Recs.
Updated
A Lovecraftian horror game which takes place in two phases. During the first, players must explore an ever-expanding haunted mansion, revealing room tiles as they progress through the house, stumbling upon ancient artifacts and paranormal omens. Each time someone reveals an omen, players get one step closer to "The Haunt".
The Haunt is the second phase of the game, where a scenario is selected from the rulebook based on the state of the current game. What items players have, what rooms have been explored, etc. Often, the scenario will select one player as the "traitor", and she/he will have to leave the room and both sides will be given secret objectives. The traitor often has to perform some task, such as bringing an item to a certain room to summon a monster, while the rest of the players will have to stop the ritual. This is where the game really shines. Alliances fall through, secrets are revealed, and general shenanigans take place as each side attempts to complete their secret objectives, and escape the mansion alive.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Exciting tone shift mid-game
In the beginning, players all work together to explore and search the haunted house, but once the betrayers are revealed in the later sections, the game turns you against one another. This complete shift in tone from co-op exploration to frantic survival is often the most exciting part as everyone's goals suddenly change and your friends are trying to kill you.
Pro Well written storylines lead to very memorable gameplay experiences
Each of the 50 scenarios are unique and have a gripping story that helps pull you into the game. Whether it's demons, monsters, or rituals that need to be completed, each gameplay session will be filled with new stories and new objectives. Thanks to this, each session memorable in its own way as you won't ever be doing the same thing twice.
Cons
Con Poorly written rules for a light game
For a fairly light game where the decisions are nearly trivial, a nearby computer is necessary to decipher the poorly written rulebook, misprints, and errata.
Con Not appropriate for children
Some of the more complicated scenarios can be quite confusing, and the game is relatively slow paced, so it may not be fun for kids.
It being a horror game, some of the themes (monsters, cannibalism, demonic rituals) are not appropriate for young children.
Recommendations
Comments
Flagged Pros + Cons
Pro Unique coop -> competitive experience
Players all work together towards the beginning of the game to explore and search the haunted house, but in the later sections the game turns you against one another, and often leads to hilarious situations.