Arkham Horror

To set up the game, first place the terror indicator on its starting space. Then, put one clue token on each circular location on the game board. The initial player token is given to the first player. The Ancient One's sheet, representing the primary antagonist, is placed face-up on the table. Finally, all card decks (such as common items, unique items, spells, skills, allies, and encounters) are separated by type and shuffled, ready for drawing.

The primary objective for the investigators is to prevent the Ancient One from awakening and to successfully seal or close all open gates to Other Worlds. If the Ancient One awakens, all players lose. If the terror track reaches its maximum, the Ancient One also awakens, leading to a loss. Success is achieved by working cooperatively to manage threats and secure the gates.

A game turn is structured into five distinct phases. The first is the Maintenance Phase, where players ready their used cards and can adjust their investigator's skills. Next is the Movement Phase, where investigators move across the board, potentially encountering monsters. Following this is the Arkham Encounter Phase, where investigators in circular locations draw Arkham encounter cards. If an investigator is in an Other World, they proceed to the Other Worlds Encounter Phase. The final phase is the Mythos Phase, where a Mythos card is drawn, potentially opening new gates, spawning monsters, or advancing the terror track.

Arkham Horror is a fully cooperative game, meaning all players either win or lose as a team. There is no individual scoring. Victory is achieved collectively by successfully sealing or closing all required gates before the Ancient One awakens. Conversely, all players lose if the Ancient One awakens due to too many gates opening, the terror track reaching its maximum, or all investigators being eliminated.

The game concludes in one of two ways. Players achieve victory if they successfully seal or close the required number of gates to Other Worlds, as specified by the Ancient One's sheet. Players lose if the Ancient One awakens, which can happen if the terror track reaches its maximum, too many gates are open simultaneously, or all investigators are defeated or driven insane.