The Background
This core set is a starting off point for a deck builder/co-op RPG set the world of H.P. Lovecraft's Mythos. 1-4 players each play an investigator, looking into mysterious events in Arkham in a series of linked scenarios. The core set comes with 5 investigators and three scenarios of growing difficulty and complexity, along with additional components required to act out the adventures of the group.
I'll start this review with one simple statement: I'm an Arkham Horror newbie. I knew little of Lovecraft except that Cthulhu was a big bad and even less of the board games set in his world. When someone first mentioned Arkham Horror to me I thought it was a Batman board game, not knowing Lovecraft's works inspired the games featuring the caped crusader. So my review is as someone coming in with completely fresh eyes to this world. And oh boy, talk about jumping in at the deep end!
A Plethora of cards….and everything else
Any game with a 40+ page rule book is not going to be a simple game to pick up and just play. My first thought was what have I let myself in for with this one. There are two booklets, lots of tokens and the cards…so many cards. The sheer number of cards is overwhelming. The other components are decent quality, especially the velvet bag that holds the chaos tokens. And the detail of the inside box being styled like a book is an awesome touch.
The fog begins to clear
After reading the rulebook the purpose of all the bits and pieces becomes a bit clearer. There’s still a lot to get used to, but here the rulebook excels. It lays out very nicely how everything works, including a step by step guide to setting up the first scenario. I was still glued to the rulebook for a good while, reading and rereading every line. The game is still complicated, there’s no denying that, but with time and patience it starts to become fun. Hard as nails to beat at times,, but fun, and all of the investigators being eliminated does not mean you can’t continue to the next scenario. I played on my own with two investigators and I think playing with others would’ve been a more immersive experience. Playing on my own was still enjoyable; I could learn at my own pace, and I probably finished quicker with only myself to argue with.
Longevity
The contents of the core box only contain a single three scenario campaign. This doesn’t mean there’s no replayability though. You can play different investigators, higher difficulties, going for different outcomes, or just keep trying when you inevitably fail. Ultimately though, it is only one campaign so will have a limited replayability with only the core set contents.
There is one copy of the record sheet at the back of the rulebook for recording progress of the characters, and the publisher website has a downloadable version for later playthroughs. This record can be used to record choices and outcomes, which will in turn have an effect on later scenarios in the campaign, or be used to level up the character and gain new action cards. That said I’d have appreciated a few loose copies of the record sheet in the box to further encourage repeated playthroughs. The form is not complicated though so even a notebook would be sufficient for recording everything.
The game is called a Living Card game, which means having a schedule of further campaigns and investigator packs with known contents. This will require further purchases, and that could get expensive. For veteran players, the decks are compatible with the previous scenarios, which will help increase the replayability. As a newbie to the game I can’t comment on whether it’s a worthwhile purchase if you have the previous core set.
Also of interest is the publisher’s website which along with FAQs and PDFs of all the rulebooks, has other materials, including, of all things, cocktail recipes for their annual Week of Horror. All these little details contribute to the world presented by the game and is bound to keep veterans and new enthusiasts entertained. For beginners it’s a choice; you’ll either persevere and get into it, or be put off by how complicated it is. Either way it’s unlikely a group of casual gamers will enjoy it. It’s not a pick it up and give it a go kind of game, so is best experienced in a group, with at least one person who knows what they’re doing.
Pros
- Immersive gameplay
- Expansions to increase longevity
- Several levels of difficulty
- A variety of investigators to differ tactics
- Publisher website
Cons
- Longish setup time
- Not for casual gamers
- Potentially costly for additional content
Score
- Artwork - 5
- Complexity - 4
- Replayability - 3
- Player Interaction - 5
- Component Quality - 4
Score = 84/100
