
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,192
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter
- 2–6 players
- 15–20 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2025

2017
Rules assistance for Lovecraft Letter
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lovecraft Letter is a board game released in 2017 for 2–6 players, 5–15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Seiji Kanai and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Player Elimination.
It is the 1920s, and the world is in a state of confusion following WWI. During this time, you and your friends find yourselves amongst mysterious events. You are surrounded by strange figures, letters with unreadable texts, as well as sudden appearances of being unknown. By relying on your connections, you set out to investigate these incidents. Unknown to you are the frightful truths that lie in wait ahead of you... Lovecraft Letter is a card game that combines the Love Letter system with the world of H.P. Lovecraft. In addition to the standard sixteen cards in the Love Letter game are new versions of the cards that include special "insanity" powers. If you have one of these cards in your discard pile, then you are insane (at least for the current round) and on future turns can play insanity cards for their regular power or their special power, giving you more options during play. The risk, however, is that you must undergo a sanity check at the start of each of your turns, drawing as many cards from the deck as the number of insanity cards in front of you; draw one or more insanity cards, and you're out for the round. If you win the game, whether by being the last person standing or the player with the highest single card after the deck runs out, you win a token colored to reflect whether you were sane or insane. Win enough tokens of the right type, and you win the game. Cthluhu can also help you win the game if you release it at the right time... Will you put an end to the evil schemes as an investigator, or will you help guide the world to destruction as one of insanity's disciples? It all depends on you. 1920年代、世界はいまだ第一次大戦後の混迷の中にあった。そんな折、あなたの身内、あるいは友人が、不可思議な出来事に遭遇する。周囲に現れた奇妙な人影、読めない文字で綴られた手紙、そして、突然の失踪。 あなたは伝手を頼りに、この事件の調査へと乗り出した。その先にどのような恐ろしい事実が待っているかも知らずに……。 本ゲームは、ラブレターのゲームシステムでクトゥルフの世界観を表現したカードゲームです。通常のカードセットに加えて、恐るべき力を持つ狂気カードが新たに導入され、元のゲームとは異なるゲーム展開を楽しむことができます。 探索者として陰謀を未然に防ぐのか、狂気の信徒となって世界を破滅に導くのか。それらは全てあなたの選択次第です。
Lovecraft Letter supports 2–6 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 Lovecraft Letter is 5–15 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 Lovecraft Letter 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.
Lovecraft Letter has a complexity rating of 1.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Lovecraft Letter belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Player Elimination. 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 Lovecraft Letter are: Seiji Kanai. 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 Lovecraft Letter 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.