Nightmare House
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 Cover of Ares #15, art by Jeff Easley | |
| Designers | David Marshall |
|---|---|
| Illustrators | Jeff Easley |
| Publishers | TSR |
| Publication | 1983 |
| Genres | Horror |
Nightmare House is a horror board game published by TSR under their SPI marque in 1983.
Gameplay: multiplayer
Nightmare House is a gothic horror board game for one to five players. Set in the cursed Darkholm Manor, players take on the role of ghost hunters who explore the house, confront supernatural 'haunts,' and engage in psychic battles on an astral map to exorcise a malevolent Entity. The game starts at 6 pm and lasts for 12 turns, representing a single night. It features a detailed three-level floor plan, a separate map used for astral combat, and a unique astral combat system that uses psyche, soul, and astral body tokens to simulate ghostly encounters.[1]
One player, the House, takes the role of the Evil Entity that has taken over Darkholm Manor. The other players choose one of twelve Hunters, each with its own strengths and weaknesses,[2] and enter the mansion at 6 pm, seeking to confront and exorcise the Evil Entity. The House sends haunts to disrupt and possess the Hunters.[3]
As the Hunters "clean" each room, they discover useful items to help them in their quest. However, the House grows stronger as time passes.<refe name=sg />
Gameplay: Solo
The game can also be played by one person, who takes the role of a solitary Hunter against The House, facing randomized encounters.
Victory conditions
If the Hunters manage to exorcise the Evil Entity by the end of the twelfth turn (6 am), the Hunters win. Otherwise, the House wins.