%2Fpic3118622.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
About Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
Mansions of Madness is a cooperative horror mystery in which investigators search a haunted building, solve puzzles and fight what lives there. The second edition replaces the first edition's human Keeper with a free companion app, which lays out the map as you explore, hides the story, runs the monsters and decides what you find. Everyone plays on the same side, and the scenario's real objective usually only becomes clear halfway through.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Is Mansions of Madness: Second Edition Right for You?
Best for
Mansions of Madness is for groups who want a horror story more than a puzzle to optimise. The app handles every piece of bookkeeping a human Keeper used to, so nobody has to sit out running the game, and the map growing room by room gives each scenario real suspense. Two or three investigators is the sweet spot, and it works well solo if you are happy to run two characters.
Maybe skip it if…
It needs a phone or tablet at the table for the whole game, and a scenario takes most of an evening once setup is included. Players who dislike dice, or who want every rule visible on the table, will find the hidden app logic frustrating.
How to Play Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
Setup
Choose a scenario in the app and pick investigators. The app tells you which map tiles, monsters and tokens to place to start.
On Your Turn
- In the investigator phase, each investigator takes two actions: move, search, explore, interact, attack, trade or attempt a puzzle.
- Skill tests roll dice equal to the relevant skill; spending clue tokens turns magnifying-glass results into successes.
- In the mythos phase, the app resolves an event, activates monsters and triggers horror checks for anyone near them.
How to Win
Complete the scenario's objective, which the app reveals as the story unfolds. If an investigator is eliminated, the others lose at the end of the next investigator phase unless they finish first.
💡 Strategy Tips
Search everything early but watch the clock. The app is tracking time even when it does not say so.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating it as a combat game. Most scenarios are won by searching and following the story, and investigators who stop to fight everything run out of time.
- Ignoring horror. Sanity drops quietly, and an insane investigator gains a secret objective that can work against the rest of the group.
- Hoarding clues. Spending a clue to convert a result on an important test is almost always better than saving it for later.
- Splitting up too far. Spreading out finds more, but a lone investigator next to a monster is how the elimination countdown starts.
Advanced Strategy
- Explore towards unopened doors first. The map, and therefore the objective, only reveals itself as tiles are placed.
- Match investigators to tasks. Send the high-lore character at the puzzles and the fighter at the monsters, and trade items so each has the right tools.
- Rest when you can afford it. Recovering before a horror check is cheaper than recovering after one.
- Keep a rough count of mythos phases. Many scenarios accelerate after a hidden threshold, and pushing hard before it is usually right.
Variants & House Rules
Beyond the Threshold, Streets of Arkham and the other expansions
Physical expansions add investigators, monsters, map tiles and new scenarios to the app. Streets of Arkham is one of the larger boxes.
Paid app scenarios
Extra scenarios can be bought inside the app. Check which components each one needs before buying.
Recurring Nightmares
A conversion kit for first-edition owners that lets the old figures and tiles be used with the second edition app.
Video Guides
Loading videos…
Our Verdict
Mansions of Madness is the best argument for app-driven board games, because the app removes the Keeper's workload without removing the drama. The scenarios are atmospheric, the puzzles give non-fighters real jobs, and the map reveal still surprises after many plays. It is long and dice-heavy, but for a horror night it is our first pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need the app?
Yes. The free companion app runs every scenario, so you need a phone, tablet or computer at the table throughout.
Can I use my first edition components?
Only with the Recurring Nightmares conversion kit, which adapts the first-edition figures and tiles for the second edition app.
How does it play solo?
Well. Many solo players control two investigators, which spreads the skills and makes the scenarios more forgiving.