Horror and table-top gaming have always gone hand-in-hand, making “game night” a term that transcends images of sitting around a card table with your family accusing each other of cheating at Monopoly.

Here are some of my personal favorites.

Dead of Winter (Plaid Hat Games)

The Game: In this co-op game, you and up to four friends must work together to survive the zombie apocalypse in the harshest weather conditions. While this may sound like a reductive premise, the game keeps things fresh with the inclusion of the possibility that one person in your group is not what they seem. This game is not for novices and the first few plays may be a little rocky (you will lose multiple times, and that’s okay). But once you get the hang of things, you’ll want to start playing on the harder setting.

Who should play: Your friends who bitch about how The Walking Dead has killed the zombie genre.

The Bloody Inn (Asmodee)

The Game: Set during the nineteenth century in the French countryside, players take turns shuffling guests in and out of the titular inn in hopes to accumulate the most money by the end of the game. However, the means through which said money is earned is deception and murder. This game is a blast, but it takes a lot of patience. The rules are pretty straightforward, but each turn is limited in actions, which makes each decision vital. This game is not “action-packed,” but the tension is palpable. Getting caught red-handed is always something that can occur, and trying to watch out for yourself while screwing over the other players is continuously engaging.

Who should play: Your friends who joke about the best way to hide a dead body (but secretly they’re not joking).

Letters from Whitechapel (Fantasy Flight Games)

The Game: Letters from Whitechapel is broken up over the course of four nights in London in 1888, during which Jack the Ripper stalks the streets, on the hunt for victims. This game can be played by up to six players, with one player taking the role of Jack and the others as detectives trying to stop the murder spree. This game is all about strategic movement and deception. The player controlling Jack has a slight advantage as his player card is hidden from his rivals, making his moments unpredictable in the on-going investigation. Each night within the game is broken down into several phases that make the ostensibly overwhelming pacing flow pretty well. Working together with the other detectives to stop Jack from killing five victims before the end of the fourth night is exhilarating. But playing as Jack is almost more rewarding…if you can get away with it.

Who should play: Your creepy friends who sincerely ask the question, “who is your favorite serial killer?”

Smash Up (AEG)

The Game: Okay, this is a bit of a cheat because technically Smash Up isn’t a horror-themed game in the traditional sense. But what it is, is a battle card game where you can play as every movie monster imaginable. In Smash Up, players are dealt two decks of cards known as “factions.” Each faction has a special ability based on the monster (or fantasy creature) its cards represent. For example, vampire faction cards drain the power of other players’ cards; the zombie deck resurrects cards from your discard pile; and so on. Players use cards to destroy bases placed in the middle of the table, gaining the points they hold until one player reaches the preset point limit. What makes Smash Up so much fun is how versatile it is. Point limits can be raised or lowered depending on how quickly you’d like the game to move along. And selecting the right pair of factions is an ever-evolving process.

Who should play: Your friends who love monsters and are good at simple math.

Eldritch Horror (Fantasy Flight Games)

The Game: In this Lovecraftian co-op role playing game, you and up to seven friends take the roles of investigators trying to stop an impending apocalyptic doom. Eldritch took everything that was great about it spiritual predecessor, Arkham Horror and condensed it down to a tighter, faster game that doesn’t lose any of Arkham’s charm or intricate play-style. Theme and story-telling take the forefront here, making this a great experience for Lovecraft nuts and RPG-lovers.

Who should play: Your friends who argue over the spelling and/or pronunciation of  “Cthulhu” will be enthralled.

The Walking Dead Risk: Survival Edition (USAopoly)

The Game: Sometimes all it takes is a small tweak to make a classic game feel fresh again. While a lot of licensed property versions of board games offer nothing but new paintjob, The Walking Dead Risk injects new threats and tactics to what is arguably the king of all table-top strategy games to create something special. While games like Dead of Winter focus on the micro transactions and inner-personal tension found within a zombie apocalypse, TWD Risk focuses on the macro-aggressions of a turf war (and dealing with the pesky undead fucking up your strongholds).

Who should play: Your friends who felt ripped off when they realized their copy of Star Wars Monopoly was just regular Monopoly with X-Wings instead of thimbles or whatever.

Betrayal at House on the Hill (Avalon Hill)

The Game: This game kicks so much ass. In “Betrayal,” players take turns building a haunted house, filled with multiple levels, secret rooms, and terrors waiting around every corner. Once the house is built and the haunts are put into place, one player takes the roll of the traitor and is given their own rule book on how to completely destroy the other players in the game. What sets this game apart (and why it’s number one on this list) is its complete unpredictability and the anticipation of which of your friends will become the nightmare in the game and which of the myriad scenarios you’ll have to survive.

Who should play: Your friends who say Ghost Hunters is dumb, but secretly DVR it.

So there you go. What’s your favorite horror-themed board game?