If you have read my previous post, you will have seen that we had just played the Unlock! Exotic Adventures game. This is another range of Unlock! adventure cooperative card games, which is called Unlock! Heroic Adventures.
This card game follows a very similar format to those real escape rooms but here you can play in the comfort of your own home. The game requires players to cooperate to search scenes, combine objects, and solve riddles, in order to solve the puzzles before the timer runs out. There are three full one-hour scenarios in the box, as well as a 10 minute taster game to get the hang of how to play.
This game is required to be played alongside the free Unlock! app via Google Play or App Store. Once downloaded, an internet connection is not required during gameplay. After launching the app, players must select the box, then the game language: they are directed towards the adventure selection screen. There are quite a few adventures listed on the app, so make sure you click the correct adventure which is the Heroic Adventures for this occasion.
The app is very easy and intuitive. On your phone or tablet screen, it 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.
As you play the game, you might find that you are stuck or not sure what you should be doing next. The app has a hint system for you to use by simply hit the Hint button on the app and then type in the card number that you are stuck on and the system will give you some help to get you on your way but sometimes no hints at all!
This game is for one to six players, and for ages 10 and above. Each game will take around an hour to play but it’s usually a little bit more for us! Inside the well-made box, it comes with three sealed decks of adventure cards plus a ten-card tutorial and instructions. The ten-card tutorial allows you to learn how to play without reading the game rules. The tutorial only lasts 10 minutes or less. It can be shorter or longer depending on how fast you are able to solve it. We skipped the tutorial as we had already played a number of these now, with the first being the Unlock! Escape Adventures game.
For this Unlock! Heroic Adventures game, it consists of three captivating adventures: Insert Coin (easy – one lock), Sherlock Holmes – The Scarlet Thread of Murder (medium – two locks) and In Pursuit of The White Rabbit (hard – three locks). We decided to play the easy version: Insert Coin mainly because of the gaming pictures!
In this adventure, you climb up the ladder to the attic where your grandpa’s dusty old arcade machine is stored. Now you need to find a way to play this arcade machine to kill boredom but how? Search for clues around the room to get a coin to play the game before dinner time!
For this adventure, it has slightly more advanced interactive riddles and games to play via the app than the rest of the range we have played so far. The whole game is packed full of complex puzzles and it was very tricky to play! Yet again, we managed to overrun the game by 10 or 20 minutes. We did get a number of time penalties for keying in the wrong codes.
Whenever you find something or need a clue, go to your app for help. We love having the sound on but sometimes we do find it makes it hard to concentrate at times. But it does create the right level of tension!
There are a few hidden numbers on the pictures, so make sure you check each card carefully. Also, some pictures are connected with one another to give you more clues like stacking on top of one another!
As I mentioned earlier, we didn’t manage to find our way out within 60 minutes, but the time on the app will continue counting until you solve it. We all find this game is super fun to play, especially as a family game. It challenges us on many levels with head-scratching puzzles. There is also plenty of satisfaction in store when you manage to crack the code! There are many hidden numbers on the cards and it is important to inspect each card carefully. It can be frustrating when we fail to grasp the designers’ train of thought. We keep asking why and what to do next! We did end up seeking additional hints by going onto the maker’s website for the step-by-step solution. Hopefully, you will do better than us, but if you need a helping hand, please visit: https://www.spacecowboys.fr/unlock-solutions-english
As I mentioned in two of the Unlock! blog posts, we love this type of game very much, but once you complete all three adventures, there is not much play value again but we will keep it for half a year or more to re-play it. We’ve tried this already with the Escape Adventures game and you will be surprised how little of the solution you remember!
The game is inexpensive to buy, so it is worth getting this game to play with your family and friends for an evening’s entertainment. I would highly recommend it to anyone! This game can be purchased from all good toy retailers, as well as national retailers such as Argos, eBay and Amazon. We can’t wait to play to solve the crime with Sherlock Holmes in The Scarlet Thread of Murder and Pursuit of The White Rabbit with Alice in our next two adventures in this range with our friends!
Disclosure: We are members of Asmodee UK Blogger Board Game Club. We received the sample for the purposes of writing this review, however, all thoughts and opinions remain our own. We have included an Amazon affiliate link to the product. If you click on this and buy, we may earn a small commission.
