A New Chapter of Terror

Even while the broader Cthulhu Mythos has spawned a host of fiction and games over the last century, the distinct Arkham Horror spin-off has a lengthy history as well. The original board game was released way back in 1987, and alongside its subsequent editions, it helped to establish and popularize cooperative tabletop experiences. The card game continued that legacy, with a new core set released in recent weeks.

Most Cthulhu fiction suggests a vast cosmic universe that cares nothing for humanity, and a nihilistic sense that there’s nothing we can do to stand against its might. “The Arkham Files, and in this case specifically Arkham Horror: The Card Game, are Fantasy Flight Games’ own unique take on this communal setting,” explains game designer Reid Bradshaw. “While the broader Mythos is often categorized as ‘cosmic horror,’ the Arkham Files fall more into the spin-off genre of ‘pulp horror,’ and like its many pulp peers, the Files reach into that definition of the Mythos above and make one tiny change. There may be little we can do to stop the monsters beyond our ken, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.”