Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat

Difficulty - 2 / 5 Puzzles - 3.5 / 5 Theming - 3.5 / 5 Creativity - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 5 / 5 Overall Score - 4 / 5 As mentioned in my previous ETR review the main similarity with these games and the EXIT games is the use of a decoder wheel but I personally prefer the way EXIT does it with the cards to check you are correct. The main issue with the ETR decoder is you have to line up the same two symbols on the wheel to know you are correct; in a way this gives you instant confirmation but it also makes it way easier to "brute force" an answer. If you manage to line up one symbol but are uncertain on the full answer this makes it too easy to just cycle until you find the answer. The puzzle flow of this game is incredible at no point was I uncertain where I was upto or where to go next making the game feel seamless. The instructions and guidance throughout are great and although we did not need it hints are available online via their website. The puzzles within ranged from jigsaw-esque puzzles to physical tactile puzzles. Although the tactile puzzles were fun it did slow the game down significantly and only allowed for one player of the group to work on progression of the game, whereas all of the other puzzles could allow multiple players to work on it simultaneously. When I initially opened the box I only saw 4 puzzle envelopes which was significantly less than the previous box but this game opens up to more than it first appears. I personally preferred the theming and the story of this box over stargazers manor as you got a lot more background information and development throughout. Overall I'd say this game is an absolutely fantastic box for both beginner and intermediate level puzzlers; although those with a lot of puzzle experience may find the puzzles a little on the easier side. The game is also fully resettable and you do not destroy any of the contents.

➕Logical and Enjoyable Puzzles: The puzzles in the game are logical and enjoyable, with none considered unsolvable or unfair. Each puzzle typically took 5-10 minutes to complete. ➕Easy to Reset: Since nothing in the game is torn or written on, it's easy to repack and pass on to others, allowing multiple groups to enjoy it. ➖Adequate Components: The game components are functional but not particularly impressive in terms of quality. ✖️Geared Toward Beginners: It leans towards the easier side of puzzle difficulty, making it more suitable for beginners. Experienced escape room enthusiasts may find it lacking in challenge. "Escape the Room Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat" is a neat game, ideal for beginners in the escape room genre. While it doesn't introduce any revolutionary concepts, it provides an enjoyable experience. The logical and accessible puzzles, along with easy resetability, make it a solid choice for those new to escape room games.

I wasn't a huge fan of this ER box. The experience is fairly linear which is one of my personal dislikes for table top rooms.

The variety of puzzles sets this series apart. There are rope puzzles and other types of object manipulation beyond the cutting that you may be used to from the Exit series. Also, the narrative is much stronger than either Exit or Unlock.