Best similar boardgame to Betrayal at House on the Hill for two people?
November 24, 2015 5:50 PM Subscribe
Recently at a friend's house we played Betrayal at House on the Hill and my husband really liked it a lot. He enjoyed the cooperative element, the suspense about what the Haunt would be and who would be the traitor, and the flip from one style of gameplay to another halfway through. He especially liked the procedural storytelling aspect, as he is a big RPG fan. I am thinking of giving him this game for Christmas, but I'd rather find something similar that works better with two players.
I know there's a workaround for two players where you each control two characters, but I've also heard that it isn't so fun to play that way, and most people online do not recommend purchasing this game if you are mainly going to play with just two people.
We already have Arkham Horror and a few expansions, which are fun too, but we thought Betrayal had more replay value because of the different "Haunts" you could get. And we liked the way the board is different each time.
I know there's a workaround for two players where you each control two characters, but I've also heard that it isn't so fun to play that way, and most people online do not recommend purchasing this game if you are mainly going to play with just two people.
We already have Arkham Horror and a few expansions, which are fun too, but we thought Betrayal had more replay value because of the different "Haunts" you could get. And we liked the way the board is different each time.
Response by poster: the traitor aspect will always be hard to execute in a two player game I.e., if one of us is a traitor, and it's not me, then it's you
For those unfamiliar with the Betrayal game, no one finds out who the traitor is until a particular point in the game, not even the traitor themselves, so you are all acting as though it could be anyone and not entirely trusting each other, even though you have to to some extent to achieve certain things.
And then when it is revealed, the identity of the traitor is revealed to everyone, but the traitor is issued with a secret set of rules at that point telling them what their goals are and how to achieve them (and the rule set is different for each of the different "haunt" scenarios). That's what I meant about the gameplay style changing halfway through, which is something we really liked about it.
posted by lollusc at 6:36 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
For those unfamiliar with the Betrayal game, no one finds out who the traitor is until a particular point in the game, not even the traitor themselves, so you are all acting as though it could be anyone and not entirely trusting each other, even though you have to to some extent to achieve certain things.
And then when it is revealed, the identity of the traitor is revealed to everyone, but the traitor is issued with a secret set of rules at that point telling them what their goals are and how to achieve them (and the rule set is different for each of the different "haunt" scenarios). That's what I meant about the gameplay style changing halfway through, which is something we really liked about it.
posted by lollusc at 6:36 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
So... this isn't at all similar to Betrayal, except for the building the board as you go... and being for two players:
Odin's Ravens. It's fun, fast raven racing card and tile game where you create the landscape you're flying over.
Two player games are a bit of a rarity.
posted by canine epigram at 6:41 PM on November 24, 2015
Odin's Ravens. It's fun, fast raven racing card and tile game where you create the landscape you're flying over.
Two player games are a bit of a rarity.
posted by canine epigram at 6:41 PM on November 24, 2015
Mister Jack is for two players and has an element of bluffing/deception/hidden roles. I enjoy it.
posted by wats at 8:57 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by wats at 8:57 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you like cooperative style games, I can recommend both Forbidden Island and Forbidden Desert for two players. Doesn't quite have the mystery aspect, though the board and item locations change from game to game. It's also easy to adjust difficulty from probably-winnable to almost-impossible, depending on what setting you use at the start - and how your strategy and luck cooperate. :)
posted by stormyteal at 9:34 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by stormyteal at 9:34 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detectives is the most delicious cooperative two person game I've ever played. Bit different than the game you've mentioned, but so much more fun and conversational, IMO.
posted by mylittlepoppet at 2:04 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mylittlepoppet at 2:04 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Panedmic Legacy for the reasons mentioned above. I love regular Pandemic, but I'm completely obsessed with PL and I'm desperate to get my group together to play again! One of the expansions for regular Pandemic also comes with the bio-terrorist role, so perhaps that would suit.
Also maybe T.I.M.E Stories? That's a cooperative story building game, although without the traitor element. I haven't played it myself, but I'm very keen to give it a try.
You could also try Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island. Again, cooperative with no traitor, but enough bad things happen to the castaways (you!) that you really don't need one.
I've played one of the stories in Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective and failed miserably...I can't wait to play again! That's on the must buy list.
posted by eloeth-starr at 2:35 AM on November 25, 2015
Also maybe T.I.M.E Stories? That's a cooperative story building game, although without the traitor element. I haven't played it myself, but I'm very keen to give it a try.
You could also try Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island. Again, cooperative with no traitor, but enough bad things happen to the castaways (you!) that you really don't need one.
I've played one of the stories in Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective and failed miserably...I can't wait to play again! That's on the must buy list.
posted by eloeth-starr at 2:35 AM on November 25, 2015
I'd like to strongly echo the recommendation of Pandemic Legacy. My boyfriend and I played it recently, and it hits most of the points you want - suitable for two players, cooperative, suspenseful, and has twists that change the gameplay. Also, there is definitely a story-telling element to it. Each game follows on from the previous, and you play as specific characters. We had a lot of fun making up back stories for our characters. The one downside is that it has a limited number of plays - between 12 and 24, depending on how often you win and lose; it took us 18 games. We really enjoyed it, so much so that we ended up playing through it in about two weeks.
posted by Law of Demeter at 4:20 AM on November 25, 2015
posted by Law of Demeter at 4:20 AM on November 25, 2015
If you're really desperate to play Betrayal at House on the Hill with only two players, then start with each player controlling two characters each. After the traitor is revealed, that character's player continues to control the traitor, while the non-traitor character is given over to the other player.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:32 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:32 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Introduce him to Space Station 13 on line. It is definitely not a two player game but will probably delight him when you are not available to play with him.
posted by Jane the Brown at 12:01 PM on November 25, 2015
posted by Jane the Brown at 12:01 PM on November 25, 2015
Response by poster: It sounds like it's going to be Pandemic Legacy, but I will keep the others in mind for future options too. Thanks, everyone!
posted by lollusc at 4:13 PM on November 25, 2015
posted by lollusc at 4:13 PM on November 25, 2015
Response by poster: Ha, or, you know, I'll try to find something that's actually available in Australia, goddamn it.
($120 might also be more than I'm willing to spend on a board game that we haven't tried and therefore don't know for sure we will enjoy, especially if it might not even arrive by Christmas.)
posted by lollusc at 4:23 PM on November 25, 2015
($120 might also be more than I'm willing to spend on a board game that we haven't tried and therefore don't know for sure we will enjoy, especially if it might not even arrive by Christmas.)
posted by lollusc at 4:23 PM on November 25, 2015
Seconding Sherlock Holmes: Consultant Detective. Suitable for 2 (an excellent couples game!), and you discover the stories together and try to find out who did it. Once you've played a scenario, that's it though, so replay value is limited to non-existent (you could replay the scenario, but you'd know the ending already and what fun would that be).
And please don't listen to canine epigram. There are plenty of fantastic 2-player games. The board gaming world is becoming quite enormous.
posted by Skyanth at 9:08 AM on November 26, 2015
And please don't listen to canine epigram. There are plenty of fantastic 2-player games. The board gaming world is becoming quite enormous.
posted by Skyanth at 9:08 AM on November 26, 2015
Dead of Winter is a 2-5 player game of surviving winter's attempt on your life. And also possibly your betrayers. Also there are zombies. And a moral dilemma.
I bring it up because the game has a 2 player variant endorsed by the designer if you want to play it semicooperatively. While it doesn't feature the uncertainty of your fate, it instead gives both players the opportunity to betray the colony if the opportunity arises.
posted by pwnguin at 12:00 AM on November 27, 2015
I bring it up because the game has a 2 player variant endorsed by the designer if you want to play it semicooperatively. While it doesn't feature the uncertainty of your fate, it instead gives both players the opportunity to betray the colony if the opportunity arises.
posted by pwnguin at 12:00 AM on November 27, 2015
Joe Dodgy's has Pandemic Legacy in stock for $100. Shipping from there is normally $10 and they're usually very quick to post. But yeah, it's not cheap. For what it's worth, you'll know if it's for you before the end of the first game, so if it doesn't drag you in immediately, I bet you could sell it on easily.
Also, if you haven't played Pandemic before, it's recommended that you play PL as regular Pandemic first, so you'll get a few extra games out of it that way.
posted by eloeth-starr at 12:44 PM on November 27, 2015
Also, if you haven't played Pandemic before, it's recommended that you play PL as regular Pandemic first, so you'll get a few extra games out of it that way.
posted by eloeth-starr at 12:44 PM on November 27, 2015
I would check out Boss Monster. You can play with just two people, the time per game is much shorter, and it has a surprise element to it (each game is a little different).
posted by King Bee at 4:06 AM on December 2, 2015
posted by King Bee at 4:06 AM on December 2, 2015
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Re: Betrayal at House on the Hill -- the traitor aspect will always be hard to execute in a two player game. I.e., if one of us is a traitor, and it's not me, then it's you. :) I have heard that Castaways has a somewhat "traitor-like" mechanic despite being cooperative, in that the all players win together, but one wins MORE.
posted by ellerhodes at 6:14 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]