Search this site

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: The Sacred Temple Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Puzzles By Mail 📬 Genre: Adventure Date Played: August 5, 2021 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 7/10 Size of Team: Unlimited (Recommended 1-4 Players) Time: Unlimited (Suggested 2-3 hours) Price: $22.83 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 You discovered that someone kidnapped the professor at the Archeology Department of the university. It's probably the treasure hunters looking for the hidden temple. The professor left you a coordinate which led you to the middle of the Indian Ocean. Maybe you'll be able to find the treasure and the professor before the treasure hunters do? 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ "The Sacred Temple" came in a cardboard box with a beautiful illustration of a mysterious statue on its cover. Inside you'll find 4 puzzles with 88 pieces each, 12 riddle documents, 3 strange items, 4 decoder disks, two-piece snap fastener, and a rule/hints/solutions book. Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 If you've played "Exit the Game" series before, you should be quite familiar with the decoder wheel and how to operate it. In this game, we really liked several new implementations they've installed. As always you can play the game in a leisure or play it with a timer and calculate the amount of hints and wrong answer inputs in order to get a final score. Your first step is to use the snapbacks and assemble the decoder wheel. Your game boards will be the 4 jigsaw puzzles. You'll know when to piece those together according to the instructions that you'll receive through the riddle documents. After you've completed the jigsaw board, you'll see various colored locks on the image. Once you think you've solved the combination, check the code on the decoder wheel. If it's correct, you'll get the same color lock image at the back of the wheel. Look at the front of the wheel for three symbols to move on to the next riddle document. This was a really clever way to utilize the decoder in two ways. The instructions in the riddle documents were really easy to follow as well. If you need assistance with the riddles, the hints and solutions are printed as mirror images on the back of the rule book. I love that they also included illustrations to certain puzzle solutions as it made it much clearer for the players to follow. Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 We are pretty impressed by the creativity of how the jigsaw puzzles were utilized in this game. We had to use a hint to make sure our thought process was correct when we first encountered the concept. And when we had confirmation, it was really satisfying. Thereafter, we saw a few more incidence of the same usage format but each time it gave a different reveal. This were our favorite moments in this game. The 4 jigsaw boards really bought out that escape room vibe as we went through one area of the sacred temple to another. The vivid illustrations with hidden clues were really exciting to look at every time. We love the use of the strange items in ways that we wouldn't think of. At one point you'll need to use a scissor. Since we're in a tropical place, you'll encounter various exotic animals. It's great to see the creators actually incorporated items that were relevant to the storyline. Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 This game is pretty solid. The fact that we're able to play through 4 jigsaw puzzles along with over 10+ puzzles in one game speaks value. "Exit the Game" series likes to utilize the artwork to hide a lot of clues/solutions which requires a good amount of "search and find". It's similar to playing an dim lit escape room. This game took the game play to another level. It was like playing a high tech escape room with upgraded special effects. During the game, you actually felt the danger of passing through a wabbly bridge, running away from burning flames and avoiding dangerous animals along the way. You won't be disappointed with this adventure. Its a great game for friends and family to collaborate their "puzzling powers" as some players can work on the jigsaw while the others can solve the riddles. It'll will be a great time for everyone! 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #Puzzlebymail #OneOffs #Adventure #Thames&Kosmos #USA #ExitTheGame #JigsawPuzzle #TableTopGames #BehindTheMasterMinds

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Adventure Games: Monochrome, Inc. Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Puzzles By Mail 📬 Genre: Mystery, Thriller Date Played: September 27, 2021 Difficulty (based on 3 players): 3/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Players (Ages 16+) Time: 3.5 Hours Price: $19.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 You are a team of hired hands down on their luck, looking for a job. Out of nowhere an individual approaches you via VR transmission and instructs your team to break into Monochrome inc, a local pharmaceutical tech company, to research and discover why his previous team disappeared. You also need to find out what is going on in there and the secret behind the groundbreaking new drug Rainbow. It’s a lot to do but the team needs the money and the individual promises a handsome reward. Video above is property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The components in this game are of good quality. There are two decks of cards, four characters and standees and two booklets. The simplicity of this game and the minimal materials needed to play lead to a pleasurable experience. The artwork on the cards gave an idea of what was in each room and when each player reveals new rooms there is a description that one can read and reread to get a better idea of what things of note are on the location card. Photos above are property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 This is a completely replay-able adventure although most of the game doesn’t change. The basics of the game have players controlling characters and “taking turns” to explore the corporate bio lab. There are two types of cards, location cards and story cards. On the location cards there are numbers that when read from the story booklet will tell you what is in each location. You will get story cards throughout the game as well, all of these cards vary in nature, some are items, others are status depending on what the character has interacted with. The game will tell you when to get these cards. Working one player at a time, each player can move, investigate and apply items to each location within their turn. By using this set of rules it allows everyone to get a fair shot at participating and making the story their own. Each main character follows a trope and it is up to the group to figure out the best character to go to specific spots on the location cards. When you want to use an item at a location just add the two digit number of the item to the beginning of the three digit location number (ex. If you have item 13 and you want to use it on location 702 you will read entry 13702); likewise, if you want to combine items, take the smaller number followed by the larger number and read that entry (ex. You have item 13 and item 14, combining them has you read entry 1314). Continue with these processes until you reach the end of the story! 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 The play-through of this game reminds one of a classic point and click adventure that you would see on the computer game. There are no specific puzzles in this game but there are logical deductions that the group will have to make to complete the game. An example they give in the rule book is if you have a can opener and a can, you combine the two items to get an open can of food. About 80% of the game makes sense in how to proceed in the story but our group did run an incident that completely had us round around in circles. There is a hint system built into the game and they are written in such a way that can help or leave you more puzzled than before. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Playing "Monochrome, Inc." provided a non-traditional escape room experience. I would go so far as to call it a story piece more than an escape game. Does that mean that puzzlers and enthusiasts won’t enjoy it? I believe that if your group of up to 4 go in for an evening to figure out the secrets of Monochrome inc. you will have a fun time. There is enough personality in the characters (as well as the bit of improv your table can do to enhance the experience) and intrigue in the story to keep players engaged and wanting to finish the game. The box does state that it can take place in 3 sessions of 90 minutes a piece. When our group played the first chapter did take about 90mins but then chapter 2+3 blended into each other so well that when we got to the break of chapter 2 we had discovered most of the game by that point. Continuing with chapter 3 and we were done in 15 mins. It is up to your group to decide how you would like to play each chapter. I would recommend playing chapter 1 in one sitting and then if you have ~2 hrs, play chapter 2+3 together. Overall with such a unique story and simple to play mechanics, if your group is a fan of the point and click adventure game genre give this game a shot! 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #MikeSchnurr #AtHomeGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Mystery #Thriller #ThamesandKosmos #USA #AdventureGames

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Adventure Games: The Dungeon Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Puzzles By Mail 📬 Genre: Adventure, Medieval Date Played: January 1, 2022 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 4/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Players (Ages 16+) Time: 3.5 Hours Price: $19.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 Waking up in a cell in a mysterious dungeon with no memory of how you and your friends ended up in this place. It is up to you to figure out the events that lead you to showing up in this dark, vile place. Can you get out in time before whoever put you in this cell comes back to finish you off? What other mysteries lie within this castle? Video above is property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The components in this game are of good quality. There are two decks of cards, four character meeples and two booklets. The simplicity of this game and the minimal materials needed to play lead to a pleasurable experience. The artwork on the cards gave an idea of what was in each room and when each player reveals new rooms there is a description that one can read and reread to get a better idea of what things of note are on the location card. Photos above are property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 This is a completely replay-able adventure although most of the game doesn’t change. The basics of the game have players controlling characters and “taking turns” to explore the dungeon. There are two types of cards, location cards and story cards. On the location cards there are three digit numbers that when read from the story booklet will tell you what is in each location. You will get story cards throughout the game as well, all of these cards vary in nature, some are items, others are status depending on what the character has interacted with. The game will tell you when to get these cards. Working one player at a time, each player can move, investigate or apply items to each location within their turn. By using this set of rules it allows everyone to get a fair shot at participating and making the story their own. Each main character follows a trope and it is up to the group to figure out the best character to go to specific spots on the location cards. When you want to use an item at a location just add the two digit number of the item to the beginning of the three digit location number (ex. If you have item 13 and you want to use it on location 702 you will read entry 13702); likewise, if you want to combine items, take the smaller number followed by the larger number and read that entry (ex. You have item 13 and item 14, combining them has you read entry 1314). Continue with these processes until you reach the end of the story! In this game, each character will have a certain amount of health points, losing HP doesn’t cause a failure within the game, you will still encounter the whole story, it will just determine how well your team did as a group for the final score. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 The play-through of this game reminds one of a classic point and click adventure that you would see on the computer game. There are no specific puzzles in this game but there are logical deductions that the group will have to make to complete the game. An example they give in the rule book is if you have a can opener and a can, you combine the two items to get an open can of food. We found most of the combinations and actions taken during The Dungeon to be logical and innovative. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 "The Dungeon" is another game in the Adventure Games series from Kosmos. With very similar gameplay to the previous game "Adventure Games: Monochrome, Inc.", it makes playing the game right from the box extremely simple. Working through all three chapters creates a long storyline and a decently long evening. Each chapter took about the recommended time of ninety minutes and they felt evenly spread out. Playing with two players, each player controls one character and swaps back and forth taking turns. The characters, while they do have an arc-type, seemed very unimportant to the story. There are a couple of decisions that ask for a character to lead but the story will continue on without much consequence depending on who you pick. With that information then, you should be able to play this game with all player counts and it will just depend on how many people you want to share the story with. Even though it is replay-able, the story will not be new to returning players. It is best to hand this game off to another group and let them enjoy an evening trying to make their way out of this dungeon. Overall our group had a fun time playing The Dungeon and would recommend anyone looking for an analog game to venture forth and experience the twists and turns of the story. 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #MikeSchnurr #AtHomeGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Adventure #Medieval #ThamesandKosmos #USA #AdventureGames

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Adventure Games: The Grand Hotel Abaddon Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬 Genre: Haunted Mansion Date Played: June 30, 2022 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 5/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Players (Ages 12+) Time: Approximately 3-6 Hrs. Price: $19.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 You have come to the historic Grand Hotel Abaddon for a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of a tragic fire… in the wake of which the hotel has been rumored to be haunted! Each of you also has a personal, vested interest in the hotel and its history in some way. As soon as you arrive and are greeted by the owner, the unusual events begin. Could it be ghosts? What other secrets does this mysterious hotel hold? Video above is property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The game is cleanly designed with lovely artwork, particularly on the map cards, in a style befitting an old, haunted hotel! It is primarily card based, along with the adventure book, but you do have standees for your characters and some cardboard bits to mark the non-player characters (NPC's). There are also pieces that serve as reminders of tasks started, but not completed - which we found to be very helpful! For a mass market game, particularly at this price point, the materials are of quite good quality. Be aware that it is a table hog, particularly in the later chapters! But it looks super cool by the time it is all laid out. 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 "The Grand Hotel Abaddon" plays in a similar way to the others in the Adventure Games series, sort of like a point-n-click computer game combined with a choose-your-own-adventure. You can play with any number of characters, but we recommend using all 4, regardless of your player count (there were two of us playing, so we each played 2 characters). While the actual need for this, based on the special abilities of players, is not as strong as in "Adventure Games: Monochrome, Inc.", we very much enjoyed being able to discover the backstories of all four. As you move through the game and discover new parts of the environment, new map cards are laid out. Each one has various things that you can investigate, and you will also come upon objects along the way, which you may then need to combine with locations or other objects to solve a problem. Various actions combine to yield different numbers, which are then looked up in the Adventure Book, and the subsequent passage is read to tell you what happened or what you saw (and all the better if players are up for a dramatic reading!). In contrast to some of the earlier games in the series, this one does introduce two new, fun aspects. The first is the NPCs. You will interact with a variety of them throughout the game, being able to talk to them to get information and take actions that will cause them to go to different locations. Your interactions will also impact your own game and story! This is a fun way to add an additional element and another level to the story-telling and immersion. The second addition is that each character also has a personal mission that they will try to accomplish throughout the game, though it is not necessary to complete those in order to “win” the main mission shared by all characters. However, this new layer also adds more background and engagement with the story and development of each character, far more than we saw in Monochrome, Inc. The game is divided into three chapters, making some nice breakpoints. They say each one is about 90 minutes; the first one took us closer to 2 hours, and the others more like 75 minutes. There is a little time invested in breaking the game down and resetting for the next chapter, but it wasn’t too tough - just be sure you take a picture of the game before you pack it up! 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 This is not primarily a puzzle game, though there are a few puzzles along the way! These will feel relatively light to enthusiasts, but they are fun to encounter during the adventure. You will want to take notes as you go - information learned in the early stages of the game will come in handy later on. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 We had a blast exploring "The Grand Hotel Abaddon". While we enjoyed Monochrome, Inc. (the only other game we’ve played in this series), we definitely felt that this one took things up a notch! The gameplay was really smooth, the story was cohesive and well-developed, and we felt far more invested in the individual characters. While it is slated for ages 12+, we think slightly younger kids with longer attention spans could also enjoy this game. It’s small and compact enough to bring with you on a trip, though you will need a good sized table to actually play! If you are looking primarily for a puzzle-heavy game, this may not be for you. However, if you are open to a charming, story-driven adventure with a few light puzzles thrown in, then definitely check it out! It certainly makes us look forward to trying more games in the series! P.S. There is one (adorable) card we never got during the game, and we were totally stumped how we missed it! If you’re in a similar situation, look at the extra cards, not the book..or feel free to ask us! It’s a very sweet sort of consolation prize if things went less well earlier in the game… 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #DaveBristol #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #HauntedMansion #ThamesandKosmos #USA #AdventureGames

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Adventure Games: The Gloom City File Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬 Genre: Horror, Thriller Date Played: August 27, 2023 Difficulty (based on 1 player): 4/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Players (Ages 16+) Time: Approximately 4-5 Hrs. Price: $19.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 An invitation arrives summoning you to the local abandoned insane asylum to partake in a scary game night. Included in the envelope is a photograph of your deceased loved one. It’s a photo that could only have been taken by their killer. By dangling this new evidence in front of you, this unhinged party planner has guaranteed your attendance tonight. Even if you are walking into a trap, you are a cop (albeit currently suspended) and this is your chance to get answers. Upon arrival, you discover that there are four of you, all with the same story—each currently suspended from the Gloom City police force and each having someone they loved brutally murdered by an unknown perpetrator. As the game begins, you learn that the stakes are even higher than you realized: three more people have been taken hostage and you are in a race against the clock to save their lives! Video above is property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The game has high-quality components and the level of polish you would expect from a mass market game. There are decks of cards, punch-out tokens used for tracking activity, stands for the four characters, location cards, and an adventure book that contains all of the narrative. The illustration style is dark and moody. Each location card sets the tone for the are you are in and is supported by a written description to highlight the items of interest. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 "The Gloom City File" is a cooperative board game. Players assume the roles of the four suspended police officer characters, and as a team you explore locations inside the insane asylum and around Gloom City (a city full of decay and corruption that generally lives up to its name). On each turn you read a numbered entry in a booklet based on a site or combination of items to hear the sinister story unfold. When you discover a new place in the game, you’ll add an illustrated location card to the growing landscape on your playing surface. (Learn from me and start yourself on a large playing surface to avoid periodic rearrangements to prevent falling off the table.) The full narrative is divided into three acts, each expected to take about 90 minutes to play, but you can start and stop at any point or play straight through. Please note, the subject matter is dark: serial killings, abuse, and bad things that happen in asylums. The game is inappropriate for children and not well suited to players that might not be comfortable with those topics. For anyone that might complain about the amount of reading that is entailed (the Adventure Book is 91 pages of text), there is a Kosmos Helper App that will read everything aloud to you. It will also explain how to play so you don’t even have to read the instructions. For the entirety of the game, you can enter numbers and a professional narrator will read the relevant passages. I did encounter a few places where the audio tracks were misnumbered or didn’t play as expected, but with the printed booklet it’s easy to confirm what the correct clue is. In some places in the game, you’ll get a different result on an action depending on which character does it. (I’d suggest playing with all four characters so you can glimpse each’s backstory along the way.) There are also areas of the game that are solvable in multiple ways. The game is at its best in these places where you feel like you have agency and there are consequences to your actions. Although the game is not replayable, it can be re-gifted to someone else to enjoy as nothing is destroyed during game play. (By the way, thank you, Kosmos, for not packaging it in a box that’s way too big for its contents!) Photos above are property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 Playing "The Gloom City File" is more about discovering the story, learning characters’ backstories, and understanding the killer’s motivations than it is about solving puzzles. There are a handful of puzzles to solve, but this is not a puzzle-centric game (look elsewhere if that’s what you are after). None of the puzzles are terribly devious but they are unevenly clued so if you don’t happen to recognize the puzzle type you may need to consult the hints or walkthrough, as is encouraged in the game’s instructions. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 "The Gloom City File" is one in a series of Adventure Game titles offered by Thames & Kosmos, and the first I have played. The strong storyline and player-driven selections initially reminded me of a choose-your-own-adventure story. But as I played the game, it seemed more like an analog version of a computer game. The players decide what to look at next and try different combinations in the hopes of unlocking new content. The plot of The Gloom City File feels like a TV show or movie, but I love that the board game format means you can sit around a table and engage without watching screens. The game is easy to jump into. It adds gameplay mechanisms as you play and has terrific pacing, unlocking new areas to explore at just the right cadence. For 4-5 hours of entertainment at a very reasonable price point, the Gloom City Files is a scary good time! 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #JenMcPhilimy #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Horror #Thriller #ThamesandKosmos #USA #AdventureGames

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Dragonkeepers Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games (Card Game) 📬 Genre: Family, Fantasy Date Played: February 14, 2024 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 5/10 Size of Team: 2-4 Players (Ages 8+) Time: Approximately 20 Mins. Price: $27.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 As seasoned Dragonkeepers, your mission is clear: protect as many young dragons as you can. Utilize the “magic book” to see how many dragons you can take under your protection but be prepared to manipulate it to help you along. Will you prove yourself as the ultimate Dragonkeeper? 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ Opening the box with the cute dragon art on it, we found a large deck of cards that represent each side of the book, and bits needed for the game which includes pieces of amulet with gemstones for the middle, golden eggs, and more. There were also 2 rule books. One that went into the rules in depth and the other a quick summary. 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 The goal is to have the most points at the end of the game which is when a certain amount of amulets have been formed. Points come in different ways such as crests, golden eggs, amulets pieces and pearls, which each have a different way to obtain. At the start, you set up the 2 decks of cards which represent both halves of the magic book. On the left, it has a number and the rewards you can receive and, on the right, one of the 4 dragon types. You then flip over the top card of each deck to reveal dragons. On your turn, you can take up to 3 dragon cards, while revealing new dragons and changing the magic book. Once complete, you have the opportunity to modify the magic book with whatever cards are in your hand, changing either the number or dragon type. This is important because the number and type of dragon that is shown in the book is the EXACT number of dragons you are allowed to play in front of you. If you can do that with the cards in your hands, you get whatever reward is marked on the cards. Finally, any other player at the table may also play if they are able to play the same number of dragons also marked in the book. After that, it is the next person’s turn. There are a few additional rules that you can read in the rulebook, but in a nutshell that is the game. Once we grasped the gameplay, we managed to shorten the game duration from 45 to 20 minutes. It proved to be a straightforward game for the kids to pick up and enjoy, with a theme that they could immerse themselves in. The sequence of play flowed smoothly and was easy to follow. Balancing card management with luck added an enjoyable dimension to the game. The artwork with its diverse range of dragons and their growth, was fantastic. 2 things I appreciated was that each colored dragon was sufficiently distinct, allowing even those with color issues, like myself, to differentiate them easily. Also, the inclusion of a summary rule book, which spared us from having to reread the entire instruction manual for the next games or if we just needed a quick refresher on how to play. You can also add a twist to increase the difficulty. The game has treasure chests that allows you for a cost to use a special ability such as playing one less dragon card or taking back all but one of your dragon cards at the end of your turn. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 Strategy? There were lots of ways to earn points, and we had to think about which ones we wanted to go for. Should we play and lock in all the colored dragons first to get the most crest points, or take our time so we still had options for placing all our dragons? Do we rush to make our amulets to score the lower amulet pieces but get bigger gem points, or wait for bigger amulet points with lower gem points? Keeping our dragons for a bigger reward or not was another tough choice. We liked trying out different strategies as we played more, such as paying attention to what dragons other players wanted and snagging them for ourselves. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 "Dragonkeepers" was a delightful addition to our family's game nights. Its accessibility made it ideal for the kids, but also had plenty of strategy for the adults. The striking artwork was easy on the eyes and the quality of its components were top notch. The theme was immersive with the enchanting theme of dragonkeeping because who doesn’t ever dream of being a dragonkeeper. The gameplay flowed seamlessly for all participants, whether we had 2 or 4 players. As the box says, any dragon lover or card collector board game player would enjoy this. With its simplicity and replay-ability, Dragonkeepers is a quick game that can be played over and over again. Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #MatthewLui #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Family #Fantasy #Kids #ThamesandKosmos #USA

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: The Adventures of Robin Hood: Friar Tuck in Danger Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games (Board Game) 📬 Genre: Folklore, Heroic Outlaws, Sherwood Forest Date Played: June 1, 2023 Difficulty (based on 2 players): Varies by Chapter - 5/10 Size of Team: 2-4 Players (Ages 10+) Time: 1-1.5 hrs/ chapter Price: $29.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 "Friar Tuck in Danger" carries on the story from the original "Adventures of Robin Hood" game, adding four new chapters! Once more you are transported to Sherwood Forest and its surrounds, seeking to right wrongs and evade your enemies. You play as one or more of the classic characters: Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Will Scarlet, and Little John. 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ This expansion adds two new board pieces that connect on the left side of the base game board. It looks very impressive and grand on the table…but it does take up a lot of space! Our table is 62”, and it was just long enough! (We did have the box with the rulebook, etc. on the table as well, so you could make it work with a somewhat shorter one if need be.) Most of the new components remain high quality and similar to those in the base game. However, the book is notably a more standard paperback, with cardboard bookmarks. Honestly, if the base book had been like this, we probably wouldn’t have thought anything of it. But the book in the original was so impressively high-quality that this one feels like a bit of a disappointment. Nonetheless, it still looks good, and is certainly in keeping with the lower price point for this expansion. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 As this is an expansion, you do need the base game to play, and we would recommend playing through the base game completely before starting the expansion. The basic mechanics remain unchanged here, but you add Friar Tuck (who typically moves with one of the characters that you are playing), the Sheriff of Nottingham (who is determined to capture Friar Tuck), the two new board pieces, and new tokens for both the new pieces and some for the main board (removing the originals). If the Sheriff catches Friar Tuck at any point, you’ve lost the game! We loved the original game as an innovative mix of cooperative choose-your-own adventure and board game, with clever mechanics and a strong storytelling element. So, it was fun to have the opportunity to revisit the world for four new adventures with some additional facets! While we certainly enjoyed ourselves, there were some frustrations and missteps. We found the last chapter to be virtually impossible from a combat perspective, even with attempting it several times. Had we realized at the time about the 3rd printing error below, it would have been useful, but I think still very challenging. It was a frustrating way to end the game. There are a number of misprints in the book and on one tile that interfere with some of the gameplay. While there is no official errata, some that have been highlighted on BoardGameGeek (some of which have been confirmed by the designer) are: At the beginning of the first chapter, double stars should be left visible. The horse tile (when you find it) should have a ? so that you can interact with it. Characters should begin Chapter 11 with a bow. Hopefully, these issues will be resolved with future printings! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 This is not a puzzle game. However, there is a lot of strategic, puzzly thinking in how to optimize your moves across different characters in order to meet your objectives before time runs out. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 As huge fans of the Bullseye Award-winning base game, we’re glad to have had the chance to play the expansion. While the printing errors did throw some wrenches into a number of our games, they could be largely avoided by paying attention to the known ones above. We appreciated the addition of new mechanics and areas on the board in addition to the new stories, and definitely think it’s a worthy addition to fellow fans of the original! (And if you don’t have that one yet, definitely give it a try!) 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #DaveBristol #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Fantasy #ThamesandKosmos #USA #ExitTheGame

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: My City Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬 Genre: Historical Fiction Date Played: December 10, 2023 Difficulty (based on 3 players): 3/10 Size of Team: 2-4 Players Time: Unlimited (Suggested 45 Mins) Price: $34.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 In "My City," you and your companions find yourselves bestowed with a plot of land adorned with 24 identical buildings. Your task is to shape this land according to your vision, orchestrating a symphony of change and evolution. Every aspect of the city is within your hands, and as you progress through the years, building by building, the narrative takes unexpected turns. More structures emerge, and the city unfolds with twists and turns, revealing new developments and challenges. The essence of "My City" lies in its legacy approach, emphasizing gameplay dynamics over an overarching storyline. Over the course of 24 episodes, each a chapter in the evolving saga, the game introduces novel concepts. As custodians of this urban canvas, you decide how to incorporate these buildings into the ever-changing tapestry of your city. 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The design of the game contributes slightly to the overall aesthetic. While it effectively serves the purpose of the game, it falls short of fully immersing players into the world it portrays. However, practicality is not compromised—the cards, buildings, and pieces are easily legible, ensuring a convenient gaming experience. Regrettably, the artwork on the box sets a different expectation than what is delivered in the game. The consistency and awe-inspiring quality one might anticipate for a city-building experience are not fully realized. Nevertheless, the design remains suitable, not detracting significantly from the overall gaming experience. Photos above are property of ESCAPTHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 Playing "My City" is a straightforward process. Each player receives a game board featuring 24 identical buildings, ensuring uniformity among participants. In the center lies a deck of cards, and turn by turn, players reveal and must place the indicated building onto their individual city board wherever they deem fit. A couple of rules govern this process. Initially, when establishing the town, buildings must be located next to a river. Subsequent placements can either connect directly adjacent to another building or hug the riverbanks. The game progresses as cards are continuously unveiled. Players decide when to cease placing buildings, either by choosing not to play, an inability to play more buildings, or exhaustion of the deck. Once any of these conditions are met, points are tallied according to each episode's rule, and rewards are distributed based on the episode's reward descriptions. As previously mentioned, "My City" is a legacy game, implying that it evolves and changes as you advance through its 24 episodes. This transformative journey involves marking up boards for gameplay, essentially turning them into unique individual city locations. While it's recommended for players to remain consistent throughout the entire saga for a cohesive experience, there's a mode available for those who prefer playing without incorporating the legacy elements, allowing for a more standalone city-building experience. 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 "My City" diverges from conventional puzzles; instead, it introduces what can be likened to a Tetris puzzle room. The pieces vary in size, ranging from two to five squares. The challenge lies in strategically placing each square to optimize points, all while navigating the uncertainty of not knowing the next piece. In theory, mastering this task seems simple, but in practice, the game introduces twists with each new building revealed, potentially throwing off your carefully laid plans. It's a delicate balance of adapting to unforeseen challenges. Fortunately, a safety net exists—you can opt not to place a drawn building, incurring a one-point penalty but allowing you to draw again. This introduces an intriguing dichotomy between pushing your luck and strategic planning. Will that one-point penalty hinder your victory, or is it a worthwhile sacrifice to maintain control in this ever-evolving city-building puzzle? 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 "My City" stands as a paragon of simplicity, inviting players of all ages into its delightful embrace. Its brilliance lies in the elegant rule sets that elevate it beyond a mere game—it transforms into a riveting legacy adventure. Unfolding over 24 episodes, the journey is a cascade of surprises, twists, and turns, narrating a captivating story of city-building from humble beginnings to the unfolding mysteries within sealed envelopes. In a single afternoon-evening session, our group immersed ourselves in 10 episodes, a testament to its engrossing nature. Advertised with a 45-minute playtime, "My City" perfectly aligns with expectations. Mastering the mechanics makes completing the game a seamless and satisfying experience. The game system's adaptability is a breath of fresh air; player count is a non-issue, accommodating 2 to 4 players and even offering a solo mode that thrives in its own right. With minimal grievances, "My City" emerges as a robust recommendation. Its accessibility, coupled with nuanced rule variations, beckons players back for more, creating an irresistible allure. For those enticed by the allure of city-building adventures, this game is not just a recommendation; it's a compelling journey waiting to unfold." 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #MikeSchnurr #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #HistoricalFiction #ThamesandKosmos #USA

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Cartaventura: Lhasa Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬 Genre: Adventure Date Played: Novmber 28, 2023 Difficulty (based on 1 player): 2/10 Size of Team: 1-6 Players Time: Unlimited (Approximately 60 Mins) Price: $14.99 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 Embark on an enthralling adventure to find explorer Alexandra David-Neel. In this collaborative game for up to six players, the narrative takes center stage. Journey through Ceylon, India, and the Himalayas to the forbidden city of Lhasa, making critical decisions that shape the rich storyline. With each card drawn, the plot unfolds towards one of five potential endings. This quest is a dynamic and immersive experience, perfect for those who relish a compelling narrative in their gaming adventures. 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The game adeptly unfolds its narrative through thoughtfully designed cards that cleverly form a map during gameplay, offering players a visual guide for seamless progression. Character illustrations are carefully crafted, seamlessly integrating into the game's world with a distinctive style that enhances the overall aesthetic charm. Moreover, the legible and concise text ensures a smooth reading experience, striking a balance that captures the essence of the narrative without overwhelming the players with excessive details. This meticulous attention to both visual and textual elements not only enhances the overall storytelling experience but also contributes to the game's appeal. Photos above are property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 The gameplay of this game is remarkably straightforward, to the extent that a minuscule rule book is almost unnecessary. You're handed a substantial deck of cards and instructed to read through them sequentially. Each card features distinct symbols, with some representing items to be retained for later and others denoting events that unfold immediately. Regardless, the presentation remains remarkably simple as you and your group advance through the game. The cards are arranged in a map-like pattern, offering various locations to engage with. The game unfolds through multiple potential endings, and discovering the so-called "proper" conclusion may require a few playthroughs. Upon completing the game or attaining an ending, a quick card reset readies you for another round of play. This seamless cycle ensures that the gaming experience is not only accessible but also encourages replayability for an ongoing and enjoyable journey. 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 This game doesn't revolve much around puzzles. In fact, there are no puzzles to engage with; it's purely narrative-based. In this game, you and your group collaboratively navigate a storyline, aiming to discover the optimal path leading to the best ending – locating Alexandria David-Neel. The experience is reminiscent of the classic "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" game, emphasizing storytelling over intricate puzzle-solving elements. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 After playing through the game a few times and achieving three of the different endings, the game may not hold the expected level of engagement. Despite offering valuable information and geography lessons, it doesn't quite fit the category of a game one would consistently revisit. Some of the logical leaps or methods of navigation within the game might feel arbitrary. While the card narratives contain subtle clues, they often lack the clarity needed for well-informed decisions, possibly leading to an early loss. Typically, what occurs is that after completing the game and resetting the deck, there may not be a significant interest in continuing the exploration of storylines. There seems to be a disconnect between the initial intrigue and the desire to delve into subsequent playthroughs, impacting the overall replayability of the game. Fortunately, given its affordable price point, this game might appeal to groups interested in historical fiction and narrative-heavy adventures. Notably, there's an entire section in the rule book dedicated to Alexandra David-Neel, making it a potentially engaging choice for those keen on delving into her story. 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #MikeSchnurr #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Adventure #ThamesandKosmos #USA

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: The Adventures of Robin Hood Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games (Board Game) 📬 Genre: Folklore, Heroic Outlaws, Sherwood Forest Date Played: December 31, 2022 Difficulty (based on 2 players): Varies by Chapter - 6/10 Size of Team: 2-4 Players (Ages 10+) Time: 1-1.5 hrs/ chapter (most of ours were on the longer side) Price: $44.99 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 Immerse yourself in Sherwood Forest, as you play the roles of legendary characters: Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Little John, and Will Scarlet. The core story may seem familiar, as the band of merry folk face off against the Sheriff of Nottingham in a series of challenges. Video above is property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ This is a beautiful game and, with the main board being 20.5 x 38“ plus plenty of pieces nearby, it will likely take over a good chunk of your table! The artwork itself is highly detailed and draws you into the land of Nottingham, and we loved how new artwork was revealed whenever you got to flip a tile. While the inset tiles themselves are quite a thick and sturdy cardboard, we did see some lifting of the edges as we progressed further in the game, with repeated prying up and replacement of them. At times, you even completely removed tiles, revealing a 3rd variation on the artwork underneath. The wooden components all feel very durable and high quality, and the main book itself is particularly impressive - a 216-page tome with luxe faux-leather cover and two attached ribbon bookmarks to help you keep your place. I definitely did not anticipate such a cool book at this price point. Overall, we found the game both visually impressive and tactile-y satisfying. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 "The Adventures of Robin Hood" is a campaign-style, story-drivien, cooperative board game, with a bit of a Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) feel. A full play through the overarching story entails 7 chapters, though you make a major decision at the end of Chapter 4 that will send you down one of two possible paths for Chapters 5-6, before a common ending in Chapter 7. It does a great job of starting quite simply and gradually adding new elements to the game play as you work through the first few chapters, reducing the initial cognitive load and time spent poring through rules. You can dive right in! At the start of a chapter, you pick your characters and get a brief prologue, as well as specific setup for that scenario. While you can play with just two characters, we found we preferred playing with all four, even when just the two of us were playing. You will be working to accomplish a specific mission before you run out of time, though you don’t always know exactly what the ultimate goal is when you begin. There is often a searching element, where you will be moving to interact with specific tiles. Once there, you will refer to the story book (dramatic reading opportunities!) to see what happens, and you may have a choice to make. There is also combat, where you attempt to defeat the enemy by drawing sufficient white cubes out of a bag. While hand-to-hand combat requires close proximity, use of a bow (if you have one) naturally can be done from a greater distance. This creates a trade-off between actions that help you to accumulate white cubes versus other things you might prefer to do. You can accumulate items as you play, each of which provides a specific benefit - like weapons that improve your fighting ability or gold that allows a character to take an extra turn. Each character’s turn consists of movement, followed by combat, inspection of a person/place object, or passing of an object to another character. There were several mechanics that we really appreciated for their combination of simplicity, innovation, and realism. Character movement occurs by stacking the character’s pieces end-to-end, ensuring that they are not passing through any objects in the landscape. You can either conserve your strength by using just some of your pieces (and gain a white cube) or use them all to go further. Optimizing movements of the various characters thus becomes a key aspect of the game. Turn order varies each round, as you pull discs out of a bag symbolizing each of your characters, as well as extra turns, the movement of opponents, and passage of time. As mentioned earlier, there are also many inset “tiles” within the gameboard, which can be flipped over. Depending on the scenario, different tiles will be in play, and interacting with the same tile may have different results in different chapters or even when replaying the same chapter. This variation adds complexity and also realism - people don’t say the same thing every time we talk to them in real life, nor do we always find the same objects or critters when walking through the woods. In terms of minor criticisms, we sometimes ran out of specific cubes and wished that a few more had been provided. There was also one chapter in particular early on that seemed to require a lot of luck and generated a lot of frustration (and replays) until we ultimately succeeded. While we don’t mind some element of luck, and that was true to some degree in all chapters, it felt a bit out of scale in that one, and it was especially unfortunate to have it so early on in the experience. However, these were but small bumps in the epic journey! Finally, we were incredibly surprised by the extent of replay-ability! Of course, you can go back through, making the opposite decision after Chapter 4 to try to alternate scenarios. On top of that, however, there are a whole slew of additional challenges and side quests that get introduced when you play through the campaign additional times. We still have not accomplished them all! This makes even replaying the same campaign multiple times an intriguing option. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 This not a puzzle game, though there is one minor puzzly bit included. However, there is good cooperative strategizing to try to accomplish each mission. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 We had a fabulous time playing this game! In fact, after playing through to the end the first time, we immediately wanted to start over to try the other path and the provided variations. And when we finished THAT, we went online to see if any other scenarios had been created. It has WAY more replay-ability than we anticipated, and we won’t be passing it along as we originally planned…we still have quests to complete and items to uncover! Plus, we were stoked to hear that there was an expansion coming out…stay tuned to hear our thoughts on that one! In the meantime, we’d call the base game innovative, engaging, and great value given the quality of the components and variation in gameplay provided. It was right up our alley. If you’re down for a new twist on a cooperative board game that is heavy on story, we absolutely recommend picking up The Adventures of Robin Hood and embracing your inner (good-hearted) outlaw! 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #DaveBristol #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Fantasy #ThamesandKosmos #USA #ExitTheGame

Photo above is property of Thames & Kosmos Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: The Crew: Mission Deep Sea Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬 Genre: Trick-taking, Cooperative Card Game Date Played: June 30, 2022 Difficulty (based on 2 players): Scales up Size of Team: 2-5 Players (Ages 10+) Time: Approximately 20 Mins/ per mission Price: $14.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 You are a team of deep-sea explorers, led by Captain Meg Diver on the research ship Pyke. You have been hired to follow up on some mysterious underwater archaeological finds…but the people in charge have been surprisingly cagey as to any details. What could be in store?! While the story only marginally impacts gameplay, the little flavor text for each mission does help to set the sea-n and make you feel more like part of a subaquatic exploration team! 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ This is primarily a card game, with both a 40-card main deck and a deck of 96 task cards. The main deck has some understated but lovely artwork showing 9 different underwater scenes. It’s easy to miss these in your focus on the suits and numbers while playing, but it’s worth taking the time to appreciate them! Thoughtfully, the four main suits are represented not only by color but also by symbol, providing a great alternative to identify them if distinguishing colors is a challenge. There are also several robust cardboard tokens (1 distress, 5 sonar) and a sturdy cardboard standee, representing the captain for the mission. Overall, everything looks and feels well-made, and gives off those deep sea vibes! Photos above are property of Thames & Kosmos 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 "The Crew: Mission Deep Sea" is described as a mission-based, cooperative trick-taking game. For each mission, the 40 cards will be dealt out to the players. Whoever has the 4 of subs is designated the Captain for the mission, and will lead the first trick. Based on the difficulty of the mission, there will also be at least one (typically more) “task cards” to be divvied up amongst the captain and crew. These task cards encompass a variety of individual challenges, such as taking or avoiding specific cards during tricks (e.g., win the blue 5, win a trick that only has odd-numbered cards, or don’t take any green cards) or winning a certain number of tricks (e.g., take five tricks, or take fewer than everyone else). Although each task is associated with one player, the crew must collaborate to accomplish them all. Based on the mission, these may be chosen or assigned in different ways. In cases where players can choose what challenge(s) they take, they may not communicate why they choose (or don't choose) the tasks. Play proceeds as in a typical trick-taking game. One person leads, and then play moves clockwise, with each person playing one card in the same suit if they have it. If they don’t, they can play whatever they like. Highest card in the led suit wins, unless a trump card (a sub, in this case) is played, in which case the highest trump takes it. Whoever won the trick leads the next one. This continues until all tasks have been successfully completed, a task has been irreparably failed, or all cards have been played. There are two other mechanisms to help you complete your missions. First, once tasks have been assigned but before you begin playing, any player can activate the distress beacon, which means each player will pass one card to another player. The cards must all be passed in the same direction (right or left), but you can decide as a group which way you want to pass. Whether you feel you can’t complete your assigned task or are concerned that your hand will interfere with someone else completing theirs, this is a great way to try to make the hands more favorable to completing the mission. It feels a bit like cheating (at first), but is a great way to ease into the different strategies needed to succeed. Second, while you can talk as you play, you are not allowed to give information about your cards, with the exception of using your sonar token. Once per mission, you can place a card on the table, and use a sonar token to indicate that it is either your highest, lowest, or only card of that suit. (There is a handy “reminder” card you then place in your hand, to help you remember that card on the table is still in play!) This is a great opportunity to share some critical info with your teammates to help you all achieve specific tasks. There are also ways that the missions can be made more challenging, in addition to simply having more tasks that you must accomplish! These include restrictions on the use of the sonar tokens, specifications as to how tasks must be assigned, and time limits on completing the mission (though this one is always optional). There are 32 missions in the logbook, with a final challenge to keep your team going after that! They do a nice job of easing you into the difficulty and different mechanics, with the first few missions being quite simple, but scaling up greatly in their challenge over time! The main game is meant to be played by groups of 3-5, and the number or difficulty of tasks that you will get is scaled to the number of players that you have. They also have a 2-player variant that we tried out. In this case, the Captain for the mission also directs “Tonoja,” assigning their tasks and choosing which cards they will play. They initially have a row of 7 face-down and 7 face-up cards; when a face-up card is played, any remaining card below it can be turned face-up. This variant was an interesting challenge because the Captain had incomplete info on Tonoja’s hand, yet was trying to play it. However, the non-Captain player had more information than usual as to what was in another player’s hand. So it seemed to balance things fairly well. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 This is not a puzzle game, but it will work some of the same muscles. You will be practicing your collaborative communication skills, in some ways like a split information puzzle with limitations on your communication. Assessing your own cards, deciding which tasks you might be able to achieve, re-evaluating your strategy as you gain more knowledge each round, and determining the best strategies as you play in each trick also has a bit of the feel of solving a complex puzzle, where you gain new clues as you go. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 We really appreciated the scalable challenges in The Crew: Mission Deep Sea! The missions start off very easy to help you learn the rules and gameplay, but they get incredibly challenging and complex as you get deeper into them. We are big fans of collaborative play, and this was a great implementation of a cooperative trick-taking game. The scalability of player size from 2-5 also seems very well-done (though we only actually played at 2, 3, and 4). We will note that this may not be the best one to play with children or people who are less familiar with trick-taking games, unless perhaps everyone is at that similar skill level. As it can be clear when other players have made an error that made a task impossible, having one less-skilled player can end up making them feel self-conscious or frustrated. Yet, when we played as a couple or with other gamer friends, it worked really well. If your group has a habit of playing games like Hearts, Spades, and Euchre, this game would make for a fantastic change of pace! It provides those same moments of joy and frustration as it unfolds. The variations across the mission parameters as well as the 96 possible tasks cards gives this game a lot of replay-ability as well, as you work to make your way through all of the missions in the logbook (and beyond)! The short duration of each mission also makes this a great game for when you only have a little time, though we often played multiple missions in a row. Overall, this is a fun and challenging addition to our game shelf, and portable enough that we can easily bring it along to game nights or when we travel! 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, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Thames & Kosmos 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. #DaveBristol #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Tricktaking #Cooperative #ThamesandKosmos #USA

Photos above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Company: Thames & Kosmos Game: Dead Man on the Orient Express Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Puzzles By Mail 📬 Genre: Detective, Murder Mystery Date Played: July, 4, 2020 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 6/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Players Time: Unlimited Price: $14.95 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 We were playing the role of famous private detective Achilles Pussot. A murder happened on the Orient Express and there were 8 suspects. We had to find the killer before the train reached Constantinople! 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The game came in a small cardboard box that's quite easy to carry around. We've bought them on cruise ships before and with its vibrant colors and intriguing graphics, it easily attracted a crowd of spectators. The game came with: 1 Decoder disk, 86 Cards, 2 Strange items, 3 Sealed Sheets, 1 Book and 1 Rule book. These were the usual items you'll see in Exit the Game (although the amount of items may vary). There's a free app (German/English) that you can download which contains soundtrack, digital timer and information about the game. You'll need pencil, paper, watch (if you want to time it yourself or you can use the app), and scissor for the game. 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 If you don't want to read the rule book, download the app for an audio instruction on how to set up and play the game. I really enjoyed this alternative as I discovered that there was also a narration of the story on the app as well. It definitely set the mood for me. If you don't want to do neither, I'll try to give a quick summary here. Since there's no game board, you'll just need to set up the riddle, help and answer cards into three separate piles. Do not open or take anything apart (like the strange item and the 3 sealed sheets) until instructed to do so. Start with the decoder and the booklet. The booklet should give you a clear starting point. Treat the booklet as if you were in an actual escape room. Anything you discover in the photo should be examined (so if you found a riddle card, you can pick it up in the pile). Think of the decoder disc as locks in an escape room. There are symbols on the edge of it. These symbols should coordinate to items in the booklet and on the riddle cards. Once you put everything together, you'll know when you have enough information to open a "lock". Once you unlocked a "lock", you'll be awarded by a number on the decoder wheel. Take this number to the same numbered card on the answer sheet and receive further instructions from there. If you get a red X on the answer card, that means you gave the wrong code to the "lock" and you'll have to go back to solve it again. The game play should be quite smooth from there on. If you get stuck on a certain puzzle, just look at the help cards with the symbol you need assistance with. We like how the help cards had a tiered system on giving the hints out. The 1st card revels minimum amount of information and if you need a bit more, you can look at the 2nd card. If you really can't figure it out, the final card gives you the solution. 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 The puzzles tries to mimic certain actions you'll have to take in a real escape room. Searching seems to be what was required quite often in this game. There were definitely moments when we got stuck on a puzzle because a certain object was "hidden" quite well in the graphics. The puzzles were mostly logic puzzles with a few deductive reasoning types. It was interesting for us to have a different hypothesis on who the killer was right from the start. Throughout the game we were able to find clues and hint as we solved different puzzles. Since we each had our eye on who the killer was, the game actually became semi competitive. We started to gather information on how to make our suspect the killer. It was pretty fun to turn a collaborative game into a race for the truth. In this game, we had a few "realization moments". Exit the Game are usually great at hiding these. The "crafty" puzzles that they embed in the graphics are normally undetectable until you actually piece them together. We love those "oh" and "wow" moments. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Exit The Game really want the players to feel like they were playing the game in a real escape room. From the detailed drawings of the train cars to the portraits of the suspects, it all helped to build the story and images in our heads. We really enjoyed the different tales behind each character. The soundtrack made it feel like we were traveling on a moving train throughout the game. Since we love to keep games after playing, it's always a sad moment when we have to "destroy" a game piece. This game is not replayable so once you escape, there's really no point in keeping it but we still like to keep it as a memorabilia. We never play these games with a timer as we like to enjoy them for the full experience rather than rush through them. But if you are feeling competitive, the scoring card at the back of the rule book (or the app) will be able to help you determine how many stars you earned for escaping! Check out our interview with the creators to understand more on the development side of the game: (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 Thames & Kosmos 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. #ESCAPETHEROOMers #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #ThamesandKosmos #ExitTheGame #DeadManontheOrientExpress #PuzzlesByMail #BoardGames #Detective #Mystery

Photo above is property of The Deadbolt Mystery Society Company: The Deadbolt Mystery Society Game: The Inheritance Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Game 📬 Genre: Mystery Date Played: August 12, 2021 Difficulty (based on 1 player): 4/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Players (Ages 13+) Time: 2-3 Hours (Suggested 1-3 Hours) Price: $24.99+ for one offs or save with monthly subscription 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 The McClains are the quintessential “old money” family, and legend has it that part of the success of the heads of the family stems from an old family heirloom - the McClain medallion. The current patriarch, Edison McClain, has gathered the family for a test to see who is worthy as his heir to the medallion and his fortune. However, the medallion has gone missing, and you have been called in to investigate and find the culprit! 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The box contains a variety of high-quality, color, paper-based items, as well as one red-filter magnifying lens. Despite being all paper-based, there is quite a variety of items, including a family tree, a map, postcards, puzzle booklets, forensic evidence, and much more. The overall look is quite slick and well-produced. In addition to what you find in the box, there are a number of digital components, ranging from pdfs to audio files and interactive 360-degree images. My laptop initially had some issues with the interactive images, but they worked fine on my phone. 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 As Dave was out of town, I tackled The Inheritance solo, and it took me about 90 minutes. The top of the box has a nice “Start Here” card that walks you through what to do (e.g., starting by double checking that you have everything on the online “Contents List”) and gives you a number of helpful hints. While there is nothing particularly surprising on here, I think it’s a really nice touch to establish expectations, whether for beginners or even enthusiasts, as some of these things can vary between companies. Next, there is a “Beginning Brief” that introduces you to the backstory, as well as some case notes on what you know so far. Now it’s time to start investigating! There are then a variety of items you have initial access to, as well as two sealed envelopes that you do not open until instructed. You begin walking through a series of puzzles, which largely tell you specific suspects to eliminate or occasionally sites around the mansion to investigate. Most of the flow is quite linear (guided by numbered puzzles in the puzzle booklets), but there are a few that can be solved at any time once you have the materials. You also do a bit of deduction as you discover some other clues along the way! You must have a QR scanner and internet access to view the online components, which are essential to solving the game. 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 The Inheritance contains quite a few decryption puzzles, along with others like visual searching and comparison, logic, and math puzzles. I appreciate that, while there are a number of decryptions, they are never longer than a sentence so as not to become too tedious. I also love the setup for the first logic puzzle, which really helps you organize and visualize your answer. There are also classic crime game aspects of deduction and cross-referencing. Most of the puzzles are fairly straight-forward from an enthusiast standpoint, but that may well be part of their mass market appeal and success! There are two puzzles that I ultimately needed to consult the hints on; in both cases the issue was an inability to adequately see details in a picture, though I knew exactly what I was looking for. I do wish in those cases that perhaps the images could be provided online (and, in one case, with a better angle or lighting), so that players could more easily magnify the images. Alternatively, the thing you are looking for could be more distinct. Next time, I may need to come prepared with a magnifying glass! Both a “Hints” file and a “Puzzle Solutions” file are available on their website if needed. Each puzzle has its own page in the hints document, so that you do not inadvertently read hints for another puzzle. Some puzzles have only one hint, but the majority are tiered, though these are given one after another on that same page. A webpage rather than a pdf might allow more flexibility to just see the hints you desire in a tiered system. The solutions are just the answers to each puzzle without explanation, presumably since the hints should guide players towards the process, though a fuller explanation there might be appreciated by some. There is also a page towards the end of the Solutions document that explains how each suspect should have been eliminated. I definitely appreciated that they had these documents available, but they did feel a bit lower production quality than the other game materials. Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Deadbolt Mystery Society (DMS) is a monthly subscription box service, but you can buy many of their previous boxes individually, including The Inheritance (at the time of writing). This is only the second DMS box that I have played, the first being The Secret of Easthaven Forest. We really enjoyed that one, so I looked forward to tackling another. In comparison, I did not find the flow or all of the puzzles quite as satisfying this time around, and the story felt a bit less creative. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the high-quality and variety of materials, the online components (particularly the interactive one), and the interactions with the physical components themselves! I also really liked that most of the deduction was based on puzzle answers but some was based on more traditional “mystery game” style clues you discovered along the way. While it was approachable to play solo, there are quite a variety of items in the box, and I can see that you could keep up to 4 players occupied. There are no murders or violence here, and I would say it is family-friendly for older children who enjoy these kinds of games. There is nothing to be concerned about around younger children, but the tone, theme, and puzzle level are less likely to appeal to them (relative to something like Escape Room in a Box). If you are looking for an approachable, classic (murderless!) Whodunnit box with a mixture of puzzles and deduction, with high-quality paper-based materials and integrated online components, The Inheritance might be for you! I certainly look forward to checking out some more DMS boxes in the future. (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) #KristaJones #AtHomeGames #PuzzleByMail #SubscriptionGames #Mystery #USA #Detective #TheDeadboltMysterySociety

Photo above is property of The Deadbolt Mystery Society Company: The Deadbolt Mystery Society Game: Last Resort Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Game 📬 Genre: Mystery Date Played: August 6, 2021 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 6.5/10 Size of Team: Unlimited Time: Unlimited (Suggested 1.5-2 hours) Price: $24.99+ for one offs or save with monthly subscription 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 You've just been notified by your boss at Valley Falls travel agency that you and your colleagues will be going on an all expense covered retreat at Emerald Island. This sounds too good to be true. I guess you weren't expecting a killer to join you on this vacation? Hopefully this won't end up being the last resort you'll ever stay in... 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ Last Resort came in a small cardboard box with an haunting cover image that looks like we're about to embark on Skull Island. Inside you'll find an intro card, a beginning brief, a collectible card, a resort brochure, staff and guest cards, staff interviews, guest dinner conversations, note in Samuel's room, beach ball, a postcard and 3 sealed envelopes. Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 We started by reading everything we could get our hands on. The guest and staff cards along with the conversations really helped us paint a clear picture on each character's personality, job position and their relationship with the others. These cards also came in handy during the killer elimination process. Taking notes will definitely help as there's a lot of information given right at the beginning that you'll need for the latter part of the game. One tip I do want to give to the players is that you should write down all the answers. There were times when we wanted to go back to read a previous clue but had to enter the answer again after scanning the QR code. The first postcard should serve as a practice puzzle as it was quite straight forward. Once you know the answer, scan the QR code and type in the answer in the given input box. If it's correct, you'll get your next instruction on how to proceed. Sometimes you'll get another puzzle and other times you may be instructed to open up a sealed envelope. The narrative parts between each QR scan were our favorite parts of the game. Every time we would discuss and guess who's the killer before proceeding to the next round (only to find out we're wrong). The excitement and build-up remained high for the entire game. Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 At times you might be overwhelmed with all the information but this is where your detective skills comes to play. The Deadbolt Mystery Society does a great job at giving subtle hints on images or text to the players so that they can piece together the appropriate clues. We really enjoyed this type of puzzle design as it's not handed off to you in plain sight but you also didn't have to make logic leaps. Some answers were simply buried in plain sight where as others needed deduction, calculation, decryption, etc...I loved how the creators were able to tie the storyline before the puzzle to either a location or an action being done by that character. Ultimately when the puzzle was solved, the true status of that character was revealed. Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 This is our first Deadbolt Mystery Society game and I think we've became an instant fan! This is one of our favorite storylines that we've played in a puzzle box game. It's super twisted and reminded us of a mixture of "The Purge", "Hunger Games" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer". If you are a big fan of murder mystery and like shows that actually kill off characters, you won't be disappointed with this game. The ending was also very unexpected. I already can't wait for my next Deadbolt Mystery Society adventure! And for fans of collectibles, they don't just have the collectible cards and cool stickers in the game! (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank The Deadbolt Mystery Society 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. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #PuzzleByMail #SubscriptionGames #Mystery #MurderMystery #TheDeadboltMysterySociety #USA #Thriller

Photo above is property of The Deadbolt Mystery Society Company: The Deadbolt Mystery Society Game: Murder at Cape Anna Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Tabletop Game 📬 Genre: Mystery Date Played: April 13, 2023 Difficulty (based on 3 players): 6/10 Size of Team: Unlimited (Recommend 3 Players) Time: Approximately 2 Hours Price: $28.99 USD 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 They just couldn't let you have a day off. Even in the sleepy scenic seaside town of Cape Anna, there is no rest for the detectives of the Will Street Detective Agency, when what was supposed to be a relaxing retreat is disturbed by a sudden and very public murder, and what was supposed to be a vacation has now turned into an investigation. Just back from attending a symposium on modern day crime solving techniques, you find yourself meandering in thoughtless reverie through the merriments of the colorful and lively Founders Festival, when you are suddenly arrested by what your sight unmistakably recognizes to be the all too familiar and alarming decoration of yellow police tape. You have accidentally stepped into an active crime scene. As you stop to examine this gruesome exhibit you are approached by the local police, who are completely unprepared and dumbfounded by the circumstances of the crime, and now turn to you to ask your expert hand in helping them solve this cryptic killing. How ironic, you were just coming from a talk on crime solving techniques, and now have to actually solve one. But this is no practice test, and if you fail this pop quiz who knows what innocent victim could end up dead next. There's no time to ponder on the seemingly never ending calamities that seem to fall - as if from the creators above - upon the heads of the Will Street Detective Agency. There's a body that demands justice, and a murderer on the loose! You start to suspect there is more than meets the eye to this quiet and unassuming town. Look under the boardwalk and find what dark and sinister underbelly lies below its sunny facade. 🆃🅷🅴 ❞🅻🅾🅾🅺🆂❞ The Deadbolt Mystery Society made the move a while back to make their boxes more compact and more mailbox and postage cost friendly. From the outside the box looks quite sleek. The cover art pops right at you, with bold lettering and images, almost like something out of a travel brochure, but with a murderous twist. Sunny Cape Anna, fun on the rocks. When you open the box you find a handy gift bag, and several envelopes, which when opened contain an expansive number of glossy pages, nice to the touch and non-stick. These puzzle pages have a kind of intentionally campy aesthetic, less art than infographics collages. They have mastered the art of using these small canvases to communicate their cryptic content in a frame that is also visually intriguing and clear. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 I always love the first moments of opening a Deadbolt box, uncovering an almost overwhelming number of glossy and colorful information and puzzle pages, and the accompanying thought of all the possibilities awaiting you, stimulating your imagination into a state of joy. But the company has wisely started sequencing the narrative by dividing it into what is first usually a brief collection of starting material, and then a series of envelopes to be unlocked, which gate and contain the various phases of the mystery as it progresses. Deadbolt uses this method of gatekeeping to wisely delineate the flow of the gameplay in such a way as to direct the player, but also keep future narrative developments a surprise. In addition there is a liberal helping of QR codes, used either to access additional digital media information bites, or as a lock through which you enter your solutions to uncover the next stages in the mystery. What I immediately identified about this box, once I finally surveyed the grand mystery which I had now spread before me, was that it was - conceptually speaking - extremely well designed. I mean it had all the virtues of a great tabletop mystery box. It has a kind of introductory phase, and then a much larger and less linear exploratory sequence, which includes a whole lot of puzzles, and finally a kind of deductive period as you seek to put it all together. In terms of the story itself they do an impressive job at setting the scene, and the plot and characters are quite entertaining, all served with a good dollop of fun and cartoony humor. It had a semi believable and engrossing narrative premise, which is a quality that I think is often lacking in your average tabletop game. Gameplay wise it had good flow and kept the player well directed, and the puzzles were varied and well layered. Above all It was intriguing, and fun to play. Once you've got your bearings you just start working through the individual pieces, solving the puzzles and pushing the narrative forward, collecting a greater trove of information, until you have enough material to deductively eliminate all but one of the suspects. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 "Murder at Cape Anna" has a perfect complement of puzzle-puzzles and narrative deduction puzzles. I like the fact that almost all straight puzzle solutions are themselves only the gateway to, and the particular keys of, a larger deductive puzzle, that must then be put together by the players, wherein they take everything they have before them, and everything they've learned and uncovered, and bring it all home to logically deduce the true circumstances of the murder. Its the best of both worlds. The puzzles themselves are quite engaging, varied, imaginative, and then the narrative deduction - which I consider the most intriguing and challenging part of any mystery - really tests your attention to detail, and your ability to identify the special logic at work, which acts as the key to deducing the underlying concept from out the raw and disparate facts, which is often the most creative and novel part of the mystery itself. I feel like the moment you have to pull out the old notebook and begin to really think over the game is when you know its starting to get good. They also do a great job of using imagery, and incorporating physical and tactile puzzles in playful ways, which is a good complement to the reading aspect of the puzzles, which tends to dominate. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Did it live up to the hype? Deadbolt always delivers, and The Murder at Cape Anna struck me as being a very polished, very well thought out and meticulous production, with an amusing and engrossing narrative to boot. Even the early boxes had great design, but I feel at this point Deadbolt has the formula down to a science. On top of that, the implementation of tech and the ubiquitous use of QR codes is now pretty seamless, as opposed to being something of a headache before, which was a common complaint in their earlier days. It has got to be hard coming up with a new story and set of puzzles every month, but I feel like they have such a masterful grasp on the concept that they can consistently deliver unique narratives, exciting scenarios and imagery, and complex yet well designed puzzles. The writing in particular really stands out now. They've created engrossing stories, and injected them with a hilarious brand of campy humor. Month to month, it's always exciting to see what this diabolical brain trust of theirs will come up with next. But where do we go from here, what new frontiers await the art, and what does the format and media reasonably permit? I know they have to tread a fine line trying to please everybody. You can't go too tech heavy, nor could it probably make the full leap into digital form, but on the other hand some creative incorporation of new media could open new and stimulating immersive opportunities, and expand the art form. In the future I would also love to see the production of an epic standalone box, something longer, with more abstract and conceptually dense puzzles, a more expansive narrative, something you can really sink your teeth into, something for the diehards, a serious challenge. I'm sure they will oblige, they haven't once let us down yet. (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank The Deadbolt Mystery Society 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. #AndrewWoods #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzleByMail #SubscriptionGames #Mystery #USA #Detective #TheDeadboltMysterySociety