PostCurious - "Emerald Echoes"
- Krista Jones
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Photo above is property of PostCurious
Company: PostCurious
Game: Emerald Echoes
Country: USA 🇺🇸
Language: English
Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬
Genre: Fantasy, Alchemy
Date Played: May 3, 2026
Difficulty (based on 2 players): 6/10
Size of Team: Unlimited (Recommend 3 ppl)
Time: Approximately 4-6 Hrs.
Price: $79.00
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You seek to uncover the long lost mysteries of the 15th-century correspondence between a famous alchemist of yore and another young woman…
While this game is a sequel to "The Emerald Flame", you certainly don’t need to have played that one to enjoy this! (In fact, you might consider playing this one first…) This is also truly a “puzzletale,” as PostCurious calls them. The story here isn’t just a bit of background or a light skin to give the puzzles some context and rationale. Beautifully written by Lauren Bello (an award-winning TV writer), the main story is developed in-depth, with excerpts at the start and end of every chapter. But really, there are two parallel stories, as you also get entertaining correspondence between two co-workers in modern time, cleverly interwoven in part with the hint system. This tale has both heart and humor and hit a really nice length for us, with enough to have impactful story development without it being so much that the reading overpowered the puzzling.
Video above is property of PostCurious
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If you’ve played any other PostCurious games, then the quality of components and the artwork will come as no surprise to you, and they are in a similar style to Emerald Flame. The robust components are primarily paper-based, but there are a few intriguing manufactured components as well that provide some of the sense that you are really dealing with ancient artefacts!
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
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"Emerald Echoes" is structured to clearly guide you through the experience. While the initial instructions in the “Start Here” brochure may seem a bit complex, they’ll make sense once you dive in. The game contains 4 main envelopes (or chapters), ordered by date. Within each chapter are a series of folders, both blue (story-focused) and green (puzzle-focused), as well as some supplemental materials. While materials within an envelope may be used for multiple puzzles, nothing is needed across different envelopes. Everything is clearly labeled in a way that fits the archaeological cataloguing context, guiding you through the game in a linear way. The segmented chapters form nice break points if you can’t or don’t wish to play straight through. (Though we always found it hard to stop!)
The “Analysis” cards serve as the clever progressive hint system (in the form of an entertaining text conversation!) that is accessed by slowly sliding the hint page out of its sleeve, so you can read one text at a time. We generally were quite confident that we had the correct answer once we figured it out, but the only way to check yourself is to read through the hints…so if you’re wrong you will discover that at the same point you get your first nudge in the right direction. Though there is a digital answer checker you can use if preferred, along with a few other optional digital resources. Generally, however, no internet is required! You will want a decent amount of table space to spread all the gorgeous materials out on.
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The puzzles feel fresh and deliver plenty of satisfying a-ha’s, though they are more approachable than some of PostCurious’ other games. While I still wouldn’t say they’re easy/beginner challenges, the hint system and linear nature still make the game overall quite accessible for newer players. We did have one issue at the very end of the game where a physical item didn’t function quite as intended, though we were able to eventually work around it. There was also one associated puzzle that was a bit less clear and sort of required some outside knowledge (or what may not be entirely standard knowledge). Overall, though, it definitely scratched our puzzling itch in fun, varied, and creative ways that fit well with the story!
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"Emerald Echoes" is a fantastical romp that both moved and entertained us. Although it’s a sequel, it’s less difficult than Emerald Flame. So, if you’re newer to puzzletales, you might consider playing this one first…though there will be a few spoilers in that case. Both are fabulous games, and so well-rounded in terms of excellence in story, art, puzzles, and the way in which these elements are all woven together. Emerald Echoes is a perfect example of why PostCurious is one of our go-to brands when people ask for tabletop puzzle game recommendations, and we’re excited that it’s more well-suited to beginners than some of their other tales. We can’t wait to see what they do next!
Check out our interview with the creators to understand more on the development side of the game:
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
(If you do decide to try this game, please remember to let them know that you heard it from"ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)
Disclosure: We thank PostCurious for providing us with a sample of their game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.
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