highly enough. If you like horror movies or general spooky stuff, this is definitely the game to get. It's essentially a cheesy horror movie in that it starts the same every time. A bunch of people exploring where they shouldn't go and then the twist happens. The twist in this game is when the haunt starts and one of the explorers is revealed to be a traitor. The mechanics stay the same, but the goal and certain rules change once the haunt begins, making it a different experience each time. There are 50 different haunts, each one very different. So, each time you play it is a different experience. Even if you play the same haunt again, unless you happen to get it twice in a row or very recently, it's unlikely that you'll remember all of the nuances of that haunt, AND/OR you will be on the other end of the betrayal. This is absolutely both my favorite game and both of my 11 year old daughters' favorite game. It is always fun.
