Boardgames - Escape the Crate

The OB (Original Box)

 

 

Publisher:

Escape the Crate

Designers:

?

Artists:

?

Languages:

English

# of Players:

? (I recommend 2-4)

Age:

12+ (I'd say 10+)

Duration:

60-90 min (depending on the box, and chosen difficulty)

Weight (Physical Components):

85g - 145g (typically around 100g)

Weight (Puzzle Tallies):

10-13 Locks, 20-22 Deductions, 16-18 Tasks

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample game components (credits: CrateJoy)

• Since I ended up trying "Escape the Crate" right after "The Conundrum Box", I couldn't help but notice the crazy number of similarities between the two. Was the former just a rip-off of the latter?
• After looking it up, I found out that EtC was, in fact, the older of the two, having been around for five years.
• Unfortunately, since I'm not a fan of plagiarizing my own material, that means I'm going to refer you back to my TCB review for most of the game mechanics. Everything is more or less the same, as far the website - and the core mechanics - go. I'll specifically focus on the differences below.

• Subscription boxes get sent every two months. Contrary to TCB, older boxes can indeed be shipped to Canada.
• While the "sealed envelope" mechanic is also commonly used, it's not as prevalent. The games will often provide "locks" in postal card (or even business card!) format. "Opening" those will provide additional clues through the website only.
• Another recurring pattern is to have completely different things shown on each side of a sheet or card. (For instance, a scenery picture on one side, and an old scroll on the other.) The website might provide instructions such as "at this point, ensure that the following sides are up, without looking at the other ones".

Pros

• Overall, my friends and I have preferred these boxes over the aforementioned competition. While EtC games could be seen as "lighter" and "shorter" as far as puzzles go, they also have better signposting.
• I also felt the website did a better job at implementing both branching and linear narratives.
• The shared storyline (the players always incarnate EMIT agents on a mission) means you can easily enjoy playing the boxes in any order.
• The accompanying materials (audio descriptions professionally recorded, video teasers) are very nice.

Cons

• Once again, the price is a sore point. Even if you pick the "pay for four boxes at once" option, to get a rebate, the shipping costs to Canada will increase your total cost by 60%.
• With many clues delivered by the website itself, this is another game you can't play everywhere.
• While I got used to it myself, I could picture players thinking that the "mismatching styles" of sheets and cards do break immersion.

Other considerations

• Once again, I'll refer you to this blog post for suggestions of ways to enjoy those games while sparing your wallet.
• EtC offers a number of free trial games. While those are online-only, and significantly shorter, they do give a general idea of what EtC puzzles are like.
• In recent months, the company has begun offering "Virtual Games" - that is, fully online games with no physical components, running through the popular Telescape engine. They've also announced plans for converting all their "permanently retired" games into virtual format.
  While I don't normally write reviews for such games, I wanted to point out that I did try a few, and was favorably impressed. There are plenty of Telescape games based on real-life rooms which aren't as enjoyable.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've played personally)

• The Midnight Express
• Escape the Confederate Spymistress
• Escape the Queen Anne's Revenge
• Escape the Colosseum
• The Trials of Houdini
• Escape the Lost Colony
• Extinction
• The Heist of Bonnie and Clyde
• Escape the Queen's Curse
• Inferno
• Outlaw
• Escape the Silver Screen
• Escape the Titanic
• Murder in the Forgotten Tomb
• Rock N Roll Spy
• Escape the World's Fair Killer
• Quest for the Lost City
• Investigation Reports: Mothman
• Escape the Mothman
• Escape Alcatraz
• Escape the Mardi Gras Murders
• Escape the Circus Heist
• The Games of Olympus
• Escape the Moon
• Escape the Ripper
• Escape on the High Seas
• Escape From Ice Age Park
• Murders in the Speakeasy
• Escape From Camelot
• Escape the Ruins
• Safe-Cracker
• The Roswell Incident
• The Gold Rush Robbery

Boardgames - The Conundrum Box

The REAL conundrum: how to actually get those boxes

 

 

Publisher:

The Conundrum Box

Designers:

?

Artists:

?

Languages:

English

# of Players:

? (I recommend 2-4)

Age:

12+ (I'd say 10+)

Duration:

60-150 min (depending on the box, and chosen difficulty)

Weight (Physical Components):

105g - 225g (typically around 150g)

Weight (Puzzle Tallies):

9-12 Locks, 20-30 Deductions, ~20 Tasks

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample game components (credits: CrateJoy)

• The Conundrum Box operates primarily as a subscription-based service, meaning that the "preferred way" of consuming their products is to subscribe to a monthly package.
• Each such package is a stand-alone game, although there have been cases where a given storyline stretched over a few months.
• Every box is meant to be played using an internet connection. You'll be given a URL for the current adventure, along with a password to enter on the website to get you started.
• Through that same website, you'll get story elements, the occasional clue, and ersatz locks in the form of password-locked pages.

• In each box, along with documents and a few physical components, you'll find sealed envelopes, which can, in turn, contain more envelopes. You can only open those when the game website tells you to.
• There's no real "time limit" - at least not in the game interface itself. You can provide your own timer, and the game does propose three different time limits to choose from, depending on your experience level. The website will also tell you when to start and pause that timer.
• As shown above, every puzzle comes with an extensive set of hints, down to the actual answer you need to type in.
• The basic subscription is handle through CrateJoy. Older boxes can be purchased directly from the company's website, but 1) those are more expensive, and 2) they only ship to the US.
• Boxes are meant to be replayable by others, but some components might require to be cut, or written on. As far as I've seen, replacement for those components are available online, along with reset instructions.

Pros

• The overall game mechanics do a great job at mimicking that "Escape Room feel", without having to rely on actual locks.
• The storylines are significantly more developed. Some elements even extend through several boxes.
• While mostly paper-based, the puzzles remain varied and clever nonetheless.

Cons

• I know this is a recurring argument, but as with all internet-dependent boxes, you'll be limited in when, where, and how you get to play those boxes.
• Likewise, the price point is (again) quite problematic, especially for Canadians.
• Even if you start off thinking: "Ah well, 38 bucks for a new box every month, that's pretty reasonable.", the problem is that shipping to Canada is another 27 bucks.
• And then you might think: "Fine then. I'll just order a bunch of boxes at once, to consolidate shipping costs." Well, the base cost for an older box is significantly higher (50 bucks each), so you might have to buy a lot of them to even out those costs...
• ...except that wait - you can't have those older boxes shipped to Canada! As far as I've figured out, your sole option for old boxes is this Etsy page, which, once again, seems quite expensive. Expensive enough to warrant, in turn, customs fees.
• I initially felt that the puzzles were uneven - some fairly easy, others way too hard. I've since come to the conclusion that it's more of a "signposting" issue. Figuring out which puzzle you're supposed to solve next can be fairly hard in some cases. Furthermore, older boxes had few non-linear puzzles, and lots of "use this clue to obtain another clue for the next task". Recent boxes appear more streamlined.

Other considerations

Let's be more practical, now. How can you get to try those darn boxes?

• Used boxes
  There's a very strong second-hand market for boxes such as these. Check out Facebook market places to see if someone if you general vicinity happens to be reselling those boxes.
• Group purchases
  Might be easier to shell 70$ for a box knowing that friend A will buy it back from you at 35$, before selling it back to friend B for 20$...
• Boardgame libraries and cafes
  If you favorite board game cafe lets you borrow and play games on site, you could convince them to get a subscription. Even better if this is an Escape Room venue with a side boardgame cafe. 😁
• Boardgame conventions
  While I don't bring all my game boxes to events such as Ludo-Outaouais, I do bring several, and I wouldn't mind handling "special requests". I can't be the only one around. Look it up.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've played personally)

• A Mardi Gras Mystery
• Anastasia: The Lost Princess
• Escape from Sleepy Hollow Box 1: Washington's Spies
• Escape from Sleepy Hollow Box 2: The Awakening
• Escape from Sleepy Hollow Box 3: The Headless Horseman
• The Great Explorers Society and the Orient Express
• The Storyteller Box 1: Aladdin's Lamp
• The Storyteller Box 2: Scheherazade
• The Emerald Isle
• The Agency
• Sleight of Hand
• Welcome to Wilde World
• Temple of the Sky Gods
• The Artemis Rescue
• Werewolf’s Call
• Escape from Nottingham Jail
• The Dinosaur Heist
• The Great Explorers Society and the Forbidden Temple
• Tall Tales
• The Sorcerer's Legacy
• The Last Viking
• Maui's Curse
• Christmas Escape Room Box
• Valentine's Day Adventure
• Summer Box
• Escape the 90s Mall!
• The Harvest Festival

Boardgame - The Hincks Gazette - Bluefish Games

"♫ I read the news today, oh boy... ♫"

   
   

Publisher:

Bluefish Games (https://www.teambluefish.com/)

Designers:

Ace & Anna Ellet

Artists:

?

Languages:

English

# of Players:

1-2

Age:

? (I'd say 10+)

Duration:

60-120 min (no actual time limit)

Weight (Physical Components):

5 g

Weight (Puzzle Tallies):

1 Lock, 6-10 Deductions, 6-7 Tasks

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample headline (from the publisher's website)
Showing more would spoil too much...

• I won't be spoiling much by pointing out that "The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks" includes Issue 1 of "The Hincks Gazette", a single-sheet newspaper filled with puzzles, both obvious and hidden. Team Bluefish took that concept and just rolled with it, turning the Gazette into a monthly game that you can subscribe to. As I write this, it's been going on for almost a year and a half.
• Every month, you'll receive this single, folded broadsheet of newspaper paper.
• The game mechanics are also similar to the boxed games, as you need to access the company's website to get hints and/or validate your solution.
• The general process is always the same: take a look at the newspaper, looking for something you could readily solve. The solution of the first puzzle will guide you to the next, and so on, until you finally have a final keyword to enter on the website.
• While the subcription model is the one most advertised, it's also also possible (although slightly more expensive) to order back issues. (While you can't combine shipping costs, there is a "pick any 2" option that is actually cheaper than the monthly subscription.) Both subscription and back-issue purchases include worldwide shipping.

Pros

• The overall sense of cleverness that can be found in the boxed games is definitely present here, too. The puzzles are relatively varied, well-clued, and enjoyable.
• Humor is also omnipresent, not only in the headline article, but also in all the puzzles and features.
• As my tallies suggest, while these are officially "a couple hours max", there still is a lot to do in those. I played with 2 friends, and although it's true that we were playing very casually and avoiding hints as much we could, we ended up feeling that a Gazette could easily fill an evening.

Cons

• Once again 🤷‍♂️, it's hard for me to readily encourage spending ~9$Cdn for what is essentially a single sheet of paper (albeit a sizeable one). But then again, it's not an unreasonable amount either, considering that it includes postage and that you shouldn't get any extra charges.
  Honestly, I'm not sure what would really satisfy me, here... being able to buy a whole year at once, at reduced cost? Some "partner program" allowing local ER companies to sell older Gazettes in their venues?
• Technically speaking, I don't believe these would really count as "Escape Rooms in a Box" (or it is a book, then? I can't even justify why it wouldn't be a book), unless you treated an entire year's worth of them as one single game... And even then, I'm sure that people who care about physical components won't feel fully satisfied by a dozen newspaper pages.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've read personally)

• Issues 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Volume 2, Issues 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Boardgame - The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks - Bluefish Games

"♫ Livin' it up when I'm goin' down ♫"

Publisher:

Bluefish Games (https://www.teambluefish.com/)

Designers:

Ace & Anna Ellet

Artists:

?

Languages:

English

# of Players:

1-4

Age:

? (I'd say 10+)

Duration:

120-240 min (no actual time limit)

Weight (Physical Components):

145 g

Weight (Puzzle Tallies):

10 Locks, 26 Deductions, 20 Tasks

BoardGameGeek Reference:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/311017/curious-elevator-mr-hincks

Game Design & Mechanics

Game components (from the publisher's website)

• At first glance, this game could fail to grab your attention. It comes in a fairly unassuming box (well, or so I've seen - I bought a used copy and had it put in a manilla envelope to save on shipping 😅), and the components are mostly paper and cardboard - nothing fancy.
• But on a closer look, you'll notice that all those components are quite varied nonetheless: business cards, postcards, blueprints, activity books, a sealed document (which you can open right away), and even an old-fashioned printout. Oh, and a pencil, too. (So you see, it's not just paper. 😜)
• To start the game, you need to connect to the official game website. You'll see the eponymous elevator, in which you'll find a clickable "gift", a clue meant to steer you in the right direction. Some are interactive, but most just provide enough info to let you figure out which game component(s) you should now be focusing on.

• If you manage to succesfully deciper the clues, you should end up with the "password" you need to enter in order to move to your next floor. That's it!

• There is no enforced time limit, nor any timekeeper on the website.
• Every floor has its own Hints section, at the bottom of the page. The first hint always tells you which physical components you need, then the following hints lead you to the password, with increasing details.
• Note that one component is destructible, meaning that you can't easily reset the game again & again. When buying a new copy of the box, you get two replacements in a sealed envelope. I don't want to spoil here, but I will, further down...

Pros

• The puzzles are quite varied, and they do pack a lot of punch. My friends and I really felt that every "gift" was just that - we never knew what to expect.
• The visual esthetics, while sober, fit the whole theme nicely.
• There's a lot to say for the humor in the game. While the storyline is definitely slim, whenever text does show up, it's filled with entertaining jokes and quips I absolutely loved.

Cons

• Since using the website is mandatory, this isn't a game you can bring on a camping trip.
• As always, the cost (about 50$Cdn) can seem prohibitive when compared to other "Escape Rooms in a Box" found in boardgame stores. And because of the destructible components, buying a used copy or borrowing one also becomes trickier...
• That being said, let me be clear on this: if you were to buy one of those slightly-expensive, order-by-mail boxed games, I think it should be this one.

Other considerations

• The company itself suggests ordering through European site Escape Merch if you don't live in the US. Even from Canada, you end up saving ~15$ by doing that.

House Rules & Suggestions

Like I said earlier, one game component is destructible, and finding about it is actually a nice surprise, so I suggest you just play normally with your copy of the game, then come back here...

Ok, so you're running short on that December calendar and wondering what to do next? Here are a couple suggestions:

• Make your own
  I had assumed that the calendar effect had been made by putting clear, matte varnish on the right numbers, and Ace from Bluefish confirmed that it was in fact fabric spray (specifically, this one). You could print another copy and do the same.
• Play a parlor trick
  If you're just lending the game and are actively watching your friends play it, you could keep a re-dried copy of the sheet around, and put a regular photocopy in the box. When your friends reach the point where they'd wet the page, say that you'll do it for them, and bring them back the re-watered original page. Not as impressive as if they'd done it themselves, but you end up with the same result.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've read personally)

• The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks
• The Curious Stairs of Mr. Hincks

Boardgame - Escape Puzzle - Ravensburger

Picking up the pieces

  
  

Publisher:

Ravensburger

Designer:

Johannes Schiller

Artists:

Alexander Jung, Jonas Jödicke

Languages:

German, French, English, Italian, Spanish, Dutch

# of Players:

? (I recommend 2-5)

Age:

12+ (I'd say 9+)

Duration:

30-90 min for the puzzle-solving part (in my opinion)

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample game components

• The box contains the expected 759 pieces... plus a few dozen more. For some "technical reasons", the "outer frame" of the puzzle is also cut into pieces and dumped in the box. So as the rulebook explains, you need to sort these straight rectangular pieces, and dispose of them.
• Speaking of the rulebook, it's not so much a "book" as a collection of single-page rules, in several languages. The instructions are relatively vague, giving you a bit of backstory and inviting you to complete the jigsaw puzzle before "looking for the mysteries and hidden clues" on it. The rules will also tell you the exact number of things you need to solve (typically 6 or 7).
• Now, I understand that you might be unsatisfied with the vague description those rules provide, especially if you're reading this post with the hope of figuring whether or not you should purchase one of those boxes. So here's a basic explanation if you want: Several border pieces have numbers of various length on them. By studying the picture, you should identify clues that combine to yield a number matching one such puzzle piece. Once finished, the 6-7 pieces you obtained should be combined into a new image that can superposed over the main puzzle in a way that will "resolve" the storyline.
• In case you were wondering: no, the image shown on the box is not the exact same you'll be putting back together. However, it's not a completely-different-but-with-the-same-theme image either (as was often the case with "whodunnit" jigsaw puzzles). The box picture is similar enough that you'll often be able to rely on it.
• The box contains a sealed envelope with a "solution sheet". Don't expect much, though - the sheet only show the "final result" of the game, along with a one-line congratulatory message.
• To get "proper" hints about each puzzle, you should check out this website, which provides extensive hints in every supported language.

Pros

• The whole "jigsaw" gimmick is clever and well-rendered. If you're a jigsaw puzzle fan in the first place, you should definitely look into it.
• If some members of your household are more into jigsaw puzzles than Escape Rooms, this can be a great project to collaborate on.

Cons

• These puzzles might make you painfully aware that you're not into puzzles as much as you thought. 🙄 Honestly, I don't think I had ever tried a 750-piece puzzle before. Now, well, I'll know better.
  Another thing you might not expect is how hard jigsaw puzzles can be. 😛 A number of pieces have the exact same shape as others, and we ended up placing a wrong piece a number of times.
• The fact that you need to pick out the "outer border" pieces seems to me like a lame cost-cutting measure from Ravensburger - they didn't want to pay someone to take out those extra bits, so they have us do it. 🤨
• Likewise, having to go to a website to get proper hints also seems like a way to save on production costs. Meh.

Suggestions

Here are a couple suggestions that might help you get started:

• When you see numbers on border pieces, those numbers should always be aligned in the same way, for any of the four sides. So if you have a couple numbers oriented differently, they likely go on a different border.
• In general, you can expect the larger fixtures (big furniture, rocks, trees, etc) from the box cover to be in the exact same place, while smaller details might end up being moved, changed, or gone altogether.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've played)

• Greenhouse
• Toy Factory
• Unicorn
• Forbidden Basement
• Wolf Pack
• Witch's Kitchen
• Temple
• Space Observatory
• Vampire
• Dragon Laboratory
• Submarine
• Laboratory
• Artist's Workshop

Boardgame - Puzzle Postcards - The Enigma Emporium

"♫ Address unknown... No such number... ♫"

 
 

NOTE: I received a review copy of the original "Wish You Were Here".

Publisher:

The Enigma Emporium

Designers:

Khiara Foss, Logan Giannini

Artists:

?

Languages:

English

# of Players:

1-5 (I recommend 2-4)

Age:

14+ (I'd say 10+)

Duration:

30-90 min per card, 5 cards per set

BoardGameGeek Reference:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/279328/wish-you-were-here

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/297375/copycat-files

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/297372/blowback-wish-you-were-here-part-ii

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/297373/parabola-wish-you-were-here-part-iii

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample game components

• Let's start off with one big clarification: puzzle postcards aren't real postcards. In a market where some puzzle designers will mail you boxes and envelopes on a regular basis, one might easily suppose that this is another subscription scheme, and that you'll be receiving actual postcards. Nope. In fact, every "episode" is a set of 5 cards, packaged in an envelope. Should you purchase a whole series at once, you'll get a cute tuckbox to keep those envelopes in.
• The initial game, "Wish You Were Here", was pretty much a stand-alone product, but then sequels came out, and eventually the whole set was repackaged as "Series 1", just in time for a "Series 2" Kickstarter.
• Now, it's hard getting into the game mechanics without spoiling anything, so I'll stick to the basics. Every individual postcard hosts 4-6 puzzles on its two sides, and you'll have to figure them out. In general, those puzzles will follow a certain pattern through all five cards (ex: having to find a date on each card, or the name of a country, etc), which means that the very first card will typically require a bit more ramp-up, as you figure out those patterns. There are no time limits.
• Every game (with the notable exception of "The Copycat Files") also has some sort of "meta plot" through which you'll end up validating most of the answers you found, over the web. Sometimes you can do it one card at a time, other times it'll be all lumped at the end (better keep those notes handy 😉), but by the time they're done, players who care about plot should be satisfied.
• Like I just said, you'll need an internet connection handy, not only to gather any missing knowledge you might require, but also to visit fake websites (and a few real ones - you'll have to send the occasional codeword to certain email addresses). Likewise, hints and complete solutions are available on the company's website.

Pros

• The puzzles are fairly diverse, reasonably challenging, and highly entertaining. There are lots of clever ways of hiding information on a small piece of cardboard. 😍
• The visuals felt pretty slick to me. Somehow, the cards kept making me look forward to the mysteries lying ahead.
• Some of the storylines felt particularly engaging.

Cons

• It might be hard justifying a cost of 15$US for 5 shiny pieces of cardboard. 🤔 I do think the cost-vs-time ratio makes the purchase worth it, but in the end that's your call to make. I do suggest going for the "full series" season package, and make group orders if you're in Canada.
• The need to keep a computer nearby somewhat cancels the game's light weight. This might not be the right game to bring on camping trip...
• While the puzzles are quite original, there is some repetition from one envelope to another, meaning you might want to wait a bit between them. (Paradoxically, you'll want to play individual cards in a relatively short period of time, so you don't lose track of the game premise.)

Other considerations

• If you're on the fence about trying out this product, have a look at TEE's Facebook page, which offers a plethora of visual puzzles. While typically simpler than what you'll see on the postcards, they still give you an idea of the sort of things you could expect on them.



Haven't even solved this one yet...

• Even better, as I write this, TEE is still offering a free PDF version of "Wish You Were Here", as a form of "COVID stress relief". You can get it on their website. Let's hope it'll convince you of the product's worth.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've played)

• Series 1: Predator or Prey
• Wish You Were Here
• The Copycat Files
• Blowback
• Parabola
• Series 2: Cycle of Learning
• Trial By Cipher
• Migratory Patterns
• Cryptic Cryptids
• Veritas

Boardgame - Scooby-Doo: Escape From the Haunted Mansion - USAopoly

"♫ You know we got a mystery to solve... ♫"

Publisher:

USAopoly (The Op)

Designers:

Jay Cormier, Sen-Foong Lim, Kami Mandell

Artists:

Rob Lundy, Rick Hutchinson

Languages:

English

# of Players:

1 or more (I recommend 3-4)

Age:

12+ (I'd say 10+)

Duration:

? (there are 2 chapters, which I'd say can take 1 to 2 hours each)

BoardGameGeek Reference:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/302344/scooby-doo-escape-haunted-mansion

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample game components

• Guess I should start off by pointing out that this game's mechanics are very reminiscent of Kosmos' Adventure Games series, which I reviewed just a few days ago. However, since those are two distinct offerings, I don't want to force people to learn about it through another post. Consider yourselves warned, though - it might read as if I'm repeating myself in a few places.
• The game main components are two decks of cards that you only reveal whenever you're asked to.
• Map Tiles are numbered, oversized cards. As you explore the game setting, you'll be allowed to pick and place an increasing number of them on the table, building your "board" as you go.
• Clue cards are regular-sized, and also bear a unique number. Those cards can show you an item everyone can now use, or an interesting document, or even a "close-up view" of part of a room.
• The game also includes a series of "Secret Envelopes". Those too, are numbered, and opened whenever the game tells you so.
• The whole "Mystery Machine" gang is present, both as cardboard standees and as paragraph-filled Narrative books. For most of the game, though, you won't have access to all of them at once. 🤔
• Contrary to what you might expect, players don't get to "pick" a character for themselves. Everyone plays in turn, and on their turn they just pick one of the available characters, move it somewhere on the map, then perform one action with him/her.
• Here's the kicker: characters have one single action associated with each of them: Velma "researches", Shaggy "eats", Daphne "uses", Scooby "smells", and Fred "investigates". (Yeah, the difference between Velma & Fred isn't clear to me either, but as you'll see, it won't matter much.) So the character you pick also indicates the action you want to perform. You grab the corresponding book, and look up a paragraph number constructed from the parts you want to interact with.



Rulebook example

• The most basic action is to explore a specific area within a room. Map tiles bear a bunch of 3-digit numbers, so a character can interact with every nook & cranny by reading the corresponding paragraph out loud.
• Inventory objects (which have shorter numbers) can be combined one with another, by merging their digits to create a 4-digit number, and checking if a corresponding entry exists in the Narrative book.



Rulebook example

• The Narrative books can even be used to validate the occasional puzzle, as long as its answer is a 4-digit code.
• While the game can - of course - be played in one sitting, it's broken down into 2 chapters, making it easier to pause in-between. The game box even includes an empty envelope you can use for storage.
• You start off the game with a "supply" of 20 Scooby Snacks. Whenever you make a particularly poor decision, or try an incorrect solution, you need to "eat" one. Your remaining snack count will then affect your final ranking.
• If stuck, there is a "hint table" at the back of the rulebook. You can look up a room name to get a list of paragraph entries, which will give you incremental hints. Higher-level hints will also cost you Scooby Snacks.

Pros

• The game manages to convey a pretty good "Escape Room" feel - so much that I've decided not to mark it with the infamous #notquite tag, in spite of the lack of a time limit.
• With envelopes, cards and paragraph books, the game leverages all the best mechanics out there.
• The game does a wonderful at conveying the "Scooby-Doo" feeling. I'm sure fans could mimic the characters' voices while playing.
• Overall, the puzzles are varied and clever. I really enjoyed them.

Cons

• The "characters are actions" mechanic is probably the weakest one of the game. While I understand the intent, it feels a bit artificial in several places.
• I've seen people complaint about the game "not having been tested enough", although I personally haven't struggled the way some of them have. I did notice that some of the paragraph numbers listed in the hint table just don't exist, but that's the worst I personally experienced. Apparently, others had to deal with missing components, and other such annoyances.
• Speaking of the hints, despite the attempt at providing incremental help, there are no illustrations of any sorts in them, and so I suspect that some folks are bound to get annoyed at not properly understanding a solution.

Errata

• As mentioned above, the Hints section seems slightly buggy. I've prepared this alternative instead. (An empty space between two hints means that the hints are about different topics.)
• One of the hints implies the use of a "number 19", with no such number present. It should really be "91".

House Rules & Suggestions

For more competitive gameplay, I suggest you do the following:

• More expensive hints
  Every time you look up a hint, if that hint does offer some useful knowledge, eat one Scooby Snack if it's in a white column, and two if it's in a yellow one.

Boardgame - Adventure Games - Kosmos

Crossing that line (so be it)

  

Publisher:

Kosmos

Designers:

Matthew Dunstan, Phil Walker-Harding, Chihiro Mori

Artists:

Martin Hoffmann, Maximilian Schiller, Johanna Rupprecht, Folko Streese

Languages:

English, German, Dutch, French & more

# of Players:

1-4

Age:

12+ (more for some scenarios - I'd recommend 10+ for the tamer ones)

Duration:

270 min (broken into ~90 min chapters)

BoardGameGeek Reference:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/57030/series-adventure-games-kosmos

Wait! Is this even an "Escape Room in a box"?

Fair question. One thing I've noticed in recent years is that the line between what is an "Escape Room", and what isn't, has become increasingly blurry, and that isn't really surprising. Most forms of entertainment go through phases where "standards" are established, followed by a phase in which those standards will be transformed and expanded. Game genres tend to pollinate one another all the time. When talking about the "origin" of Escape Rooms, for instance, you'll see folks saying that it all began in 2004, when Toshimitsu Takagi created a single-room puzzle adventure game in Flash. I've seen others say it began in 1988, when two brothers decided to use HyperCard for something it really wasn't meant to. Personally, I think if you're gonna go that far, you might as well say it all began in 1975, when a divorced computer programmer tried sharing his love of speleology with his daughters. Just another thing we can all "agree to disagree" on.

So anyway, I did not intent to review this series at first, especially since it doesn't even advertise itself as an escape-room-style game. However, I've seen many people regularly bring it up, and the fact it's got the exact same size that those EXIT boxes doesn't help... I ended up changing my mind for this particular game. I still don't expect to publish reviews for this, or this, or this, or this, or this...

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample game components

• The game is primarily made of two decks of cards that (as always) you only reveal whenever you're asked to.
• Location cards (they have different names in each game, but the idea's the same) are oversized cards identified by a single letter. As you explore the game setting, you'll be allowed to pick and place an increasing number of them on the table. Some cards might also end up replacing others, as things change in the game world.
• Adventure cards are regular-sized, and typically bear a single number (although each game has special cards with other codes). Those cards can have all sorts of effects and instructions, but for the most part they'll show you an item you can now use.
• The game will typically ask you to perform one of these 3 things: "Take card X from the deck" (if it's not there, just keep going), "Put card X back in the deck", and "Put card X back in the box" (meaning it's out of the game for good, whether it was still in the deck beforehand or not).
• Before the game starts proper, each player will have to pick a character from the 4 offered. (If you're playing solo, you'll be asked to pick 2 and play for both.) Although they don't have any special stats per se, you'll find that they'll respond differently to some of the game events.
• The final game component is the Adventure Book, a whole bunch of numbered paragraphs. I'll explain how this works below. There are also textual descriptions of every Location card. You must read those out loud the first time you enter a location, and can check them again whenever you like.
• When it's your turn, you'll be allowed to 1) trade item cards with other characters in the same spot, 2) move to a different location, 3) perform one action at that location, and 4) trade items once again.



Rulebook example. By looking up entry 1015 in the Adventure Book,
you'd be told to put card 10 in the box, then take card 12 from the deck.

• The most basic action is to explore a specific area within a location. Those cards bear a bunch of 3-digit numbers, so your character can investigate every nook & cranny by reading the corresponding paragraph out loud.
• Inventory objects can be combined one with another, by merging their two 2-digit numbers into a 4-digit one, and checking if a corresponding entry exists in the Adventure book.
• Likewise, you can try to "use" any object in a location by merging the card's number with any of the 3-digit code, and look for a matching 5-digit entry in the Adventure book.
• The Adventure Book can even be used to validate the occasional puzzle, as long as its answer is made of numbers.
• Every game will have its own extra rules. For instance, "The Dungeon" has a "wounds" system, while "Monochrome Inc." has an "alarm level".
• While each game can - of course - be played in one sitting, it's broken down into 3 chapters, making it easier to pause in-between. The game box even includes baggies you can use for storage.
• The Kosmos app, available for iOS and Android, lets you enter paragraph numbers to have them read to you.
• At the end of every chapter, you'll be awarding yourself points by following the game's instructions.
• If stuck, there are some hints at the end of the rulebook. You can look up locations or card numbers in them.

Pros

• The "paragraph book" mechanic works pretty well. I wish more games had it.
• The way different characters will react differently to one-time events means that not every playthrough's the same.
• There are multiple ways to solve some of the obstacles you'll encounter along the way.
• Story-wise, the game plots have several interesting twists and turns.

Cons

• Well, like I said at the very top, I wouldn't consider these to be Escape-Room-in-a-Box in the first place. Aside from the absence of time limit, the puzzles are majorly "inventory-based", like, well, computer adventure games (duh), and don't feel very escape-room-ish.
• I'm not quite how to phrase this, but the game mechanics seem to be... counter-effective somewhat. I mean that this is game that should inherently be about searching every nook & cranny, but doing that will likely get you into trouble. This paradox seemed even more obvious in "Monochrome Inc.", where the difference between a smart move and a dumb one can really be subtle. 🤨
• Depending on the order in which your perform some actions, the 3 chapters might not be of even length. I've had a 150-min one followed by a 45-min one.
• The hints, too, are somewhat uneven. You can be told "combine this card with number X", but whether or not you'll be told how to obtain that second card seems a toss-up.

House Rules & Suggestions

To get the best gameplay experience, I suggest you do the following:

• No turns
  Unless a special rule is currently in effect (you know, something like: "lose a life after every turn you play until..."), I wouldn't bother about having every single character play in sequence. Just pretend everyone else is "passing".
• 3 characters minimum
  Having more characters allow you to make strategic decisions regarding who handles what. The game suggests picking 2 characters if you're playing alone, but I suggest picking 3. Likewise, you could add 1 or 2 characters to a 2-player game, which brings me to the next suggestion...
• Assignments optional
  Unless your group of players really cares for sticking to one character each, you could even go one step further, by having the players go in turn, but have them pick any character they want to use during their turn. Leave those characters in front of their respective "owners", but let others borrow them on their turn.
• Score-affecting hints
  If getting "free hints" seems wrong to you, just subtract 1 point from your final score for every "useful" pointer you got from the Hints section.

Currently Out (underline bold titles are those I've played)

• The Dungeon (played with 4)
• Monochrome Inc. (played alone)
• The Volcanic Island

Boardgame - The Network - The Escapement

The Net Worth

Picture from the official website

Publisher:

The Escapement (https://theescapement.bigcartel.com/)

Designers:

The Escapement

Artist:

None?

Languages:

English

# of Players:

1-6 (I'd recommend 3-4)

Age:

14+ (due to a few violent scenes)

Duration:

? (I'd say 3-6 hours)

Game Design & Mechanics

Sample contents from the box

• For those not in the know, The Escapement is an Escape Room venue from Margate in the UK. I happened to visit it in 2019, during our family trip, and we had a great time there.
• The first thing you get from this mysterious box is a letter from the "Interesting Circumstance Division" of something called "The Network", a secret organization operating in the UK. They've been compromised, and have decided to ask for help where their enemy would not expect it, namely: your place. 😄 That same letter will refer you to the game's website.
• Most of the box's contents is split into 3 large envelopes, which you only open when being instructed to.
• As instructed in the first video, you open the first envelope, have to figure how to get a code out of it, and then enter that code in the website, leading you to another video, and so on.
• At each step, you can use the "Remote Support" button in the corner to "open a ticket" and request automated hints on whichever section you're currently working on.
• The box is intended to be single-usage, with pieces you break down and a few things you're supposed to write over.

The ICD portal

Pros

• The visuals are very slick, very modern. We're far from Unlock!'s brigthly-colored boxes. Likewise, the video sequences are well-made.
• The production quality of those materials is also quite high. Nothing like your average "montly mail-order" box.
• The puzzles are fairly varied. Each of the 3 envelopes felt like playing a slightly different game.

Cons

• The price point is a concern, especially for us Canadians. If you're in the UK, having the box sent to you will roughly cost you the same as a couple Unlock! boxed sets. Even sharing delivery costs with a few friends, that box still cost me the equivalent of three such boxes. Hard to argue this is "worth" as much fun as nine Unlock sessions.
• Given the above point, the fact that the box isn't intended for reuse makes it a hard sell. (That being said, I was careful with the components and I could picture other folks playing with my box, even though a puzzle or two would provide a lessened experience.
• Although that didn't happen to us, I could easily picture the hint system failing to help some players - the hints are never quite explicit, and I could picture a group misunderstanding one of the pointers...

House Rules & Suggestions

To get the best gameplay experience, I suggest you do the following:

• Play over multiple sessions...
  The three envelopes can be easily be played in 3 different sittings. (Besides, as I said above, they kinda feel like 3 different games.)
• ...but keep your notes
  The browser might not track which part you had reached, so you might have to reenter your old codes first.

Boardgame - Cluebox: Schrödinger’s cat - iDventure

The cat's out of the... box?

Picture from the official website

Publisher:

iDventure (https://idventure.de/en/cluebox/)

Designers:

"Blackwood"

Artist:

None?

Languages:

Almost no text (Hints available in German & English)

# of Players:

1

Age:

14+ (because of the box's fragility? I'd say 9+)

Duration:

60 min (45 min for a better challenge)

Game Design & Mechanics

Animation from the official website

• I'm sure you've seen a "puzzle box" at some point. You might even have seen some for sale at an Escape Room venue. (Heck, you might have encountered one inside a room, lucky you. 😏) In general, they're boxes with hidden mechanism that you need to figure out, in order to open them. As a general rule, the first trick will be well-hidden, and once you get past it, you'll be able to perform a new operation, then another, and so on.
• This box officially plays the "escape room in a box" angle by suggesting a time limit, but also by having a few "gating points" where you'll have to examine what you have, solve a puzzle, then "enter the right code".
• Unfortunately, I can't say much else about the box itself, without spoiling things. Let's just point out that the box is made of laser-cut birch pieces, and assembled by hand.

Pros

• Not too big and good-looking, the box can easily become a conversation piece in your living room, or a nice addition to an escape room lobby.
• The box offers a good mix of "escape-room style" puzzles and "classic puzzle box" ones.
• It can be used to hide a small reward, like a shiny coin for a kid, or even an engagement ring, perhaps?

Cons

• The term "Escape Room in a Box" is definitely an exaggeration. This remains a puzzle box, although the lock-style puzzles are nice.
• The box can feel a bit fragile - possibly more than it actually is.
  Funny side note: I needed more time to open the box than my kids did, and while it might just be because I'm dumb 😛, I believe that I lost time because I wasn't trustworthy of the box's initial state. What if something's stuck? Was if this isn't supposed to happen? Those fears were unfounded, and my children were able to tackle the box with the prior knowledge that I had managed to open it.