- BGG rating
- 8.3
Dawning Horror
- 1–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,449
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Four against the Great Old Ones
2020
Rules assistance for Four against the Great Old Ones
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 20–120 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Four against the Great Old Ones
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Four against the Great Old Ones is a board game released in 2020 for 1–4 players, 20–120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Marco Arnaudo and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Carcosa Rising
- 1–4 players
- 30–120 min
- 2024
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,206
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Fable Fury
- 1–6 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #494
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Arkham Horror
- 1–8 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,207
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Dungeons & Dragons: Adventure Begins
- 2–4 players
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,252
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Dungeons of Doria
- 1–6 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,271
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Vampire: The Masquerade – Milan Uprising
- 1–4 players
- 40–90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,564
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Machina Arcana (Second/Third Edition)
- 1–4 players
- 150 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,923
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Spire's End
- 1–2 players
- 15–120 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,999
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Pericle: Gathering Darkness
- 1–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #635
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Betrayal Legacy
- 3–5 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,628
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Folklore: The Affliction
- 1–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,171
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Bardsung
- 1–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #140
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Eldritch Horror
- 1–8 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2013
About the game
Based on the Four against Darkness system, this pen-and-paper game pits the player(s) against classic Lovecraftian horror. The game can be played solo, coop, or RPG-lite. Four Investigators and a party of Helpers will travel 1930s America looking for three Clues to uncover the location of an upcoming great ritual. They only have 40 days to find and stop the ritual, before the world comes to an untimely end! The core of the game revolves around a system of encounter tables that will generate terrifying events and will provide the players with clues, arcane items, and more terrifying events! Combat is dice-based and highly tactical, due to the many options the players have in their attack and defense phases. Relevant features include: 8 new classes of main Investigators, plus MANY types of Helpers for nuanced customization... ... but the players shouldn't get too attached to any character in particular. High lethality. insanity, curses & incorporeal enemies to make the challenge even harder many spells, arcane items, weapons (did someone say flamethrower???) 6 possible epic final encounters, each a complete mini-game clue system that actually gives the players information as they investigate, allowing them to gradually narrow down the possible location of the ritual race against the clock: limited time to complete the adventure side quests to exotic locations and... other planets? enter the Dreamlands at your own risk! many secrets hidden in the game to increase replay value. A trivial event experienced in one game may take on completely different connotations in the next. based on extensive knowledge of Lovecraft, and strictly on Lovecraft (so the Elder Sign looks right, you meet Ghatanothoa, but sorry no Hastur) professors and graduate students are bad@$$&$, just like in Lovecraft and in real life.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- MS Edizioni
- Ganesha Games
Questions and answers
Four against the Great Old Ones supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Four against the Great Old Ones is 20–120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Four against the Great Old Ones for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Four against the Great Old Ones has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Four against the Great Old Ones belongs to these categories: Fighting, Wargame, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Four against the Great Old Ones are: Marco Arnaudo. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Four against the Great Old Ones as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.