Betrayal at House on the Hill by Avalon Hill is one of the best horror-themed games for a reason. Its story-based, interactive gameplay, along with the high replay value, make it wildly popular among gamers.
If you’re looking for similar games, you’re in luck. There are several more games that can hold your interest and provide hours of entertainment.
I like Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate because it ticks the most boxes and has superb reviews. But other board games might better fit your fancy.
When it comes to games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, which one will haunt your table? Keep reading to find out.
Contents
- 1 At a Glance
- 1.1 Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate: Best Overall
- 1.2 Widow’s Walk Expansion: Best Expansion
- 1.3 Arkham Horror, 3rd Edition: Best Complex Game
- 1.4 Arkham Horror Card Game: Best Card Game Alternative
- 1.5 Mansions of Madness, 2nd Edition: Best App-Driven Game
- 1.6 Carcassonne: Best Family-Friendly Alternative
- 1.7 Dead of Winter: Best Survival Game
- 2 Horror Survival Games: What to Look For
- 3 Best Board Game Like Betrayal at House on the Hill: Conclusion
At a Glance
Betrayal at House on the Hill is appealing for many reasons. There might be certain features that appeal more to you. But rest assured that whatever your gaming group prefers, there are other similar games to fit your tastes.
One reason Betrayal at House on the Hill is so popular is the variation between games. No two games are the same. If you like games with high variability, you might try Widow’s Walk, Arkham Horror Card Game, Carcassonne, or Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate.
Betrayal at House on the Hill is also appealing for its horror theme. Who can resist exploring a haunted house? Games like Betrayal at House on the Hill in the theme are Widow’s Walk, Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate, and Arkham Horror.
There is also a strong cooperative role-playing element to this game. If you prefer cooperative role-playing games (RPGs) like Betrayal at House on the Hill, you might like Dead of Winter, Widow’s Walk, or Mansions of Madness.
I should note that most of these board games are not suitable for young children due to their content. However, if you like Betrayal at House on the Hill but want something family-friendly, Carcassonne is your best bet. It’s strategy-driven and features tile placement but isn’t scary.
Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate: Best Overall
Players: 3-6
Playing Time: 60 minutes
Age: 12+
Based on Betrayal at House on the Hill, Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate has a lot of similarities to the classic board game. It’s also published by Avalon Hill (Hasbro). Watch this quick rundown of the game’s features:
Set in a spooky medieval city overrun by spooky spirits, players must build and explore the city’s dark alleys and deadly catacombs. Your objective is to defeat the evil forces by working together with other players. That is until some horrific evil turns one—or possibly more—of you against each other.
Players choose which adventure to play and start on the Elfsong Tavern tile. They explore the city and take turns drawing tiles. If the tile has an Event, Item, or Omen symbol, they stop their movement and draw and resolve the matching card.
Play continues until the Haunt is randomly triggered after enough omens. One player then becomes the traitor trying to defeat the other adventurers to win. The other players try to stop the traitor and survive to win.
There are over fifty different scenarios in Baldur’s Gate, so you can have a new adventure each time. This is a campaign-based, story-driven board game, so it’s not a good game to introduce to a new group.
Buyers enjoyed the game mechanics and the immersive experience of Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate. But some of the rules are ambiguous. Several customers would have liked more clarity on some of the scenarios.
If you enjoy games like Betrayal at House on the Hill and Dungeons & Dragons, Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate will surely be to your liking.
Pros
- Cooperative experience
- Campaign-based
- Horror theme
- Rpg elements
Cons
- Some rules are ambiguous
- No solo player option
Widow’s Walk Expansion: Best Expansion
Players: 3-6
Playing Time: 60 minutes
Age: 12+
Widow’s Walk Expansion is designed to accompany Betrayal at House on the Hill. You must have the base game, but the game set works together to create an entertaining horror experience.
This expansion has 50 new haunts, 20 new room tiles, 30 new cards, and 78 new tokens. It also includes a new unexplored floor, the roof. Widow’s Walk is compatible with all editions of the original game, as well.
Customers felt like this game added a lot of the same features while simultaneously fixing some of the weaknesses of the original board game.
For instance, in Betrayal at House on the Hill, once you get in the basement, it’s tough to get out. Widow’s Walk adds a dumbwaiter icon to several of the tiles, making it easier for characters to travel between floors.
The expansion rooms also offer a one-time power-up option for the characters, helping them achieve better stats. The character tokens indicate which characters have already used a room’s power to avoid confusion.
There are limitations, however. Buyers noted that the game can lack balance. Some of the haunts are set up to be almost impossible to win, and this problem worsens if you don’t have the ideal player count.
Despite that flaw, raved about Widow’s Walk. If you like Betrayal at House on the Hill, you’ll enjoy this board game.
Pros
- New haunts, tokens, rooms, and cards
- Power-up option in new rooms
Cons
- Requires the base game
- Lacks balance
Arkham Horror, 3rd Edition: Best Complex Game
Players: 1-6
Playing Time: 2-3 hours
Age: 14+
Based on the sci-fi writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Arkham Horror is a cooperative game that has a similar feel to Betrayal at House on the Hill.
This thrilling game of cosmic horror is set in the fictitious city of Arkham, Massachusetts. Alien creatures known as Ancient Ones lurk between space and time, threatening to break into our world and take over.
Players take on the role of investigators as they explore the streets of the city and work together to save humanity from unknowable horrors. In this cooperative mystery game, players work as a team to gather clues and defeat terrifying monsters. Each character has his or her special powers, which can help the team against the monsters.
Players start the game by selecting a scenario and building the city. Then the players build the Codex, the story that drives the campaigns and sets out the victory conditions.
Arkham Horror is highly variable, providing a fun adventure experience each time. Branching narrative paths makes each scenario truly your own. No two games are ever the same.
Buyers raved about Arkham Horror. They found it to be highly engaging and challenging. It has complex rules, though, so expect to spend some time learning the game. The first run-through will likely last over 2 hours.
Some buyers felt that the players lacked agency. For example, a player is only allowed two actions during their turn, and they are not allowed to repeat the same action.
On the other hand, almost everyone agreed that this board game has high replayability. Of course, there are expansions available for those who get tired of the same four scenarios. If you’re looking for games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, Arkham Horror should be at the top of your list.
Pros
- Fully collaborative
- Rpg elements
- Highly variable
- Good replay value
Cons
- Learning curve
- Lengthy playing time
Arkham Horror Card Game: Best Card Game Alternative
Players: 1-2
Playing Time: 1-2 hours
Age: 14+
When it comes to games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, Arkham Horror Card Game is the only card game on my list. It brings the same sense of cooperation and mystery as Arkham Horror but in a card-drafting game format. It’s a good alternative for those who don’t have several hours to spend playing a board game.
Just like the board game, this version of Arkham Horror is based in Arkham, Massachusetts. The setup is also the same. Investigators must stop the Ancient Ones from invading and taking over our world.
But instead of exploring a game board, you use cards to carry out the campaign. This game is just the first campaign. The downside is that you have to purchase additional sets to experience more scenarios, which will cost more money over the long haul.
On the other hand, this game can be played using different characters, difficulty levels, or even with a modified deck. So even with a shorter campaign, there’s still a high replay value.
Even though this core set is designed for just one or two players, more players can be added with additional core sets. If you like Betrayal at House on the Hill and deck-building games, you’ll enjoy the Arkham Horror Card Game.
Pros
- Faster-paced than the board game version
- Gorgeous artwork
- Cooperative game
- Multiple replay options
Cons
- Only for 1-2 players
- More expensive in the long run
- Complex
Mansions of Madness, 2nd Edition: Best App-Driven Game
Players: 1-5
Playing Time: 2-3 hours
Age: 14+
If the idea of a haunted mansion sounds appealing to you, you’ll love Mansions of Madness. This is the second edition of the mystery-themed game.
Also based on H.P. Lovecraftian fiction, players explore the misty veiled streets of Innsmouth and roam the haunted corridors of Arkham’s cursed mansions searching for answers and respite.
Players choose to play as one of eight investigators. They roam the streets of Arkham and the darkened rooms of the haunted mansions to discover secrets, solve puzzles, and battle monsters.
This board game is fully cooperative with four campaigns of varying length and difficulty. You’ll need to download the free app to play the game. There’s a trade-off in that it requires an app, but Mansions of Madness doesn’t require players to keep up with their own stats.
Mansions of Madness features four different scenarios that the app randomizes to provide good replay value.
This board game does take a long time to play. I don’t recommend playing Mansions of Madness later in the evening unless you’re prepared for a long night. This game is typically played in 3 hours.
Even though it’s long, this game was a big hit with buyers. They loved the engaging story and the spooky theme. When it comes to games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, Mansions of Madness hits all the right notes.
Pros
- Works for one player
- High replayability
- Story-driven campaigns
- Cooperative board game
Cons
- Lengthy game times
- Requires an app to play
- Expensive
Carcassonne: Best Family-Friendly Alternative
Players: 2-5
Playing Time: 35 minutes
Age: 7+
Next up on my list of games like Betrayal at House on the Hill is Carcassonne. Carcassonne is a strategy game where you must develop the landscape of a medieval fortress city one tile at a time. This board game is so popular, it was turned into a video game series for Xbox in 2007.
Carcassonne is a fun and competitive tile-placement game. Players must fill in the countryside with tiles that depict cities, roads, monasteries, and fields.
Despite the obvious thematic differences between Carcassonne and Betrayal at House on the Hill, both board games use tiles to explore the territory. They both have built-in variation and allow players to choose their character. Plus, they’re both just plain fun!
Achieve victory in Carcassonne by scoring the most points. Players can earn points in different ways, ensuring an exciting game. Every point counts!
When you’re ready to play something different, there are several expansions available. All of the expansion games require the original Carcassonne game to play.
Buyers had high praise for Carcassonne. They loved that the board game is easy to learn, fun to play, and includes plenty of strategic depth.
A small number of buyers did report offset tiles, where the cities and roads don’t quite line-up. This problem appears to be seller-specific, so make sure you purchase the game from a reputable seller (plus check and return if there is an issue).
Carcassonne is a competitive board game, so it’s a departure from the cooperative games in this review. Still, it’s not so competitive that it’s not family-friendly. After all, it has a minimum recommended age of 7.
Pros
- Family-friendly
- Fast gameplay
- Strategy-driven
- Built-in variation
- Easy to learn
Cons
- Isolated Reports of offset tiles
Dead of Winter: Best Survival Game
Players: 2-5
Playing Time: 1-2 hours
Age: 13+
If you’re looking for board games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, Dead of Winter deserves a look.
The board game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where the world’s population has either died or been turned into zombies. Players lead small factions who are trying to survive the harsh winter ahead.
The traitor mechanism in this semi-cooperative board game is fantastic. Players must achieve a team goal while pursuing individual goals. Oh, and players can exile someone if they believe them to be a traitor.
If you enjoy trying to decide if someone is a friend or foe, you’ll find this board game exciting. Be forewarned, however. There is a steep learning curve. That was the biggest complaint by reviewers.
But once you get past that steep learning curve, this game has multiple scenarios and lots of exciting combinations to keep you coming back over and over again. If you like survival games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, Dead of Winter is an excellent pick.
Pros
- Semi-cooperative
- Fantastic traitor mechanism
- Survival theme
- Built-in variation
Cons
- Complex, difficult to learn
Horror Survival Games: What to Look For
Tile Laying
Tile laying is an important part of many entertaining board games. Tile laying involves a strategy for challenging gameplay. It also adds variation to each game, making it fun to play over and over again.
House Building
House-building is fun because it has built-in variation and exploration. There are plenty of opportunities for adventure to happen in a house-building game. Betrayal at House on the Hill incorporates this feature, as well as games similar to it.
Horror Genre
Horror-themed games need to have plenty of spooky elements to make them feel immersive and entertaining. It can be as simple as an undead character or a haunted house.
Role Playing Elements
Also called RPGs, games like Betrayal at House on the Hill where players have a role to play are quite popular among gaming groups. It’s important to have characters with plenty of development, balance, and engaging storylines.
Multiple Scenarios
Especially with RPGs, having multiple scenarios is key. Otherwise, the game could get boring. Games like Betrayal at House on the Hill typically include multiple scenarios to keep gameplay interesting and fresh.
Best Board Game Like Betrayal at House on the Hill: Conclusion
Of all the games like Betrayal at House on the Hill, which one is the best? My recommendation is Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate. It’s the closest to Betrayal at House on the Hill while still being a standalone board game.