Betrayal at House on The Hill Review

Betrayal At House On The Hill

by Bruce Glassco and Avalon Hill Games

for 3 to 6 players

game time approximately 1 hour

The Setting:

Welcome to an old abandoned mansion on the hill. Evidence of unspeakable horrors litter the decrepit rooms, and active spirits populate the dusty halls. You and your friends are here to investigate those spooky corridors and uncover whatever secrets the house holds. But be careful. Besides ghosts, ghouls, and other nightmare creatures, someone among you is a betrayer. A member of your group has lead you to the house for their own sinister agenda. Who is it and what evil deeds are they hiding?

The Setup:

At the beginning of the game, players will chose a Character Pentagon that will layout who their character is and what they're capable of. Each character has a set of stats: Might, Speed, Sanity, and Knowledge. Those stats are used when moving, fighting, and resisting mental strain. Sliders on the side of the pentagon indicate the level of each stat at any specific moment. Also in this game, there are three decks of cards- Omens, Events, and Items.  Omen cards are usually something supernatural and can possibly bring on the “Haunt” of the game. Events are things that happen and usually need the player to make a roll with a bonus to their stats as a result. And the Items cards can be tools or weapons the players might find to help them in their investigation or general survival once the “Haunt” happens. The house itself is mapped out by a series of tiles laid down as the players discover them. On the back of the tiles, the words Basement, Ground Floor, or Upper Floor tell players where to connect each tile as the rooms are discovered and the map grows.

The Haunt:

For the majority of the game, the players are merely exploring the haunted house. They may discover strange artifacts such as a porcelain mask or a sacrificial dagger, or they may bump into a crazed madman who has been locked away in the home for decades, waiting for his moment to escape. Also, players might stumble into a paranormal scene where two ghosts replay the bloody events that thrust them to their deaths. But as players draw Omen cards and roll against the Haunt Meter, the chance of something actually horrible happening becomes more and more imminent.

Once the player fails a Haunt roll, everything in the game turns upside down. Results on the Haunt chart in one of the manuals will direct players as to who the betrayer is and what the Haunt entails. Perhaps the betrayer needs souls to open a portal to the deepest depth of Hell, or maybe they are being manipulated to feed their friends to an evil demon. Once the Haunt kicks in, the betrayer will leave the room and read a section in a manual written specifically for the bad guy. That section will give the player everything they need to be a great evil villain. During that time the rest of the players will read a section from their own manual. This tells them all they need to know to win the game. All heck breaks loose and anything is possible.

Winning The Game:

Betrayal At House on The Hill can be considered a cooperative game, but when the Haunt happens it could end up that it's every player for themselves. Winning the game can go one of two ways. If you're the betrayer, completing your goal (whatever it may be) is the only way to win. For the rest of the group, it may be something like escaping the house before it crumbles apart, or killing the betrayer before they destroy everybody else. Either outcome, it's an amazing game that combines miniature figures, cards, dice, and a whole lot of fun and imagination.

Re-play Value:

The replay value of this game is better than most games out there. The layout of the house is never the same, which means the possibilities of encounters are extremely vast. Also, there are 50 different Haunts possible and each of those can vary depending on who is involved and what weapons and companions they might have with them.

You can buy Betrayal At House on The Hill at Blaqk Door or at most specialty game stores around the country. And if they don't have it in stock, ask them to rush an order just for you. We give this game thumbs up all across the board.

Update:

This fall, Avalon Hill Games is releasing it's first expansion to Betrayal at House on The Hill. Look for Widow's Walk coming to retailers soon.

“Just played Betrayal At House on The Hill for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it! I love all the different outcomes that are possible. It was really easy to learn and follow. I can't wait to buy it for my own collection. Very pleased and glad to have played it with friends.” - Tarah from Fort Bragg, Ca.

“The variety in Betrayal at House on The Hill is what makes it a genuinely fun game, and every time you play it is a new unique experience.” - Vance from Modesto, Ca.

“I love this game! I love everything about it! It's different every time you play. It's almost like Clue. I want to play this game 24/7!!!” - Rhi “Child Nightmare” Mendocino High School student, Mendocino, Ca.

“First time playing, and I'm impressed! I love the unknown element of the game. It's a really great experience for a large group of players. If you like the group dynamic and strategy games, then you'll really enjoy this game! Betrayal at House on The Hill is a game I'll certainly be buying now!” - Caedyn from Fort Bragg, Ca.