Summary
There are a wealth of different types of tabletop games out there. You can narrow them down based on party size, game-type (like card gameor dice roller), or even genre. For those nights when you want something a bit… spookier, there is no better genre than horror tabletop games.
There is a long list of different games to choose from, even in this microcosm. No matter what kind of tabletops you and your friends like to spend time with, as long as you like a good scare, or an eerie feeling, then these games should be on your shelf.
10SCP: The Tabletop Roleplaying Game
A World Of Cryptids
It was only a matter of time before someone used the popular horror Wiki page to make a horror tabletop game. The SCP tabletop game is actually a horror tabletop RPG, which means you can take a character of your choosing to explore the eerie world that it sets up for you.
It’s a lot of horror, but there’s also a fair amount of action and intrigue available for your players if they don’t want to lean into the scary parts as much, or if they’ve only played non-horror TTRPGs before. It is a bit more complex than most of the other games on this list though, so beware.
The other drawback with most TTRPGs is that you’ll need someone to run the adventure instead of being a character. So it’s good to see if one of your usual gaming friends has an interest in doing so if you don’t.
9Betrayal At House On The Hill
A Haunted House Like No Other
If the box art isn’t hinting enough, Betrayal At House On The Hill is one of the best games out there for a spooky adventure during game night. This game packs a surprising amount into a fairly short playtime of around an hour.
You and up to five of your friends pick your roles and begin to investigate a haunted house full of mysteries and danger. If that doesn’t sound fun enough already, one of your party has the goal to try and betray you and let the house win; it’s a mix of intrigue and a board crawl which has plenty of moving parts to keep things fun.
8Eldritch Horror
The Old Gods Awaken
Part Call Of Cthulhu and part Arkham Horror, Eldritch Horror takes you and up to seven of your friends to a horrifying world of monsters, bad guys, and things beyond normal human comprehension.
No matter which of the investigators you or your friends choose to play as, or which ancient enemy you go up against, the game will take you across the world to dark areas to fight even darker monsters. It’s a fun mix of roleplay and randomization as far as board games go, which makes it an accessible mix for many people.
7Final Girl
Will You Survive?
Final Girl takes a bit of prep in the way of buying the core rulebox as well as one of the themed boxes to play as well. But, if you have the money and the time to get that covered, Final Girl can be an interesting game to play if you have an evening by yourself.
You play as a Final Girl, the last one standing who a devious killer is chasing, and the game is all too keen to send the killer after you through various random card draws. It’s a fun game with a good amount of balance for a single-player game.
The plus is that each of the themed boxes can be mixed and matched with each other for more interesting scenarios.
6Alien: Fate Of Nostromo
Horror Meets Space
Few universes mix horrorand sci-fias effortlessly as the Alien series does. Not only can this be seen often in the movies, but in the board game as well, and there are a few out there, but Alien: Fate Of Nostromo takes the cake.
You and your crew of recognizable characters from the first film have to move around your ship doing tasks and dodging the bloodthirsty alien that stalks you. You aren’t defenseless, as certain areas of the ship offer protection and ways to fight back; it’s a horror game that keeps you wondering about everything three turns from your current move.
Zombies, Zombies Everywhere
There are few games in any genre that balance as many components, as well as Dead Of Winter, does. It’s part narrative, part dice-roller, part card game, all of which blends into an interesting time with up to four of your friends.
Surviving a zombie apocalypse, and all the ins and outs of such, has never been shown off in such a seamless way. No two playthroughs are the same with all the game has to throw at you, which means having this game on your shelf means plenty of hours with your friends.
4One Night Ultimate Werewolf
By The Light of The Full Moon
With a name like One Night Ultimate Werewolf, you know it has to be an interesting game. You and the rest of your players, anywhere from three to ten, take on the role of a type of villager, and the catch is one of you is also a werewolf in disguise.
It’s a game with a time limit, but one that doesn’t feel rushed or limiting; instead, it’s a creepy social game where you’ll want to balance your lying abilities with the game’s various rulings. It’s not the scariest, but it’s a great start to a spooky night.
3The Thing
Who’s Who?
Surprisingly, there are a few different board games out there based on the 1982 John Carpenter movie, and while they’re all good for a creepy time, the board game simply titled The Thing has your best bet at a scary experience with friends.
It’s a social game with plenty of tasks and mechanics thrown in there to best relate to the thrills and chills of the original movie. Whether you’re a scientist trying to survive and “unmask” the creature, or you’re the monster itself, it’s bound to be a fun time every time you play.
2Nyctophobia
Are you Afraid Of The Dark?
It’s not too often that a tabletop game comes along and redefines a genre, but Nyctophobia may do just that. It’s a simple game, in theory: you move your characters around a maze to escape the killer that’s after you.
The catch is that all the players but the killer are blindfolded; this means you get to approach the maze-like board with just your hands, keeping track of the twists, turns, and traps to hopefully avoid getting caught. It’s impressive how fast after you put on the blindfold things really get tense knowing someone at the table is after you.
As an extra bit of fun, there are two different types of killers to choose from in the base game.
1Call Of Cthulhu
The Classic Horror TTRPG
You can’t talk about horror games without eventually coming to both tabletop RPGs and then eventually Call Of Cthulhu, as nohorror tabletop RPG, or horror tabletop game in general, has made a name for itself over the years as much as CoC has. There’s a reason this game is still around since its creation in the 80s, and like most TTRPGs, you take the time to create a paranormal investigator that suits your skills.
From there, you go on an adventure (either a one-shot or campaign-length) where you face evildoers, cosmic horrors, and everything in between. Call Of Cthulhu is incredibly open-ended but also doesn’t pull punches; most of the newer content for the game is less about leveling up and growth and more focused on survival; make sure anyone who wants to play this with you understands that the game may end with your party all dying or going mad.
