One of my favourites due to its outstanding third case. 

Table of Contents

Location: Home

Date Played: Jan 2023

Team size: 2; we recommend 1-5

Duration: 1 hour / game; total 3 hours

Price: ~S$48 on Amazon

Premise

"Unlock! Secret Adventures" is a cooperative card game inspired by escape rooms, featuring a straightforward system where players search scenes, combine objects, and solve riddles. This is the third series in the Unlock! lineup and is well-regarded by fans, particularly for its outstanding final case. It includes the following three cases:

  • "A Noside Story"
  • "Tombstone Express"
  • "The Adventurers of Oz"

This box was the first Unlock! box I purchased, and I was impressed by the ingenious use of combining number cards to create new card combinations.

Components

Like all Unlock! series, it includes three cases, each containing approximately 60 cards, a tutorial deck of cards, and an instruction manual. Players must also download the companion app (available for iOS and Android) to play the game. The app serves multiple purposes, acting as a timer, sound effects provider, and clue system, seamlessly integrating with the physical components for an immersive gaming experience.

In this series, players receive a map and a card specific to "The Adventurers of Oz," as well as bullet and card stand pop-outs for "Tombstone Express." I love the quality of these components, especially their sturdiness and high quality.

Gameplay

The gameplay follows a similar pattern across all Unlock! series. Starting with an introductory card, players progress through the game by locating card numbers and solving puzzles using clues from the cards and the app.

The first case serves as a tutorial with no new mechanics, designed to teach players how the game works. The second case introduces several new mechanics and requires players to deduce the murderer's identity by the end. The final case introduces a map and card pop-out mechanics to navigate and solve puzzles.

Puzzles/Thoughts

➕High-Quality Components: The components are well-made and durable, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

➕Engaging Puzzles: The puzzles in all three cases are enjoyable, with only a few exceptions that required hints or solutions.

➕Unique Last Case: The final case introduces a unique mechanic that adds depth to the gameplay, even if it posed a challenge.

✖️Missed the Mark Mini-Game: In the second case, one of the mini-games involving bullets and card stand pop-outs was not enjoyable and proved a bit frustrating.

Verdict

"Unlock! Secret Adventures" is a fantastic box that I highly recommend. It ranks among my top 5 Unlock! boxes due to the overall quality and fairness of the puzzles in all three cases. The high-quality components and engaging gameplay make it a must-try for escape room enthusiasts.

Rating: 5/5

★★★★★

You can purchase it on Amazon here.