Arkham Horror LCG is Thematic

(Just not in the way you might expect.)

I remember the first time I played the Arkham Horror LCG, which was, I want to say, five years ago. As many other gamers, my childhood memories are filled with consumption of Lovecraftian stories. Prisoner of Ice was (unbeknownst to me at the time) my first contact with the theme. I remember reading The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath and dreaming about cats, as well as the moment a Keeper of a Call of Cthulhu game at an RPG convention took my sheet and stamped it INSANE with large red letters when my sanity ran out.

The first time I played Arkahm Horror LCG, I was not impressed. Part of the reason was that investigators going all out on Old Ones seemed silly and against what these stories are about. I guess I also did not really understand the game that well, and was bored. In any case, I forgot about it until earlier this year when I purchased a version of the main box. I was looking for new games and AH was highly ranked and critically acclaimed, so I thought I’d give it a try.

My original plan was to play with other people (I even got two boxes!). I tried a solo run just to understand the rules and teach it more effectively, and I was immediately hooked. I knew I could never play it with other people. I wanted to play it at my pace, carefully reading the text, looking at the images, and taking moments to absorb it all. There was no one to share this with – it was mine and mine alone.

After two days I managed to beat the Night of the Zealot, and I had already ordered a copy of The Dunwich Legacy. It was the only thing I could think of. I would wake up early and before leaving for work I would prepare the scenario I was going to run that night. At work, the game was the only thing I could think of. I would browse /r/arkhamhorrorlcg during meetings, and watch Mythos Busters videos whenever I could. As soon as I returned home, I would start playing. Win or Lose I would end up in the Arkhamdb trying to spent my experience or create another character. I could only sleep in the early morning hours while listening to the calming voice of The Whisperer in The Darkness. I kept ordering expansions and packs from wherever I could find them, as well as digging for hidden gems in Arkham Central. And sleeves – I needed sleeves for my precious cards. So many sleeves!

This went on for months. I was not surprised when I lost my job. I told people that it was due to the COVID outbreak that had started around that time, but it was not true. Nothing had space in my life besides the game. COVID also gave me an excuse to avoid any social contact and focus exclusively on my pursuits.

To this day, I wake up and spent all my hours thinking about the game, playing the game, consuming media about the game, or buying parts and accessories for the game. My apartment is a mess, dirty, with delivery packages everywhere. I do not care. Nothing matters besides Arkham Horror. And, finally, I understand. As a Lovecraftian protagonist that discovers forbidden knowledge, I know I have to stop, but I cannot. I see the game for what it is now, but it is too late. I could warn you to stay away. I could warn you not to order the box, but we both know that this would not work. It never does.