Unlock: Escape Adventures Game Review (Age 10+) Sent by Asmodee

Our latest review for the Asmodee Blogger Boardgame Club is the very exciting collaborative card game, Unlock: Escape Adventures. This is along a similar format to escape rooms and requires the players to cooperate to solve lots of clues and puzzles, in order to escape before the timer runs out. There are 3 full 1 hour scenarios in the box, as well as a 10 minute taster game to get the hang of how to play.

Unlock: Escape Adventures is stored in a beautiful box which is a little big for purpose and very strong. The game is entirely played using a set of cards and a free to download app. The cards themselves are gorgeous, but you have to wait to see them as looking at them will spoil the game. DON'T LOOK AT THE CARDS until it's the right time...

The app. is quick to download, works incredibly well and is very easy and intuitive. Your phone or tablet screen shows your timer counting down and a button for hints, hidden objects, penalties etc. Some of the cards in play have a machine or computer etc. which has a unique number on it. By typing the unique number into the app. you can solve these puzzles and know instantly if you got the solution correct.

One player is reader and reads out the scenario card to start. The other cards in the pack must only be turned over when their number or letter is shown, or when they can be used in a sum.

Sums are random and must be the total of a red tagged card and a blue tagged card. You spot potential clues which go together, e.g a key and a locked drawer, add the numbers and check the pile of unused cards to see if there is one with that number. If so, turn it over and you will reveal an answer e.g. whatever was inside the drawer.

We love this game. It's so beautiful that it's really a joy to play and the illustrations are clear enough that we could all see them around the table. My almost 9 year old also played and enjoyed Unlock, although his 10 year old brother really got as much out of it as we did.

We are rubbish. We completed the training/taster game in well under 10 minutes and felt on top of the world! After 60 minutes we still hadn't completed the first game and were locked in. We didn't look at the rest of the cards and find out what we should have done though, because we enjoyed it so much and feel so competitive about it that we WILL get it out this weekend and complete it.

It's an absolutely brilliant game. There was a little tension, especially as the timer counted down and we knew we were missing something obvious, but no arguments and we really worked incredibly well as a team. Everyone brought different skills to the table and everyone solved some of the puzzles.

At £26.99rrp this is a big investment for a game which you can only play once, but with 3 full stories inside, they are well worth the £9 each for an evening's entertainment (or more if you can't solve it first go!) It's fantastic fun and cheaper than just 2 of you seeing a movie.

Unlock: Escape Adventures is suitable for 2-6 players aged around 10+, distributed by Asmodee and available to buy now priced £26.99rrp from all good games stockists, including independent games shops instore and online, including Amazon (*aff).

We were sent our copy of Unlock:Escape Adventures for review as part of the Blogger Boardgame Club. *Amazon links are affiliate, in the hopes I will one day earn my fortune, or maybe just a fiver, to help keep the website running. I earn a few pence when you buy through my link, but you don't pay any more.