The year is 1926, and it is the height of the Roaring Twenties. Flappers dance till dawn in smoke-­filled speakeasies, drinking alcohol supplied by rum runners and the mob. It’s a celebration to end all celebrations in the aftermath of the War to End All Wars.

Yet a dark shadow grows in the city of Arkham. Alien entities known as Ancient Ones lurk in the emptiness beyond space and time, writhing at the thresholds between worlds. Occult rituals must be stopped and alien creatures destroyed before the Ancient Ones make our world their ruined dominion.

Only a handful of investigators stand against the horror.

Will they prevail?

Arkham Horror Third Edition is the next evolution of the classic cooperative game of cosmic horror. Set in the roaring 1920s, Arkham Horror sees one to six players take on the roles of investigators fighting to stop the approach of an unknowable evil. You’ll have to dig for clues, ­ find allies and weapons, and defeat terrifying enemies to stand any chance of rebuking the overwhelming darkness. But these tasks take a toll‑as your investigator drifts beyond the veil of our reality, will they be able to save the world with their sanity intact?

Arkham Horror sees you and your friends teaming up to take on one of four different scenarios. Each of   these scenarios heralds the coming of a terrifying Ancient One, and you’ll have to maintain your sanity to prevent their arrival and achieve victory!

CHOOSE YOUR INVESTIGATOR

Your ­first step into madness in Arkham Horror Third Edition involves choosing your investigator. Players familiar with games like Arkham Horror: The Card Game and Mansions of Madness are likely to recognize the twelve heroes of the city.

Defeat foes with panache and style as the dilettante Jenny Barnes, discover the mystic arts with the mysterious waitress Agnes Baker, or approach the problem scientifi­cally with the astronomer Norman Withers. Each of these investigators comes with their own unique set of skills and tools, making this choice an important factor in how you will deal with the chaos to come.

A WORLD OF MADNESS

Each of the four scenarios included in the base game determines how you will organize the modular board that represents the city of Arkham. Your job is to search for clues scattered amongst the city while defeating and avoiding powerful enemies that look to physically impede you or drive you to utter madness.

Your ­final goal won’t be clear when the scenario begins: it’s not as simple as just closing some gates! Archive cards provide narrative context to your games while also providing short-term goals. Perhaps you need to gather three clues, maybe you’re supposed to defeat a powerful enemy, or maybe you must make a deadly choice as a group. Regardless, once your goal is met, more cards are added to the   codex, providing even more objectives. Accomplishing these goals will eventually lead you to victory! But things will also go horrifyingly wrong. As doom spreads across the city, negative archive cards can be revealed, impeding investigators, and if they are not cautious, utterly defeating them.

On your turn, you will take two different actions that range from moving across the city, to researching clues, to gaining resources, to ­fighting monsters. this is where communication and cooperation come into play, as you will have to carefully coordinate with your allies to balance researching clues with defeating enemies and warding off the doom they spread. But these aren’t the only challenges you’ll face in the game.

After everyone has taken their turn, every player has an encounter by drawing a card from various encounter decks. These decks correspond to the neighborhoods in Arkham, meaning every spot on the board will other unique encounters. Your investigators might catch a brief moment of respite… or sink deeper into the madness of despair. Maybe you’ll ­ find a weapon to defend yourself in a mysterious shop on the far side of town, or perhaps the police will ­ finally believe your mind-bending story.

The ­final part of the round sees players drawing mythos tokens from the Mythos Cup. These tokens warp and change the city of Arkham, spawning terrifying monsters and spreading doom across the city. But they can also create new clues that may eventually lead investigators to victory. Once every investigator has pulled two tokens, a new round starts with investigators delving into an increasingly warped and bizarre city.

STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN

In the madness of Arkham Horror Third Edition, the investigators must battle to succeed in their task… or succumb to the madness. The spread of doom can introduce new chaos, poor decisions can drive investigators insane, and terrifying monsters can tear them apart. Are you brave enough to explore a doomed city while keeping your sanity intact? Find out in the fourth quarter of 2018!