It’s that time of year again, of spooky scary skeletons and frightfully sweet candy. It’s also the perfect time to try your hand at some thematically appropriate board games. To help you figure out what hair-raising experience you might want, we’ve compiled five of our favourite games for Halloween.

Dead of Winter

It’s a scenario repeated across all forms of zombie media. A survivor is alone in an abandoned convenience store, with valuable supplies needed by his companions in the camp. He doesn’t have enough gas to drive back and the horde is gathering outside. Back at the camp, tensions are rising as people suspect one of the survivors of deliberately sabotaging the defences. With Dead of Winter, you and your friends can play out that scenario.

A game for 2 to 5 players, Dead of Winter sees each player controlling a group of survivors in a frigid zombie apocalypse. Resources are stretched thin and scavenging for supplies is a dangerous job. To top it all off, not every player might have the groups best interest at heart. The game is kept moving by a series of events which progress the story and raise the tension which gets drawn regularly from the ‘Crossroads’ deck.

With a mix of social deduction and resource management, Dead of Winter is perfect for those looking for a cooperative game with a twist.

Arkham Horror

Enter the twisting streets of Arkham in a race against time and eldritch horrors from beyond time.

A fully co-operative game for one to six players, Arkham Horror sees your and your friends taking on the roles of 12 different investigators. Each of which has their own strengths and weaknesses. Face down the elder gods and old ones in a series of different scenarios, each of which shifts and changes the town of Arkham leading to different play experiences.
Whether you love the Cthulhu mythos or aren’t with the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Arkham Horror provides a excellent cooperative experience, with a mix of investigation, puzzle solving, and action to keep all players engaged and excited.

Axis and Allies Zombies

Halloween is admittedly a silly and sometimes gonzo holiday, with as many wacky and fun moments as it has frightening ones. To that, what better game to celebrate than one which takes a serious concept and makes it ridiculous. Axis and Allies Zombies upend the usual slow and strategic gameplay of the series with the introduction of a crazed horde of zombie soldiers.

Not just a simple reskin of the classic strategy game, Axis and Allies Zombies feature streamlined gameplay that makes it a great entry point for players new to the series. It ups the ante as well for experienced players, bringing in all sorts of new toys into the warzones of WW2 to fight the new undead threat. Chainsaw tanks and zombie controlling beams can give a nation the technological edge needed to win the war… or to keep those endless undead hordes away from their capitals.

Bloodborne The Card Game

While the last few games have had you on the back foot, struggling to survive against horrors both cosmic and undead, the next game on our list has you seek them out and hunt them down. Bloodborne The Card Game adapts the punishing gothic action game by Fromsoftware into a fast paced and action-packed card game.

Descend into the Chalice Dungeons and manage your hand of weapons and combos. You’ll need to act fast and use your wits while facing down the beasts of Yharnam. Work with your fellow hunters in this game for three to five players and prove yourself the superior hunter. Be warned however, fall to the monsters and you lose your blood points, possibly setting you back for the rest of the game.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

What better way to cap off this Halloween list than with the most frightening of monsters… your friends. Betrayal at the House on the Hill will see you and anywhere between two to six friends brave a haunted house together. Delve into a decrepit dwelling and face down terrifying foes and challenges. Work together to ensure your survival up until it comes time for one of the players to betray their companions.

With a set of high-quality components, Betrayal at House on the Hill is a highly immersive and suspenseful game. The house itself is highly configurable, ensuring that no two games will go the same way. If you like games of strategy with a hint of social deduction, exploring the haunted grounds of Betrayal at House on the Hill is for you.