EXIT: The Game - The Return to the Abandoned CabinThames & KosmosEscape roomTabletopNeat little cabin set with hidden secrets, it was cool that some items were 3D and not just flat paper. I played this on my own and liked it, the puzzles were varied and some were a bit challenging. I'm not a huge fan of all the huge stacks of cards you have to flip through and I don't like that the game can only played a single time since you have to cut up/destroy some of the items. But overall it was enjoyable enough if you are stuck at home and can't make it to a physical escape room. I recommend playing this solo or with one other person.
EXIT: The Game - Advent Calendar - The Missing Hollywood StarThames & KosmosEscape roomTabletopMy spouse and I enjoyed playing this, it was our first experience with EXIT games and we are looking forward to playing another one of their Advent Calendars next year. The puzzles were varied and fun, some were quick and took only a minute while others were a bit more involved. Nothing felt too hard, we rarely used any of the hints. They did some creative things with the box which we really liked. The narrative was also pretty interesting with each room progressing the story, the ending felt satisfying. Since the puzzles were more on the easier side, I wouldn't recommend more than 1-2 players.
Squirrels Gone WildSpencer is PuzzlingEscape roomTabletopFun puzzles with a cute narrative, I really enjoyed this. The artwork/graphics/photos were cute, especially if you like squirrels. The puzzles were challenging enough with nice "aha" moments, they were not too easy or hard. The hint system was well implemented in that it it progressively gives you information to nudge you in the right direction without telling you the answer. I appreciate the online answer checker too, though you don't have to use it if you don't want to. You may need to do some quick Googling from some of the puzzles but they make that clear in the intro. My favorite puzzle was actually the bonus/secret puzzle because it added new layers to existing things. I also thought the ending result was satisfying with a narrative choice. I played this with my spouse, but it is playable solo too. You can reset the game if you are careful about what you write on, no other materials get destroyed. Note that we did play a pre-production version but everything was already very polished and felt final enough.
Box Two By Neil Patrick HarrisTheory11 OnlineEscape roomTabletopEnjoyable but it has some issues, Box One is so much better. Pros: ➕The materials are high quality, great production value ➕Some magical reveals ➕Great for fans of Neil Patrick Harris ➕Playable all in one sitting unlike Box One ➕Can be played solo or with a partner ➕Fully resettable and regiftable ➕There is nothing directly related to Box One. If you haven't done either game, and are only playing one of them go with Box One. If you are going to do both, play this one first before Box One. Cons: ➖Chatbot function was annoyingly limited and required for most of the game. It feels like it was handholding a bit too much. ➖One puzzle was particularly tedious, though some people may enjoy the format ➖The story/narrative was weak, nowhere near as good as Box One ➖The puzzle flow can be a bit confusing due to how the puzzles jump around between objects
