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There’s no shortage of hidden traitor games, and the best ones are the spine-tingling, creepy kind! Nothing’s more chilling than discovering your best friend is secretly a heinous murderer, monster, or ravenous werewolf.
That’s why Halloween is the perfect time to break out a hidden traitor game and embrace your dark side. But being the secret villain isn’t always easy—how do you throw suspicion without casting it on yourself? How do you take out the top player without revealing your corruption? And how do you mask that telltale liar smile?
In this list, we’re highlighting the best spooky traitor games and sharing some tips to help you keep your treacherous identity hidden this Halloween.
Betrayal at House on the Hill by Melissa King
Betrayal at House on the Hill is a game of exploration, mystery and intrigue for 3-6 willing victims, I mean, players…
This ‘board’ game is different from most, as the board reveals itself as you explore. Players take it in turns to move around the creepy, dimly lit mansion by revealing a face down tile, which allows you to open the door to a new room, expanding the board.
Whilst the haunted House on the Hill contains a wealth of rooms to explore and items to
find, your investigations will unleash terrifying omens, drawing you closer to “The Haunt” - the time at which a malevolent spirit will reveal itself and one of your co-explorers, one of your so called “friends” will reveal themselves as this nightmare’s accomplice!
If you are revealed as the traitor, you have time to prepare your tactics in secret, whilst the group try to prepare to escape from you. My best tip for success as the traitor, is using your knowledge of how your friends and family play the game to your advantage! In our group, we can be very strategic, and usually one member of the group will be sent out to look for hidden items or complete the necessary steps to win, whilst the others act as a distraction. I use this knowledge to try and work out who seems to be going around the house on their own, and target them first, trying to eliminate them from the game!
Another key tip will relate to things which happened earlier in the game, before you were revealed as the traitor… Try to remember who picked up which items, as they are usually the key to defeating you! Aim to go after these players and get these items from them, in order to slow down their progress and trap them in the House on the Hill, FOREVER! Mwahahahahaha!
The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 by Lauren Skinner
Will you survive or sabotage? When you’re playing The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, you can’t trust anyone.
This board game captures the paranoia, tension, and chaos of the 1982 sci-fi cult classic film. You are one of 12 crew members stationed at a remote Antarctic base. Your mission? Survive, gather equipment, complete objectives, and escape before the outpost is overrun by The Thing, a terrifying alien capable of imitating anyone. But here’s the kicker: some of your fellow crewmates may already be infected. The danger isn’t just outside the camp—it’s right there at the table, in the eyes of your friends.
Unless you’re The Infected, that is. A drop of your blood could reveal that you are not as innocent as you come across, but only to you. Your job is to subtly undermine the group’s progress, and ultimately participate in a psychological battle of survival versus sabotage to prevent your crewmates from escaping. Because there are tasty humans elsewhere on planet Earth, and hitching a ride on the helicopter means unbridled access.
Every action or decision is met with suspicion. Bonds can be broken, even between the closest of friends. So, what can you do to remain hidden?
My top tip: subtlety is key. Don’t act too eager to accuse others too soon—lay low, contribute to missions, and gain your teammates’ trust early on. Contribute just enough to group efforts to earn their trust. Timing is everything. Sabotaging at critical moments will hurt more than constant interference. And if you’re turned later in the game, use the trust you’ve built up to make your betrayal even more shocking.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf by Thom Newton
Have you ever wanted to spend 10 minutes playing a game that will end up with you not being sure if you can trust your oldest friends or family? If so, One-Night Ultimate Werewolf is for you!
At the beginning of the game, players are secretly dealt a role. These will belong to the villager or werewolf team. Players then close their eyes, and a scripted app tells different players to open their eyes, look at other people’s roles or even those in the middle. Crucially, werewolf players get to see which people, around the table, are also werewolves.
Afterwards, players open their eyes and start discussing. You can ask each other whatever you like, but you don’t need to tell the truth. One werewolf player may claim they looked at another werewolf player's role and declare them to be a villager to take the suspicion off, but somebody else could have had that role instead, can call them out and then the suspicion is back on. At the end of 5 minutes there is an elimination vote. If a werewolf is eliminated the villagers win, if it is villager the werewolves win.
As a werewolf, you’ll want to be tactful. Don’t be the first one to start pointing fingers—it’s an easy way to draw suspicion. Or, you could take a bold approach and admit that you're a werewolf. This might make people think you're the Tanner, a role that wins if they're eliminated, so they might hesitate to vote for you. It’s a risky move, but it can pay off.
It’s all very tense and a lot of the game is about the table figuring out the dynamic of
how the roles work together. These roles can be mixed and matched and there are loads to choose from. Plus you can add in the expansion, aliens or vampires.
Nemesis by Dan Street-Phillips
Before there were games based on one of the best horror films ever, Alien, there was Nemesis. Perhaps one of the most cinematic board games I have ever played! You play a confused crew member waking from cryo-hibernation but as you wander around the ship, discovering room by room, that all is not right. It’s no spoiler to say that very soon into the game, a race of horrific alien creatures will be coming after you, but you can turn to your teammates to help you right?
Right?! Wrong! What makes this game truly exciting is the semi-cooperative nature of the
experience. When the first alien arrives, you will have to decide whether your end objective is to aid the team or to fulfil a corporate contract. This tension then continues throughout the entire game. A good traitor will be helpful right to the bitter end, running in and saving a struggling teammate's life right before stabbing them in the back by setting the self-destruct button and flying off in the last escape pod!
The highs of Nemesis are high with dice rolls and card draws giving you a direct hit of adrenaline, but the lows are low with incredibly tough monsters that can kill you and eliminate you from the game way too early. It’s also a very long game which takes up a lot of table space but with the right group of people, in a dimly lit room with a great soundtrack, Nemesis can offer emergent storytelling like no other game on the market!
Blood on the Clocktower by John H
Blood on the Clocktower is, without a doubt, a top-tier social deduction game. What sets it apart? Well, it takes the familiar hidden traitor mechanic and cranks it up to 11, blending depth, flexibility, and excitement in a way that few other games can touch.
First off, the storytelling. Many social deduction games—like Werewolf or The Resistance—can feel a little static after a few rounds, with their binary decisions and scripted outcomes. Blood on the Clocktower turns this on its head by weaving a narrative into each session. Players feel like they’re part of a grand drama. It’s not just about calling out the traitor; it’s about unravelling a mystery together.
Then there’s the “no player elimination” rule. Even when you’re dead in Blood on the Clocktower, you still have a voice in the game. That ghostly influence keeps everyone engaged, and you can even continue to sway the group with votes and sneaky afterlife whispers.
Also, let’s talk about roles. There are so many different character abilities that each game feels fresh. Whether you’re the Undertaker, piecing together who died and why, or the Demon, spreading chaos while hiding in plain sight, the game ensures everyone has something to contribute.
The interplay between traitors is quite something, as the different setups and combinations are myriad. Nevertheless, the demons have the benefit of seeing 3 villagers that aren't in play - so leaning into this and trying to remember all three is key. Likewise, hand this to your minions when you can in intimation or private meetings, so they have places to run to. Blood on the Clocktower isn’t just a social deduction game; it’s an event.
Unfathomable by Sophie Jones
I’ve never been the best liar, it’s just not in my nature. But when you receive the Hybrid card in Unfathomable, you have to put your game face on and stay hidden, because this can be a long game if you want to avoid detection.
In Unfathomable, players are aboard a ship under attack by Lovecraftian horrors from the deep. These monsters, led by Mother Hydra and Father Dagon, are relentless in their mission to sink the SS Atlantica. As a human survivor, your goal is to reach Boston by keeping the ship moving and surviving constant threats.
As a Hybrid, the key to success is staying hidden. Once revealed, your ability to sabotage is reduced, so you need to play the long game. My top tips? Build trust, be patient, and use the Brig strategically.
Start by earning trust, don’t be too quick to accuse others. Instead, offer subtle observations when doubts arise and quietly keep track of everyone’s moves. Try and support a key skill check early on to show investment in reaching Boston. This helps shift attention away from you, giving you space to plot your next move and sabotage safely. It takes a lot of patience to wait for the right moment, but patience is key! As Hybrid’s can be introduced during the game you need to watch players carefully to make sure you don’t stitch up your secret teammate.
As the game progresses, identify the group’s leader—the player who commands the most influence or still questions you. When things get desperate, make your move: sabotage a critical skill check, lock your biggest rival in the Brig, and reveal yourself as the traitor. With the group's strongest player out of the way, the operation will crumble, leaving the crew at the mercy of the Deep Ones.
Hidden traitor games thrive on tension, deception, and a whole lot of fun. Whether you're creeping through a haunted mansion, surviving a werewolf attack, or navigating treacherous waters, the thrill lies in outwitting your friends while keeping your true motives hidden.
Armed with our traitorous tips, you'll be able to stay undercover just long enough to unleash chaos without getting caught. With the spooky season upon us, there’s no better time to gather your crew, dim the lights, and dive into some serious mind games. After all, the most satisfying betrayals are the ones no one sees coming!
