Arkham Horror Card Game: Ultimate Buying Guide

Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a captivating deck-building experience that allows you to tailor your strategy to your dark heart's desires. As a cooperative game, you and your fellow players unite to confront the chilling mysteries lurking within the game. This title is part of the expansive Arkham Horror Files universe, which includes a variety of board games, card games, and the newly accessible Arkham Horror: The Role-Playing Game (available on Amazon), complete with its own comprehensive rulebook.

Since its launch in 2016, the Arkham Horror card game has evolved through numerous expansions and updates. Acquiring the game extends beyond the base deck and campaign, offering multiple avenues to customize and personalize your gaming experience.

The Base Game

**MSRP**: $59.95 USD
**Players**: 1-4
**Playtime**: 45 mins per player
**Ages**: 14+
The core set provides everything you need to start your adventure. It includes five pre-built investigator decks that introduce you to the Night of the Zealot campaign, offering a rich, replayable introduction to the Arkham Horror universe. Once hooked, a vast array of expansions awaits to deepen your experience.

Arkham Horror Card Game Expansions

Unlike the board game versions, card game expansions split new stories and investigators into separate packages. This allows you to choose your level of investment, enabling you to play new scenarios with or without the latest investigators.

The Dunwich Legacy

The Dunwich Legacy marks the first expansion, designed as a gentle progression from the base game with user-friendly scenarios. Here, you'll search for missing investigators, an ongoing theme that ties into the continuous expansion of the card game through new investigator sets.

The Path to Carcosa

In this expansion, a mysterious theatre production comes to Arkham. The added rules are newcomer-friendly yet challenging enough to keep seasoned players engaged. If you own the first edition, the second edition's enhancements may still be worth exploring.

The Forgotten Age

Embark on an exploration of Aztec ruins in this challenging campaign, where a mystery threatens to unravel time itself. Not recommended for beginners, this expansion is now in its second edition.

The Circle Undone

Dubbed "the witches pack," this expansion introduces powerful investigators alongside a formidable campaign. The new investigators' bonuses are a joy to utilize, making them a must-have for tackling this demanding set of scenarios.

The Edge of the Earth

Venture into the chilling Antarctic tundra, a classic Lovecraftian setting, and navigate its perils with or without the corresponding investigators.

The Scarlet Keys

Travel the world to unravel an international conspiracy involving a collection of keys and a race against the Red Coterie. This expansion offers a less linear exploration than its predecessors.

The Dream Eaters

This campaign features two four-part storylines: Dream Quest and the Web of Dreams. You can play these separately or combine them into a comprehensive eight-part narrative.

The Innsmouth Conspiracy

Navigate an ever-changing world influenced by fluctuating water levels that can flood locations, adding a dynamic strategic element to your gameplay.

The Feast of Hemlock Vale

This newer expansion transports you to Hemlock Vale, where residents prepare for a festival amidst looming dangers like mutated wildlife. You have three days to unravel the mysteries, with different dynamics depending on the time of day.

The Drowned City

In the latest expansion, the awakening of a Lovecraftian horror challenges you and your team to save the day.

Other Ways to Expand Your Deck-Building Adventures in Arkham

Starter Decks

For those looking to add new characters without committing to a full expansion, starter decks provide a cost-effective way to expand your roster. These decks introduce characters like Harvey Walters, Nathaniel Cho, Jacqueline Fine, Winifred Habbamock, and Stella Clark, all priced at $16.99, though often available at a discount.

Scenario Packs

Standalone scenario packs offer a more compact experience than full expansions. Priced at $21.99 each, options like Murder at the Excelsior Hotel serve as an entry-level choice for those hesitant to dive into larger expansions. Other packs include Fortune and Folly, Machinations Through Time, War of the Outer Gods, The Labyrinths of Lunacy, and The Blob That Ate Everything.

Return to Boxes

Return to boxes enhance and add to existing campaigns, requiring the original campaign set to play. These luxury items are ideal for dedicated fans, though some may be difficult to find due to discontinuation or limited availability. Available options include Night of the Zealot, Dunwich Legacy, Path to Carcosa, Circle Undone, and Forgotten Age, with some enthusiasts noting that Forgotten Age improves upon its original complexity.

Parallel Investigator Packs

Parallel investigators offer alternate versions of existing characters with new abilities and stats. These packs, like Return to Boxes, may be challenging to find at major retailers, requiring dedicated collectors to search for them.

The Bottom Line

For fans of Lovecraftian-themed games, Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a must-explore universe. Its versatility allows for solo play or cooperative gaming with friends, offering endless replayability. However, be prepared for a challenging experience with elements of chance that can both enhance replay value and add to the difficulty. While setup and learning may take some time, the card game's setup is generally quicker than its board game counterparts, making the journey through the horrors of Arkham more accessible.