Across the globe, ancient evil is stirring. Now, you and your trusted circle of colleagues must travel around the world, working against all odds to hold back the approaching horror. Foul monsters, brutal encounters, and obscure mysteries will take you to your limit and beyond. All the while, you and your fellow investigators must unravel the otherworldy mysteries scattered around the globe in order to push back the gathering mayhem that threatens to overwhelm humanity. The end draws near! Do you have the courage to prevent global destruction?
Eldritch Horror is a co-operative game of terror and adventure in which one to eight players take the roles of globetrotting investigators working to solve mysteries, gather clues, and protect the world from an Ancient One – that is, an elder being intent on destroying our world. Each Ancient One comes with its own unique decks of Mystery and Research cards, which draw you deeper into the lore surrounding each loathsome creature. Discover the true name of Azathoth or battle Cthulhu on the high seas.
While the tasks on these Mystery cards (along with the locations of otherworldly gates, menacing monsters, and helpful clues) will often inform both your travel plans and the dangers you confront, you can find adventure anywhere in the world...even where you least expect it. It is during the Encounter Phase of each turn that players resolve combat or, alternatively, build their investigators' personal stories by reading an encounter narrative from one of several types of Encounter cards. You might go head to head with a monster in Istanbul or find yourself in a tough spot with the crime syndicate in a major city. Maybe you will embark on an expedition to the Pyramids or research a clue you uncover in the unnamed wilderness. You may even find your way through a gate and explore a dimension beyond time and space.
Should you fail an encounter, the cost is steep. If you are fortunate, you will merely incur physical or mental trauma. However, you might also be compelled to take a Condition card, which represents a specific injury or restriction gained throughout your journey, such as a Leg Injury or Amnesia. You could find yourself getting in over your head to acquire assets and receive a Debt condition – or maybe you'll owe a favor to something far more insidious than a debt collector, and enter into a Dark Pact! Whatever your condition, you would be wise to find a resolution with haste; many conditions have a "reckoning effect" which, if triggered, ensure a much more sinister fate.
All the while, the arrival of the Ancient One approaches. Its malign influence is manifested in Eldritch Horror as you draw Mythos Cards, which govern the appearance of otherworldly gates, fearsome monsters, and other ominous elements. Mythos cards keep your investigators under pressure, introducing new threats, even as the arrival of the Great Old One draws nearer! Since the investigators draw a new Mythos card each round, they're certain to have their hands full battling foul creatures and following up on strange rumors, even as they work to solve their three all-important mysteries.
With twelve unique investigators, two hundred-fifty tokens, and over three hundred cards, Eldritch Horror presents an epic, world-spanning adventure with each and every game.
- streamlined relative to Arkham Horror Second Edition
- strong thematic scope and variety via expansions
- easy to learn relative to similar games
- still complex and heavy on rules
- investigators die frequently which can slow the game or become resource constraints
- Lovecraftian eldritch investigations with investigators racing against time and cosmic forces
- Worldwide, cosmic horror inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos
- global-scale, interwoven investigations with modular decks and evolving mythos
- Arkham Horror Second Edition
- Mansions of Madness
- Cthulhu Death May Die
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to investigate locations, collect assets, and fend off monsters and mythos events.
- cooperative_play — Players work together to investigate locations, collect assets, and fend off monsters and mythos events.
- Events — Mythos phase introduces global events, monsters, and story twists.
- investigator_health_and_sanity — Investigators track health and sanity, with death tokens and consequences.
- Modular board — Base game plus expansions add more decks (encounters, items, spells) and new complications.
- modular_decks_and_cards — Base game plus expansions add more decks (encounters, items, spells) and new complications.
- mythos_deck_and_events — Mythos phase introduces global events, monsters, and story twists.
- pre_set_up_board — On-table setup is designed to minimize downtime and focus on gameplay.
- Variable Set-up: Board — On-table setup is designed to minimize downtime and focus on gameplay.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a game that replaced arkham horror second edition for me i think it is the battery of the two games
- i love these small box expansions as a matter of fact these are the only expansions i have for the game
- once you have the game set up on the table you really never have to go back in the box to dig through other components
- the investigators die a lot the investigators in this game really are kind of a resource
- Mansions of Madness and Cthulhu Death May Die are another one of his popular series
References (from this video)
- High-quality components and art
- Strong Lovecraftian atmosphere and theme
- Deep narrative potential and role-playing feel
- Expansions notably increase variety and replayability
- Heavy complexity and lengthy setup
- Balance issues and repetitive encounter decks
- Healing is limited and some investigators feel disadvantaged
- Encounters can feel loosely tied to the Ancient One
- Downtime can be significant at larger player counts
- Lovecraftian cosmic horror with humanity confronting ancient beings
- 1920s global globe-trotting investigations across cities and gateways to other worlds
- emergent, encounter-driven narrative formed by decks and scenarios
- Mansions of Madness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character progression and backstories — Investigators gain items, allies, and abilities that reflect their backstories.
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to research clues, close gates, and defeat the Ancient One.
- cooperative play — Players work together to research clues, close gates, and defeat the Ancient One.
- Debt mechanic — Debt can be taken to acquire powerful items when funds are short.
- Doom/doom tracker and gate/monster spawning — Mythos phase advances the doom track and spawns threats across the globe.
- Double-sided cards — Spells and conditions use front/back faces to add tension and uncertainty.
- Encounter deck and Mythos deck — Cards drive events, with double-sided cards hiding outcomes until triggered.
- Expeditions, research encounters, artifacts — Multiple decks provide artifacts, spells, and side quests to enhance play.
- Loans — Debt can be taken to acquire powerful items when funds are short.
- Multi-use cards — Spells and conditions use front/back faces to add tension and uncertainty.
- Skill checks and dice rolls — Encounters resolve via skill checks using dice to determine outcomes.
- Two-action turns per investigator — Each investigator typically performs two actions per turn; encounters interrupt the flow.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Eldritch Horror is a cooperative globe-trotting experience.
- The Lovecraftian theme with flavor text and wonderfully drawn art from every piece is amazing.
- The stage is set up to allow great scenarios for you to imagine the world and your investigators' place within it.
- It's called Cthulhu: The Role-Playing Game combined with a cooperative board game.
- The six out of ten is mainly because we're evaluating just the out-of-the-box experience since it's definitely not as good as it could be and needs expansions.
- Expansions are absolutely mandatory; Forsaken, etc., to patch up the vanilla experience.
- Healing is very difficult since at most you can recover only one health and one sanity.
- Lovecraft should not be a rigid puzzle to be solved but rather should strap you in for an ominous ride so you're never quite feeling safe in between the mysteries.
- I can't rate Eldritch Horror lower than an 8 out of 10.
- I personally give Eldritch Horror a 9 out of 10.
References (from this video)
- Rich theme
- High replayability
- Complex rules
- Long play time
- Array
- Horror mystery investigations across global locales
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Players collaborate to defeat shared threats and solve mysteries
- cooperative play — Players collaborate to defeat shared threats and solve mysteries
- deduction — Clues and story elements drive progression of the mystery
- Investigation / Story Elements — Clues and story elements drive progression of the mystery
- Unique player powers — Investigators each have unique abilities affecting play
- Variable player powers — Investigators each have unique abilities affecting play
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this isn't what i meant by board games
- this is just kind of boring there's not enough going on
- it's only been like five minutes
- Relax dude it's just a board game aren't these like 10 bucks
- thanks for watching the video guys this video was inspired by ideas from
References (from this video)
- Global exploration with Lovecraftian flavor
- Cooperative play against a common threat
- Array
- Global Lovecraftian mysteries, racing around the world to prevent Great Old Ones
- Collaborative investigation with global scale
- Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition
- Eclipse
- Star Wars Rebellion
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative actions — Players work together to solve mysteries and defeat ancient beings
- cooperative investigation — Players work together to solve mysteries and defeat ancient beings
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- ameritrash games are just better than euro games they just are
- minis the minis
- this is ameritrash
- you might as well just all play your little crossword puzzle or just play actual solitaire
- dead of winter this is this frigid iceland there's so many things to fight other humans zombies mutated monsters
- twilight imperium the fourth edition
- i can control imperial star destroyers atats and there's even a death star
- you travel across the globe from london to rome to africa to solve these mysteries to defeat the legendary Shub
References (from this video)
- Epic scope and strong storytelling
- Many expansions and campaign options
- Can be long and heavy for new players
- Setup and maintenance-intensive
- cooperative eldritch horror across the world
- Lovecraftian global mystery
- epic storytelling, globe-trotting
- Arkham Horror
- Mansions of Madness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to resolve an overarching threat
- cooperative play — Players work together to resolve an overarching threat
- Expansions and scenarios — Rich ecosystem of adventures and add-ons
- Modular board — World map with encounters across many locations
- Modular map with large scope — World map with encounters across many locations
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- that's number 50, that's Stone Age
- Just One is really a party game to me
- it's app assisted... and the stories evolve
- Monk ala... activate all these other spots on the board
- it's almost like watching a TV show
- the app lets you hint and push through
- Steam has two sets of rules - advanced and normal
- Unlock is probably for me my favorites of this sort of escape room puzzle solving thing
- Airlines Europe is almost like a train game but it's an airline game
- Eldritch Horror... big map and globe-trotting encounters
References (from this video)
- vast variety of scenarios, strong thematic integration, memorable comeback moments
- rules can be dense, can feel grindy between peaks
- cooperative mystery with high randomness and situational swing
- global mythos-driven investigations across exotic locales
- big sandbox horror with episodic mysteries and varying outcomes
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Petersen-era Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative campaign — players work together to solve mysteries and prevent eldritch threats, with variable encounters
- highly swingy randomness — encounters and results swing based on cards and dice, creating huge highs and lows
- long form campaign rhythm — campaign-style play with evolving threats and player progression
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the narrative it does ends up being a fun experience
- it's the story. there's almost I find when I'm playing it and horrible things are happening
- through the ages... a grand historical journey
- epic and full-day experience
- you can draft up to your point level and duke it out to the end
References (from this video)
- Deep Lovecraftian theme and immersion
- Strong narrative and modular encounters
- High replay value with scalable difficulty
- Complex rules can be intimidating to new players
- Sometimes long setup and downtime
- mythos horror, ritual threats
- Lovecraftian global mythos; investigators travel the world
- story-driven investigations with escalating dread
- Horrified
- Cthulhu: Death May Die
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- global map with events — world map encounters drive the narrative and threats
- investigator skills and tests — characters have varied skill checks and encounters to overcome
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Cooperative games are normally like very thematic.
- you’re not playing against each other you’re trying everybody together to solve the mechanic to solve the problem.
- it's a really friendly game that will everybody try to win or lose together.
- the desert moves around and blows around the desert… the desert is actually trying to kill you.
- it’s brutally punishing.
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's just for fun.
- We don't like all the games and you probably don't like all the games that we like either.
- This is for me an E game as well because I don't remember.
References (from this video)
- has specific cards that are so problematic they get removed from every game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not even a game it's just like a story
- why is it there this is the game about inventions and this is basically telling me to make cutesy patterns with tiles
- the bane of my freaking life this horrible game
- I just want to feel like right I can do this I can do this
- just design one good game one good game one good mode
- why can't I tell you
- they just made them a lot worse
- it's a red flag to the game is going to suck
References (from this video)
- rich, cinematic feel with high highs and dramatic lows
- high variability and replayability with many expansions
- strong group storytelling and memorable moments
- rules can be dense; learning curve sharp
- daemon-like variability can lead to gut-wunching losses
- cosmic horror, exploration, and mystery with unpredictable events
- Lovecraftian investigations across a sprawling map
- sandbox-driven storytelling with shifting threats
- Arkham Horror
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-driven encounters — random encounters and events shape the narrative and difficulty
- Semi-cooperative — players cooperate to solve mysteries but may have diverging goals
- semi-cooperative play — players cooperate to solve mysteries but may have diverging goals
- Unique player powers — characters have distinct abilities and growth paths
- Variable player powers — characters have distinct abilities and growth paths
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Age of Innovation feels like it delivers the pinnacle experience of that kind of whole system.
- Twilight Struggle is a borderline masterpiece.
- The arc of Twilight Struggle is so exciting; tension grows across the board.
- This is Mage Knight Ultimate Edition—changing it to cooperative mode is incredible; I’d never go back.
- Eldritch Horror highs are the top board game experiences I’ve had.
- Agricola is the best board game we have ever played and it has stayed at the top for years.
References (from this video)
- Deep thematic experience
- Lots of expansions and replayability
- Very long play sessions
- High learning curve
- investigators battling eldritch entities
- Lovecraftian cosmic horror
- story-driven, lore-rich
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative_play — Players cooperate to close gates and defeat monsters.
- dice_fighting_and_encounters — Combat and encounters with monsters and equal risk rewards.
- investigator_selection — Choose investigators with unique starting stats and abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's so nostalgic that it's like so much of me wants to own it
- I think this quite possibly could be my top game
- the Mind Games I really like the mind games
- the combination of bag building and push your luck is just really nice
- we'll be seeing Twilight Imperium on Caitlyn's no we will not
References (from this video)
- deep, thematic experience
- strong adventure atmosphere
- great for long sessions
- can be lengthy and heavy
- steep learning curve
- horror adventure and monster slaying
- cosmic horror adventure across multiple scenarios
- serious, epic
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign_progression — long-form scenarios with evolving threats and upgrades
- Cooperative Game — players work together to solve mysteries and prevent catastrophe
- cooperative_play — players work together to solve mysteries and prevent catastrophe
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's easy to get for everyone, even kids
- zero setup time you just roll some dices
- my top played game for seven years straight
- it's amazing i love it
- don't judge this game's horrible cover
References (from this video)
- Preserves Arkham Horror feel while improving accessibility
- Character-driven storytelling with personal arcs
- Can be lengthy and rule-heavy
- Complex to learn for new players
- global mystery with atmospheric horror and exploration
- world-spanning investigations against eldritch horrors
- story-driven, immersive experience
- Arkham Horror (Second Edition)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play with exploration and encounters — Players collaborate to close gates and gather artifacts across the world.
- investigation-driven progression — Character skills and item tracking influence success.
- world-spanning encounters and event cards — Events drive exploration and tension with variable outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Paranoia at the core of Battle Star Galactica.
- I try to leave room for side projects to keep ideas flowing.
- The most important thing is to make games and keep making them.
References (from this video)
- Rich thematic integration and memorable moments
- High variability with expansions and scenarios
- Strong cooperative play with shared narrative
- Can be swingy due to randomness and encounter results
- Complex setup and occasional pacing drag
- investigation and survival against eldritch threats
- Lovecraftian, cosmic horror adventures
- campaign-style, scenario-based with modular hard-events
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Mage Knight (for tactical depth)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative teamwork — Players join forces to defeat or resolve encounters and threats.
- deduction — Investigative play with escalating stakes and hidden objectives.
- Event and encounter resolution — Events drive escalating challenges and story momentum.
- Events — Events drive escalating challenges and story momentum.
- Research, clues, and gate mechanics — Investigative play with escalating stakes and hidden objectives.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the partner Dynamics in tiu are so fun because you can't talk to each other
- it's the best card game trick-taking game
- this is the game that we keep coming back to for group drama and big moments
- you can't beat the drama at the end when both teams are close to a thousand points
References (from this video)
- high thematic immersion
- variety of scenarios
- long playtime
- complex rules
- mythos survival
- cosmic horror investigators
- campaign/unfolding scenarios
- Arkham Horror
- Descent
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — players cooperate to stop eldritch threats
- Dice Checks — dice checks determine success of abilities and events
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Hive is a simple two-player game yet it's for gamers because there's a lot of decisions it almost feels chess-like it's zero luck
- this video is going to go head-to-head and find the best board games for gamers under budget
- 75 not that bad for five really good games for gamers
- it's going to be the most expensive ice cream
References (from this video)
- Cooperative play for 1–8 players
- Global scale and rich narrative
- Ancient One specific mystery decks
- High replayability through varied encounters
- Strong thematic flavor and personality
- Lovecraftian horror, mystery, cosmic dread
- Global scale investigations across the world against Ancient Ones
- Narrative-driven with per Ancient One mysteries
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Ancient One mystery decks — Each Ancient One has its own deck of mysteries driving play
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to prevent catastrophe and solve mysteries
- cooperative play — Players work together to prevent catastrophe and solve mysteries
- Global travel and investigation — Investigators travel around the world pursuing clues and events
- Narrative choice — Story and flavor drive forward the encounter flow
- Narrative-driven progression — Story and flavor drive forward the encounter flow
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- If you're familiar with Arkham Horror, Eldritch Horror is a sister game to Arkham and Eldritch Horror takes your fight against the Ancient Ones to a global scale.
- The investigators now are going to travel around the globe and the mechanics are brand new.
- The point is not to close gates but to solve the mysteries that are unique to each ancient one.
- It's filled with narrative, it's filled with personality and story, and a desperate struggle that investigators continue to fight.
- Essentially a miniatures unit combat across a field of battle for two to four players, but instead of miniatures, we have flat discs and those discs are flipped on the board as you activate units.
- It's very portable and it's got four factions in the box.
- It's a spectacular new design based on the Battle system.
- You've got the left, center, right sections
- Brand new minis that are 28 millimeter.
- The GL gameplay has been refined.
- There's fog of war.
- There's a unique scenario system that has you playing different games every single time with different armies.
References (from this video)
- rich, cooperative storytelling
- tension from probabilistic outcomes
- dense investigative atmosphere
- complex setup
- long play sessions
- Cosmic horror, investigation, teamwork
- Global Lovecraft-inspired investigations across varied locales
- Story-driven with scenario threads and player collaboration
- Mansions of Madness
- Legacy of Dragonholt
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- app-assisted cohesion (second edition) — companion app guides progression and keeps story cohesive
- clue tokens / investigation cues — tokens learned through exploration to bolster later rolls
- custom eight-sided dice — dice provide a granular success/failure spectrum with investigation cues
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the dice themselves are storytellers
- it's the interaction that makes it a game
- listen to your players and ask if they have the options they want
- you want to be part of the story and help tell it
- start with a vision document to keep you on track
- templates speed up the process and keep things consistent
References (from this video)
- Open world feeling
- Huge adventure game
- What got Noah into board games
- Amazing first experience with board games
- Still holds up well
- Takes a lot of time to play
- Significant downtime between turns
- Downtime not enjoyable anymore
- Cosmic horror and Cthulhu mythos
- Global adventure
- Adventure game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Adventure — Huge adventure traveling through the world
- Cooperative — Group of investigators fight against Cthulhu and monsters
- Item collection — Get items to help fight enemies
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- if ever somebody says that he has the top 10 games of all time never trust them it's in their opinion
- if i could give a game 11 out of 10 clank legacy would be it
- this is the reason why i fell in love with board games in general
- it's my favorite solo game for sure the more i play it the more i want to play it
- to be honest right now probably next year it will be different maybe tomorrow it will be different
- the unknowing like what's gonna happen what's his agenda it's just an amazing experience
- if you like deck building then i think you definitely like clank legacy like a lot
References (from this video)
- great atmosphere
- strong lore
- solid cooperative play
- rules heavy
- long sessions
- Investigate ancient horrors
- Lovecraftian horror world
- Campaign-driven investigations
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative — team tries to avert catastrophes across scenarios
- Dice rolling — dice determine action outcomes
- dice_rolling — dice determine action outcomes
- scenario_campaign — linked adventures with variable threats
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Wingspan got I got four plays of wingspan in this last year and now that thinking back on it I did have a couple that I introduced it to earlier in the year
- I played 49 games of Uno 49 sessions
References (from this video)
- cooperative play
- big-world feel
- story-driven
- lots of tiny pieces
- complex setup
- Keystone North America
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- enlightened growth makes you a better person
- our goal is to make this world a better place one board gamer at a time
- this is a game that my students would love
- it's a quick get it in where you can fit it in
- an excellent analogy because trying to keep a bunch of plates spinning can be quite frustrating
References (from this video)
- excellent cooperative experiences with high replay value
- scales well with player count
- can feel punishing or tragic when things go poorly
- cooperative struggle against eldritch forces
- mythos-driven investigation across a sprawling map
- sandbox of encounters with variable difficulty
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Gloomhaven (co-op latently)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — players work together to avert cosmic threats
- modular scenario structure — scenarios generate unique experiences each session
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- "it's a sandbox of fun"
- "the rules are very, very simple"
- "playing the long game"
- "this is one of the best co-op games"
- "the setup time for the size of the box is one of the best ratios"
References (from this video)
- streamlined rules compared to Arkham Horror
- rich thematic integration with Lovecraft Mythos
- narrative emphasis and storytelling
- two-player play is workable and engaging
- high-quality components and a helpful reference guide
- tension via Doom/Omen mechanics and gate/monster dynamics
- dynamic spell and condition cards add flavorful variety
- high difficulty and punishing outcomes can be brutal
- potential for player overwhelm and perceived lack of actions
- rules can still be intricate for new players
- board size and components can be fiddly to manage
- expansions are anticipated and add cost
- Lovecraftian horror, cosmic dread, teamwork against a world-spanning threat
- Global Lovecraftian investigation across major cities, gates, and eldritch entities tied to the Cthulhu Mythos
- emergent, scenario-driven with evolving mysteries and mythos encounters
- Arkham Horror
- Elder Sign
- Mansions of Madness
- Touch of Evil
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Clues, mysteries, and investigations — Clues advance mysteries; solving them progresses toward victory or triggers penalties.
- Conditional encounters and reckoning — Tests can cause injuries, insanity, or other conditions that shape the narrative.
- cooperative play — Players work together to close gates, defeat monsters, and solve mysteries.
- Doom track and Omen track — Tracks that push the game toward an endgame catastrophe and drive urgency.
- Endgame escalation and epic monsters — If doom advances enough, Cthulhu or other ancient beings may rise, altering the game end.
- Investigator cards with unique abilities — Each investigator has distinct stats, starting equipment, and special abilities.
- Item reserve and assets — An item reserve where players can plan access to weapons, allies, and artifacts.
- Mythos deck and gate/monster spawning — Mythos cards trigger gates, monsters, clues, encounters, and various global effects.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Arkham Horror is my number one game of all time
- I like this game more than I like Arkham Horror and I know it's like my number one game of all time
- this game is all about like kind of the mystery and weighing your options and your choices if you will
- this is the most fun I've had all year long playing this game
- the cooperative game should kick my ass the first time I play it
References (from this video)
- strong thematic feel
- cooperative tension and horror atmosphere
- downtime and complexity can be high
- rule depth can be intimidating for new players
- mythos horrors and cosmic threats
- cosmic horror setting with investigators worldwide
- grim, atmospheric cooperative mystery
- Arkham Horror
- Nemesis
- Cosmic Encounter
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative exploration and skill checks — players collectively investigate mysteries, draw encounter cards, and test skills to seal or defeat threats
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- start the game with superpowers give each player a starting ability of equal value or let them pick between two
- simultaneous turns at the start of every round plan as a team then everyone takes their actions and encounters at the same time
- you paid for the game you better make sure you have fun playing it
- this small tweak helps to keep the tension without the headache of constant noise building up
- if this video gets 500 likes we'll dust off that Eldritch Horror house rule video
- the last game loses and the next one gets picked, adding an extra layer of strategic fun
References (from this video)
- Huge scope and variability; strong thematic pull; many expansions
- Can be lengthy and complex; occasional downtime between turns
- Epic, sprawling cooperative horror
- Global Lovecraftian investigations
- Massive sandbox with variety of scenarios
- Arkham Horror
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Investigators travel the world to prevent a global catastrophe
- Cooperative play on a global map — Investigators travel the world to prevent a global catastrophe
- Events — Dynamic encounters and a scalable threat track
- Sandbox scenarios with random events — Dynamic encounters and a scalable threat track
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This goes to Times Up Title Recall. Ryan's now calibrating how many more plays.
- Carcassonne is a classic. I would totally be down to still play Carcassonne.
- The OG of Quacks of Quedlinburg. We have the OG of it.
- This is Summoner Wars being a fantastic game.
- The decks have their own identities. Day-long KeyForge experiences are special.
- The 3D Santorini with god powers is just incredible.
References (from this video)
- massive content variety and replayability
- great table presence and thematic depth
- very long, heavy learning curve
- expensive to collect all content
- epic, collaborative assault on ancient horrors
- cosmic horror investigation around the globe
- sandbox-like mystery with multiple potential outcomes
- Arkham Horror
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- character progression through expansion content — investigators gain new abilities and items over time
- global investigation and scenario-based play — players explore mysteries across a board full of varied encounters
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's the quickest cooperative game on my list
- bang for your buck in 10 minutes is unmatched
- the energy around the table is fantastic
- the deck-building and progression in Mage Knight is like nothing else
References (from this video)
- strong thematic immersion
- high replayability
- cooperative tension
- rule complexity
- long playtime
- cosmic horror and exploration
- cooperative Lovecraftian investigations worldwide
- story-driven mythos
- Gaia Project
- Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
- Twilight Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together to solve mysteries against the game.
- Dice-driven actions — Dice determine success of actions/tests.
- story/quest progression — Mythos cards drive scenarios and encounters.
- Variable player powers — Investigators have unique abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- sanity
- you are hundred percent in this so far
- the components are great
- cloud nine
- it's an epic, but heavy
References (from this video)
- epic scale and variability
- great group replayability with expansions
- teaching can be lengthy
- game length can be long for some groups
- cooperative exploration, cosmic horror
- Lovecraftian world-spanning investigations
- sandbox-like, high variability with expansions
- Arkham Horror
- Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — players work together against the game system
- cooperative play — players work together against the game system
- planning and resource management — team tasks and checks drive the pace of play
- Resource management — team tasks and checks drive the pace of play
- variable encounters — numerous encounter decks create unpredictable stories
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the sandbox of what's going to happen in this epic Cooperative experience
- the bane of Arkham Horror's existence was the stupid gate burst
- best bang for the buck
- 75 plays
- epic 3D maps
- nostalgic for me
References (from this video)
- rich theme and production
- strong cooperative experience
- heavy setup
- can be lengthy and complex for newcomers
- cosmic dread, investigators facing eldritch threats
- cooperative Lovecraftian horror
- campaign-style mythos with escalating complexity
- Ark Nova
- Vantage look-alikes
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — players work together to prevent global disasters
- epidemic/arduous event track — the mythos cards drive escalating challenges and discoveries
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is the five best games we played in 2025 and five games we're looking forward to playing in 2026.
- I interviewed Reiner yesterday. It was fun.
References (from this video)
- Epic scale with memorable, high-energy conclusions
- Rich theme and narrative stakes
- Powerful moments of teamwork and near-misses
- Long playtime can be daunting
- Brutal moments may frustrate newcomers
- Cooperative horror battling cosmic threats
- Lovecraftian mythos with global-scale investigations
- Narrative, high-stakes, cinematic investigations
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to solve mysteries and seal wells of doom.
- cooperative play — Players work together to solve mysteries and seal wells of doom.
- Events — Mythos cards dictate escalating threats and complications.
- Investigator variance — Each character has unique abilities shaping strategy.
- Mysterious mythos / event deck — Mythos cards dictate escalating threats and complications.
- Unique player powers — Each character has unique abilities shaping strategy.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- There’s really no one clear best strategy.
- The feel around the table is a little bit more interactive than just a normal drafting.
- This is the first dice builder I’ve ever played.
- Sandboxy open it does feel like it’s got some bloat to it, but man, it’s still incredibly fun.
- The final play together finished really, really strong.
References (from this video)
- Strong thematic immersion
- Memorable, tense moments with a group
- Rules can be heavy for new players
- Complex setup with many components
- Lovecraftian mythos and eldritch threats
- Global, cosmic-horror investigations with escalating doom
- Cooperative, with episodic mysteries and doom progression
- Arkham Horror
- The Call of Cthulhu Card Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative exploration and investigation — Players cooperate to solve mysteries and close gates
- Mythos/doom track — Mythos phase introduces new threats; doom increments toward a loss
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this one could potentially. we'll see.
- you just want to play it again right after you get done because every time you play, it just feels like you're going to get just such interesting and different situations
- the game state just changes drastically
- it's wildly interactive
- one of my like mustplay with you while you were here cuz I'm enamored with it right now
- Planet Unknown... the best game in the month
- Simultaneous play means you feel like you did so much in an hour
- this is an absolute must own in my collection
- absolutely a homerun purchase
References (from this video)
- strong thematic atmosphere and tension
- variety between sessions depending on setup
- cooperative potential with rich narrative
- long play time and complexity can overwhelm new players
- setup and learning curve are significant
- experience varies greatly with group composition and setup
- cosmic horror with investigative narrative and escalating danger
- mythos-inspired global Lovecraftian investigations
- semi-cooperative with multiple player objectives and evolving mysteries
- Arkham Horror (Second Edition)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — players work together but each has individual goals
- cooperative play with personal objectives — players work together but each has individual goals
- mystery and clues — players solve mysteries through clues and card effects
- Randomness and luck — outcomes swing with gates, encounters, and draws
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the variety of the aliens is just incredible
- it's not only the mechanics of what's happening but a lot of what's happening between players at the table
- it's pretty group dependent
- I just love the pressure when a team is on you
- you need four people exactly four that are going to want to play a card game
- the strategy of it is so much deeper
- you've got to take off the training wheels for you Daniel, it's time for ride the Mage Knight bike on your own
- the rule book is dense and hard to learn
- it's a doozy
- it's eight hours long and an all day experience
- you really want six people, that's the ideal
References (from this video)
- high variability with expansions keeps the game fresh
- great group activity with a lot of replayability
- complexity and setup can be lengthy
- tokens/decks can get unwieldy with many expansions
- Lovecraftian horror, investigation, and eldritch mystery
- Global Lovecraftian investigations across multiple continents
- cooperative, scenario-driven with high variability
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — players work together to survive and solve mysteries rather than compete
- cooperative play — players work together to survive and solve mysteries rather than compete
- scenario/deck-driven encounters — encounters and mythos/encounter decks drive the sequence of events
- variable setup and expansion-driven variability — base game plus many expansions create unique configurations and challenges
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a variability machine
- it's an incredible experience and one I absolutely do not regret having
- it's packed full with incredible stuff
- it's one of fantasy flight's living card games
- Marvel United tops of the list for both of us
- start the addiction
References (from this video)
- Deep theme and vast content
- High thematic immersion with rich components
- Complex rules and lengthy play sessions
- Requires commitment from a full group
- Lovecraftian horror and mythos
- Global investigations against Old Gods
- cooperative investigative drama across the globe
- Arkham Horror
- Mansions of Madness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — investigators work together to solve mysteries and close gates
- cooperative play — investigators work together to solve mysteries and close gates
- Dice-driven check mechanics — various skill checks determine outcomes of encounters
- Global investigations — scenarios span multiple locations and mythos events
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's the best time and boy do we have some creepy crawlers for you
- for most lists for nrb i try to feature mostly games we haven't covered before but for this one i'm going to be covering a few ones that we have
- it's a pulpy cinematic style game for movie fans and zombie heads alike
- it's a heady tense and brutal deduction game
- there's no horror experience like nemesis
References (from this video)
- thematic, memorable experience
- high variability and replayability due to randomized Ancient One, investigator decks, and gates
- strong narrative with memorable moments and dramatic tension
- cooperative play allows new players to learn and contribute
- extensive expansion support increases variety and longevity
- bear of a setup with many components and shuffling
- high difficulty and variance can produce long sessions with potentially unsatisfying outcomes
- upkeep can be tedious with many effects to resolve during Reckoning
- base game lacks sufficient variety without expansions
- Lovecraftian horror, cosmic dread, mystery and adventure
- Global-scale Lovecraftian mystery featuring investigators battling the eldritch forces to seal gates and stop an Ancient One
- narrative-driven, sandbox, emergent storytelling
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to manage encounters and plan actions against a shifting Mythos phase.
- cooperative play — Players work together to manage encounters and plan actions against a shifting Mythos phase.
- dice-based skill checks — Investigator attributes are used to roll dice to resolve encounters and actions; outcomes depend on luck and character stats.
- doom/Mythos phase — A phase where new events, monsters, gates, and the Doom track increase the challenge and escalate the game.
- exploration across locations and gates — Travel across the globe, enter gates, fight monsters, and close gates to prevent the Ancient One from awakening.
- item/deck customization — Characters upgrade with items, artifacts, and spells that modify abilities and dice results.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- one of the best games at delivering a thematic memorable experience
- Sandbox of Endless Possibilities
- The sweet spot is in three to five
- the highs of Eldritch are highs like no other game
- if you want an epic and thematic Cooperative game that is capable of generating a wide range of moments with no two games feeling the same
References (from this video)
- world-spanning adventure
- unique character interactions
- procedural storytelling
- Cosmic horror
- Global supernatural adventure
- Exploratory
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I do not do a ton of solo gaming but I do enjoy it
- The best stories emerge from the chaos of gameplay
References (from this video)
- more streamlined than Arkham Horror
- strong replayability with variability
- clearer, simpler action flow
- still lengthy sessions
- variability relies on expansions
- Cosmic dread, cults, global investigations
- World-spanning Lovecraftian horror with global threats
- Procedural, event-driven with a global scale and campaign feel
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to manage global threats and investigations.
- cooperative_play — Players work together to manage global threats and investigations.
- global_threat_tracks_and_events — Global threat progression and mythos events drive the game.
- streamlined_action_economy — Actions are simplified relative to Arkham Horror, reducing clutter.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- No more gate burst. Praise the Lord.
- it's leaning into the variability of the game and delivering a completely unique experience every time you play.
- the systems really streamlined from Arkham Horror to Eldritch Horror.
References (from this video)
- cosmic horror investigation and cooperation
- global Lovecraftian horror across multiple sites
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — players work together to solve mysteries while managing resources and disasters
- cooperative play — players work together to solve mysteries while managing resources and disasters
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- number 10 pallet swapped illustrations
- palette swaps of one color to another
- sexy but space wasting insert
- it's just demeaning
- big floppy rulebooks
- overly homogenized or equitable values
- implicit rather than explicit rules or really just not having clearly defined rules in your freaking rule book
- squared corners on cards
- lack of color blind accessibility options
- once someone puts six stars out then their turn is the last turn and there's no ability for anyone else to recover from that
References (from this video)
- Clear player avatars front and center
- Conveys action and horror perfectly
- Beautiful composition with tentacled monster
- Intriguing pyramid element in background
- Horror
- Lovecraftian
- Dark
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative — Horror action game with player avatars
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- The box cover makes a promise to the customer
- Every box cover tells me what I'm going to be doing and how I'm going to be feeling
- This artist is one of the best board game artists working in the industry right now
- This is how you do it
- This cover is a mess
- Striking iconic design
- The box cover is not selling the game
References (from this video)
- Sandboxy feel with high variability
- Expansions add more variety and story depth
- Iconic theme and production quality
- Can feel slow or punishing in some runs
- Less approachable for casual players
- Mythos, exploration, and team-based peril
- Lovecraftian cosmic horror investigations
- Sandbox-like with changing events and expansions
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Arkham Horror (older editions)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- character roles and abilities — Different investigators with unique strengths and limits
- Cooperative Game — Players work together against the game to avert based catastrophes
- cooperative play — Players work together against the game to avert based catastrophes
- Events — A rotating deck of events and encounters shapes the story
- scenario/event card system — A rotating deck of events and encounters shapes the story
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the dynamic map element, which that's unique to Catacombs, the other ones just have a static board, is a huge part of the fun of the experience.
- it's a game that allows as much thinking as you want.
- there's nothing like it.