Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue (2017) Board Game

Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue is a part of the Unlock! series of escape room-style card games. Published by Asmodee in 2017, the game is designed by Marcel Lupin and features artwork by Florian de Gesincourt. The game is a cooperative puzzle-solving experience where players work together to solve riddles and puzzles in order to escape from various scenarios.

Game Components of Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue

Deck of cards: Includes environment cards, tool cards, and puzzle cards with alphanumeric codes.

App: Used for tracking time, providing hints, and entering codes.

Player manual: Guides players through the setup and basic mechanics.

Cards with hidden clues: Feature letters and numbers that players must find and use to solve puzzles.

How To Setup Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue

To set up the game, players shuffle the deck of cards and draw the initial environment cards based on the adventure’s instructions. The app is downloaded and used to track the game’s progress and time. Players arrange the cards on the table, ensuring all visible clues are easily accessible.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card combination: Players combine cards by adding their numeric values to find new cards in the deck.

Puzzle solving: Use tools and environment clues to solve puzzles, which can involve color, machinery, and logical reasoning.

App interactions: Enter codes and receive feedback, hints, or penalties.

Objective: Escape the scenario by solving all puzzles within the given time limit.

Player Experience

Playing Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue is an immersive experience that mimics real escape room challenges. Players must pay close attention to details on the cards, combining them creatively to progress. The game requires collaboration, especially when solving complex puzzles that involve multiple cards and environmental elements.

Pros

Creative puzzle design: Many puzzles are clever and fair, providing a sense of satisfaction upon solution.

Interactive gameplay: Combining cards and using the app keeps players engaged.

Collaborative: Suitable for 1-6 players, encouraging teamwork and discussion.

Cons

Accessibility issues: Heavy reliance on color and visual details can be challenging for visually impaired players.

Frustrating puzzles: Some puzzles are poorly designed, leading to frustration and penalties.

Physical demands: Close inspection of cards is necessary, which can be tiring and may require additional tools like magnifying glasses.

Personal Thoughts on Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue

Unlock!: Escape Adventures – Fifth Avenue is ideal for fans of escape room games and puzzle enthusiasts. While it has its frustrations, the game offers more moments of satisfaction than frustration. However, it may not be the best choice for visually impaired players due to its reliance on visual clues. Overall, it is a great option for those who enjoy logical puzzles and collaborative gameplay, but it requires patience and close attention to detail.

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