Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter Review – The Return of the Madness

Disclaimer: Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter was provided for free by VR Distribution, although the writing and opinions of this article are my own.

I love Love Letter, it’s a game I’ve played what feels like a million times. So I’m always down to play a new version or edition to see what changes they’ve made and how they affect the base game I adore so much. This time around, the Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter edition combines the theme and artwork of Fantasy Flight’s Arkham Horror series with the much-loved Lovecraft Letter.

There are a few other changes and surprises from the original Lovecraft Letter, so let’s dig in and see what’s new… and whether it’s worth summoning to your game night.

What’s new in Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter?

First up, there’s the introduction of a 0-value card, mirroring the new 0-value card (The Spy) from the latest Z-Man version of Love Letter.

In Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter, the 0-value sane card is the Tommy Gun, which lets you toss two cards from the deck into any player’s discard area. It’s a fun way to push someone insane even further to the dark side. Meanwhile, the insane 0-value card is R’lyeh, play it and you’ll flip the draw deck face up for the rest of the round, plus it gives you the power to end the round before your turn for the rest of the round.

The last gameplay affecting change is that at the end of the round, when two players have the same value card, they’re both knocked out of the round.

That’s it for gameplay changes, now let’s talk components.

Every component in Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter has been overhauled and brought into the Arkham universe. You’ll spot familiar characters and monsters from across the Eldritch Horror, Arkham Horror LCG, and Unfathomable line-ups. That said, they might look a little too familiar as most (if not all) of the artwork has been reused from the broader Arkham Horror catalogue.

On the one hand, it’s cool seeing familiar faces show up in a smaller, quicker game. On the other, it does make the whole package feel a bit less special. A little more like a re-skin than a re-imagining.

So while I have mixed feelings on the new artwork, I love the return of the felt bag and compact tokens. One of the original Love Letter’s biggest strengths was its portability, and the last version of Lovecraft Letter I had came in a bulky box that didn’t exactly slip into a pocket.

Does it change your opinion?

The TL;DR of my thoughts on Lovecraft Letter is this: while the new insanity mechanic is interesting, it takes away what I loved most about the original game. That tight, clean deduction with the Guards. Nailing someone with a sharp guess, or pulling off a slick Baron play because you know they’ve got a lower card? That’s the good stuff.

You still get glimpses of that gameplay in Lovecraft Letter, but with the insanity effects in play, you can get knocked out in ways that feel completely random. It adds chaos, sure, but for me, it just feels unfair. And I don’t love that in my games.

But hey, I’m no expert on dealing with otherworldly horrors, so maybe unfairness is the whole point?

Anyway, the changes in Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter aren’t going shift your opinion on Lovecraft Letter as a whole. If you liked it before, you’ll like this one. If you didn’t, well… no amount of ritual sacrifice is going to change that.

That said, I do prefer the components in this version. As a big fan of the Arkham Horror universe, being able to dip into that world without breaking out a full-blown three-hour game is a huge plus. And the compact size? Perfect for tossing in your bag on the way out the door.