Haunt the House (2018) Board Game

Haunt the House is a horror-themed board game released in 2018 by Kids Table BG. The game is designed by Josh Cappel and Helaina Cappel, with artwork by Josh Cappel and Apolline Etienne. It is a game that combines elements of hand management, push your luck, and set collection, making for a unique and engaging gameplay experience.

Game Components of Haunt the House

Player decks: Each player has a deck of cards featuring different scare tactics.

Room cards: Representing various rooms in the mansion, each with a ghost hunter.

Skull tokens: Used as victory points.

Symbol tokens: Matching symbols on ghost hunters and player tokens provide incentives and additional points.

Special cards: Optional variant deck adding extra rules and rewards.

How To Setup Haunt the House

To set up the game, each player starts with a deck of scare tactic cards and one symbol token. The mansion is represented by a set of room cards, each containing a ghost hunter. Players shuffle their decks and draw three cards to start. The rooms are laid out, and each room gets a ghost hunter placed in it.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card play: Players can either play cards face-down in rooms to build up scare tactics or yell “boo” to attempt to scare a ghost hunter out.

Bluffing: Players can bluff by playing cards that may not match the symbols needed to scare the ghost hunter.

Scoring: Points are earned by scaring ghost hunters out of the mansion, with additional points for matching symbols on the ghost hunters and player tokens.

Game objective: The game continues until one player scares four ghost hunters out, at which point the game ends and victory points are tallied.

Player Experience

Playing **Haunt the House** is a light-hearted and fun experience, particularly suited for families and casual gamers. The game is easy to learn but offers enough strategy to keep players engaged. The interactive nature, where players can bluff and strategize, adds a layer of excitement and social interaction.

Pros

Family-friendly: Suitable for all ages, making it a great family game.

Simple to learn: Easy rules and quick setup.

Interactive gameplay: Encourages bluffing and strategy.

Visual appeal: The game features colorful and spooky-themed artwork.

Cons

Luck element: The game can be influenced by the draw of the cards, which may lead to some unpredictability.

Repetition: The gameplay mechanics, while fun, can become repetitive after several plays.

Personal Thoughts on Haunt the House

**Haunt the House** is ideal for families and casual gamers looking for a light-hearted, spooky-themed game. It’s perfect for those who enjoy simple, interactive games with a touch of strategy and bluffing. However, it may not appeal to experienced gamers seeking more complex mechanics or deep strategic play. The game’s design ensures it remains fun and engaging, especially when played in a group with the right mindset for a fun, spooky adventure.

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