What is the objective of the game Betrayal at House on the Hill?

The objective of the game Betrayal at House on the Hill is to explore a mysterious haunted mansion, uncover its secrets, and survive the horrors that lie within. However, halfway through the game, a traitor is revealed among the players, and the objective changes for both the survivors and the traitor. Betrayal at House on the Hill, designed by Bruce Glassco and published by Avalon Hill, is a thrilling and atmospheric board game that combines exploration, cooperation, and betrayal.

In Betrayal at House on the Hill, players take on the roles of explorers who have entered a creepy mansion to investigate its eerie and supernatural occurrences. The mansion is represented by a series of room tiles, which are revealed as players explore the building. Each room presents different events, items, and omens to the players.

During the first phase of the game, players explore the mansion, moving through its rooms and discovering what lurks within. Players can interact with the rooms by drawing room tiles from a stack and placing them on the board to expand the mansion's layout. As they explore, players may also draw event cards or omen cards, which can have positive or negative effects, shaping the narrative and providing bonuses or challenges.

The game progresses with a sense of tension and suspense as players gather valuable items, increase their character's stats, and prepare for the inevitable haunting that is about to occur. As players move through the mansion and discover omens, they will eventually trigger the haunt.

The haunt is the central mechanic that changes the objective of the game. Once the haunt is triggered, one player becomes the traitor, and their objective becomes to fulfill the requirements of the haunt scenario, which is based on the specific omen and room combination that triggered it.

The rest of the players become the survivors, and their objective becomes to confront and defeat the traitor, escaping the haunted mansion alive. The traitor and survivors are now in direct competition with each other, each seeking to achieve their specific win condition based on the haunt scenario.

The haunts are varied and numerous, providing an extensive range of possible scenarios and outcomes. Each haunt has its own unique rules, objectives, and win conditions, ensuring that every game of Betrayal at House on the Hill is a different experience.

The game offers an immersive and atmospheric experience, as players become engrossed in the unfolding narrative and the struggle for survival or betrayal. The gameplay fosters cooperation and communication among the players during the exploration phase and a sense of intrigue and excitement during the haunt phase.

Betrayal at House on the Hill's replayability and unpredictability have contributed to its popularity as a tabletop game. The combination of exploration, role-playing, and betrayal mechanics creates a dynamic and engaging experience that keeps players coming back for more.

In summary, the objective of Betrayal at House on the Hill is to explore a haunted mansion, uncover its secrets, and survive the horrors within. However, the game's objective changes when the haunt is triggered, revealing a traitor among the players. The traitor's objective is to fulfill the requirements of the haunt scenario, while the other players become survivors aiming to confront and defeat the traitor, escaping the haunted mansion alive. With its thrilling and immersive gameplay, Betrayal at House on the Hill continues to captivate players and immerse them in a chilling and unpredictable world of mystery and horror.