Minty Noodles - "Interstellar Adventures: Episode 1 - Into the Unknown"

Photo above is property of Minty Noodles

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Company: Minty Noodles

Game: Interstellar Adventures: Episode 1 - Into the Unknown

Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Language: English

Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬

Genre: Sci-Fi, Space

Date Played: September 28, 2025

Difficulty (based on 2 players): 2/10

Size of Team: 2-4 Players

Time: Approx. 20-30 Mins. (They say to expect 30-45min, which would make sense with families or inexperienced groups)

Price: Kickstarter - Early Bird: Pledge £30

Note: This is 1 of 3 episodes in the "Interstellar Adventures" series, which is live on Kickstarter starting October 1, 2025!

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Aboard The Atlas, what starts as an ordinary day in space quickly shifts when a strange signal pulses from a mysterious planet below. Suddenly, you’re juggling encrypted ship logs, dodging missiles, and trying to make sense of a galaxy that’s decidedly not boring. While the core plot is straightforward, the delivery is lighthearted, with a playful, comic tone that makes the crew feel approachable and fun. This first episode introduces the cast of characters, setting the stage for a continuing storyline across future episodes where you’ll get to know them even better. It’s a promising start that feels both silly and cinematic.

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The production value here is stellar (pun intended). Even in demo form, Into the Unknown looked and felt polished, with thick, durable cards, sturdy tokens and extra bits, and a beautifully illustrated box. The comic-style art makes every card feel like a panel in a graphic novel, adding personality to even small narrative beats. We especially loved that the artwork carries through to every component (even the hint cards!), making the entire package feel cohesive and professional. It’s the kind of design where you can tell care and craft went into every detail.

Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈

The "Interstellar Adventures" series spans three episodes, with this opener serving as your launchpad into both the mechanics and the crew. The core of the game is the Adventure Deck, tarot-sized illustrated cards that propel the story forward, throw down a challenge, or nudge you toward your next discovery. To advance, you’ll hunt for numbers hidden in the artwork, teased out of a puzzle, or awarded through a task. Choose wisely, though: draw the wrong card and you’ll find yourself face-to-face with a Penalty card. And while most of the adventure lives on the cards, a few clever physical components sneak in to keep things dynamic.

The hint system is solid, with (usually) tiered hints prior to providing a full solution. What really levels them up is that even these cards have full artwork and character elements! While the penalty cards do influence your final “score”, in perusing them after the game, we were thrilled to discover that they weren’t just mechanical setbacks but sometimes posed silly group tasks. This was an awesome way to turn a “failure” into a positive, memorable moment! At about 20 minutes, our playthrough was quick and breezy, but still satisfying, and it left us wanting more. At times, it reminded us a bit of an Unlock game. However, it involved tactile elements, fewer magnifying glasses, playful and more graphic artwork, and a developing storyline with a set cast of quirky characters you’ll get to know!

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂

Episode 1 is a quick but endearing romp! The challenges skew light and beginner-friendly, serving as a perfect fit for families, newer puzzlers, or anyone dipping their toes into this kind of game. Most are straightforward, cleanly designed, and make logical sense within the story. Yet, even as more seasoned players, we enjoyed tackling them, and appreciated that one multi-step puzzle added an extra layer of depth. There’s a mix of observation, agility, deciphering, and logic here (and evidently a different mix of challenge-types in the other episodes). The inclusion of “special missions” (bonus discoveries hidden within the game) is also a great idea, though (in this episode) they didn’t necessarily deliver quite the sense of discovery or payoff we were hoping for based on the exciting name.

While experienced players may find the overall difficulty quite light, the puzzles are playful, thematic, and rewarding enough to keep everyone engaged. It’s a series that’s less about brain-burning than creating a shared, story-driven experience, and we had a blast playing it!

Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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Light, fun, and accessible, "Into the Unknown" makes a strong first impression. The comic-inspired art and the game’s playful tone were stand outs. While Episode 1 is short and relatively easy, it feels like exactly what it’s meant to be: a welcoming gateway into a bigger series. For families, newcomers, or anyone wanting a quick, joy-filled adventure, this is a great choice. As a preview copy, some tweaks are still on the way before Kickstarter delivery, but even in its current form the design feels polished and complete. If this first taste is anything to go by, the full series promises to be a cosmic romp worth strapping in for!

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(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank Minty Noodles for providing us with samples of the game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.

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