Card Game: Unlock! Scheherazade’s Last Tale

Unlock! Scheherazade’s Last Tale is the second scenario in Asmodee's Exotic Adventure Series following Night of the Boogeymen. Scheherazade’s Last Tale is an intriguing scenario with genies, magic lamp, flying carpet and evil sorcerers. Here's the plot... Scheherazade is in danger and she has one hour to tell one last story to the Sultan, but she’s out of ideas. The scribe she asked to help her come up with a story has gone missing! You have to find him and bring him back as soon as possible with a tale to please the Sultan.
For those who are unfamiliar, the Unlock! series is a cooperative card game inspired by escape rooms that use a simple system that allows you to search scenes, combine objects, interact and solve puzzles. Yup, all with a deck of sixty cards! Unlock! utilize only cards and a companion app that provides clues, check codes, monitor time remaining, etc.

SETUP
The card backs feature (at first glance) random numbers and the face cards are color-coded: yellow cards need a four-digit unlock code, grey cards are informational, green cards require manipulation and interaction with the app, blue and red cards combine to open/discover new things. The basic idea is, you pair the blue card and red card, add their numbers together and reveal that card if it’s in the deck (hence the number on the card backs).

I would recommend a calculator handy to help with the addition if you are playing with kids. Also, the deck order out of the box is random. Considering you have 60 minutes on the clock, I would re-order the cards sequentially (numerical and alphabetical) to save on time when looking for cards as you discover new clues.

GAMEPLAY
The scenario starts off with a sense of impending danger and almost immediately you are out exploring the surrounding of the palace looking for clues as to the whereabouts of the missing scribe.

In general, the game mechanics are relatively simple- in each room, you look for clues, hidden objects, and information. Pair them up by combining the blue and red cards and reveal the next card for more clues/information, solve the combination code and progress to the next room.

The puzzles on this adventure are truly unique and creative! Remember the 'choose your own adventure' books from the 90s? Basically, you have to make choices to determine the plot's outcome. Initially, we were confused when presented with different paths to take but when we realized this was the unique element in the adventure, we really got into it and wanted to see how the game plays out. Once again, this game mechanic exemplifies the uniqueness of each Unlock! adventure that continues to surprise!

The puzzles Scheherazade’s Last Tale is probably one of the most diverse and utilize the app a lot more compared to the other Unlocks! that we've played to-date. Some are fun and clever but a handful is frustrating especially when interacting with the puzzle on the app.

If you get stuck, you can call for hints on the app to keep you moving. Each card is associated with a number, input that number into the app to get help for the card. The hint system is very well done. It has 2-3 levels of reveal without giving too much away initially. Once you get to a yellow card and obtain the 4-digit code, you type the code in the app to progress (or not) to the next room.

OVERALL
Scheherazade’s Last Tale is very engaging and the art is absolutely gorgeous! We didn't manage to find the scribe in time as we collected quite a number of penalties for incorrect answers when interacting with the machines. We feel some puzzles are a little vague and we had to 'guess' our way to progress to the next room, which was frustrating. This isn't one of the best we've played but the storyline is very engaging and the use of the app is very clever.

Card Game: Unlock! Night of the Boogeymen

This is our third Unlock! game after the enjoyable Unlock! Squeek & Sausage and the intriguing Unlock! The Nautilus' Traps from Asmodee. The scenario for Unlock! Night of the Boogeymen is quite a fun one! Little William has been having sleepless nights as of late and has been attacked by monsters from nightmares: the boogeymen! You have to seek out the monsters and fight them... but be careful; William is sleeping, and you can't wake him up!

For those who are unfamiliar, the Unlock! series is a cooperative card game inspired by escape rooms that use a simple system which allows you to search scenes, combine objects, and solve puzzles. Yup, all with a deck of sixty cards! Unlock! utilize only cards and a companion app that provides clues, check codes, monitor time remaining, etc.

SETUP
The card backs feature (at first glance) random numbers and the face cards are color-coded: yellow cards have four-digit unlock code, grey cards are informational, green cards require manipulation and interaction with the app, blue and red cards combine to open/discover new things. The basic idea is, you pair the blue card and red card, add their numbers together and reveal that card if it’s in the deck (hence the number on the card backs).

I would recommend a calculator handy to help with the addition if you are playing with kids. Also, the deck order out of the box is random. Considering you have 60 minutes on the clock, I would re-order the cards sequentially (numerical and alphabetical) to save on time when looking for cards as you discover new clues.

GAMEPLAY
The scenario starts with an introduction of 4 different types of monsters which come to fill children's heads with nightmares. As you progress through the game, you will have to eliminate each type one at a time... think of it as a mini-boss fight as you go through each room.

In general, the game mechanics are relatively simple- in each room, you search for clues, hidden objects, and information. Pair them up by combining the blue and red cards and reveal the next card for more clues/information,  defeat the boss and progress to the next room.

But wait...! What is a boss fight without a twist? Each monster you reveal will also force some limitations on how you interact with the game. This is a nice touch and we were completely caught off guard! This game mechanic exemplifies the uniqueness of each Unlock! adventure that continues to surprise.

The puzzles are very well done. There are a handful of puzzles that require outside the box thinking but the majority are relatively logical and straight forward. This provided a good balance between captivating storyline and engaging puzzles.

Like Escape rooms in the real world, there are some machines that you need to manipulate using the app. Compared to the machines on the Nautilus' Traps, these are more straight forward. However, if you do get stuck, you can call for hints to keep you moving.

As each card is associated with a number, type that number into the app to get help with the card. The hint system is very well done. It has 3 levels of reveal without giving too much away initially. Once you get to a yellow card and obtain the hidden 4-digit code, you type the code in the app to progress (or not) to the next room.

OVERALL
The Night of the Boogeymen is very enjoyable. Believe it or not, we managed to defeat the Boogeyman with 10 minutes to spare. Whew! The artwork is fantastic, the puzzles are challenging without being too frustrating and the storyline has a consistent flow to keep us captivated. We love how the puzzles build up to the final epic showdown with the final boss. For us, this is the best adventure we've played to-date and would recommend it to anyone who wants to start with an Unlock! adventure.

Card Game: Unlock! The Nautilus' Traps by Asmodee

After the enjoyable Unlock! Squeek & Sausage from Asmodee, we wanted to try something more thematic and decided to go with the moderately difficult Unlock! The Nautilus' Traps. This scenario is set underwater, with your submarine under attack by a tentacled sea monster. You have to make your way through the depths and escape to the surface… before your oxygen runs out.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Unlock! series is a cooperative card game inspired by escape rooms that use a simple system which allows you to search scenes, combine objects, and solve puzzles. Yup, all with a deck of cards! Unlock! utilize only cards and a companion app that provides clues, check codes, monitor time remaining, etc.

SETUP

The card backs feature (at first glance) random numbers and the face cards are color-coded: yellow cards have four-digit unlock code, grey cards are informational, blue and red cards combine to open/discover new things. The basic idea is, you pair the blue card and red card, add their numbers together and reveal that card if it’s in the deck (hence the number on the card backs).

I would recommend a calculator handy to help with the addition if you are playing with kids. Also, the deck order out of the box is random. Considering you have 60 minutes on the clock, I would re-order the cards sequentially (numerical and alphabetical) to save on time when looking for cards as you discover new clues.

GAMEPLAY

The scenario starts off with a bang! Instead of the expected 60 minutes, you begin with a much smaller amount of time ticking away. This is probably the most innovative idea of the game and we were completely caught off guard. This definitely upped the urgency on the get-go and brilliantly sets the scene of the impending peril.

The game mechanics are relatively simple- on each room, you search for clues, hidden objects, and information. Pair them up by combining the blue and red cards and reveal the next card for more clues/information and progressively moving on to the next room.

After finding clues and hidden oxygen canisters to add time to the clock, you get the feeling that the designers are doing something different for this scenario. The puzzles are really creative with some really clever ideas and Unlike Squeek & Sausage, there is a noticeably fewer object to pair with- which isn't a bad thing as each incorrect combination results in time (2 to 3 minutes) penalties

Like Escape rooms in the real world, there are some machines that you need to manipulate using the app. The ones in this scenario are reasonably difficult due to the nautical language used. If you get stuck, you can call for hints to keep you moving. As each card is associated with a number, type that number into the app to get help with the card. The hint system is very well done. It has 3 levels of reveal without giving too much away initially.

Once you get to a yellow card and obtain the hidden 4-digit code, you type the code in the app to progress (or not) to the next room.

OVERALL

The Nautilus' Traps is an interesting one. Beautifully illustrated cards with an evocative theme and some really creative puzzle. However, we found that the puzzles are inconsistent and felt at loss several times as we aren't sure what or where to focus on as new scenes kept opening up. This left us a little overwhelmed with all the different clues and information scattered around. We managed to complete the game 3 minutes over the given time limit. For us, it is definitely worth playing and we are looking forward to our next adventure.

Card Game: Unlock! Squeek & Sausage from Asmodee

On our first ever card game review, we look at Unlock! Squeek & Sausage from Asmodee, a cooperative card game inspired by escape rooms that use a simple system which allows you to search scenes, combine objects, and solve puzzles. Yup, all with a deck of cards!

In recent years, Escape Rooms have mushroomed around the world and board game publishers are capitalizing on the popularity by creating an "escape room in a box” experiences for a fraction of the price. There are several games/scenarios published by various publishers and even crowd-funded on Kickstarter, utilising different game mechanics.

Unlock!, however, is one of the few that utilize only cards and a companion app that provides clues, check codes, monitor time remaining, etc.

SETUP

The card backs feature (at first glance) random numbers and the face cards are color-coded: yellow cards have four-digit unlock code, grey cards are informational, blue and red cards combine to open/discover new things. The basic idea is, you pair the blue card and red card, add their numbers together and reveal that card if it’s in the deck (hence the number on the card backs).

I would recommend a calculator handy to help with the addition if you are playing with kids. Also, the deck order out of the box is random. Considering you have 60 minutes on the clock, I would re-order the cards sequentially (numerical and alphabetical) to save on time when looking for cards as you discover new clues.


GAMEPLAY

The game mechanics are relatively simple- on each scene, you search for clues, hidden objects, and information. Pair them up by combining the blue and red cards and reveal the next card for more clues/information and progressively moving on to the next scene.



However, Beware! Many red and blue cards are not meant to be combined as some combination will result in time penalties- 2 to 3 minutes! That is pretty heavy as it deters players from exploring and trying new combos.

We were stuck on the first scene for 15 minutes trying to figure out what to do. Like Escape rooms in the real world, you can use call for hints to keep you moving. There's where the app comes in. Each card is associated with a number, and you can type that number in to get help with the card. The hint system is very well done. It has 3 levels of reveal without giving too much away initially.

Once you get to a yellow card and obtain the hidden 4-digit code, you type the code in the app to progress (or not) to the next scene.

OVERALL

Squeek & Sausage is our first Unlock! game and We really enjoyed it! The cartoonish artwork suits the theme and scenarios well. The puzzles are consistent, challenging but not overly difficult. There several Eureka moments and a few puzzles that make you swell up with pride in solving them. The gameplay flows nicely as well without feeling a sense of frustration or lost.

The only gripe we had are the hidden objects. These are simple, tiny numbers that, if you actually spot them, allow you to reveal the corresponding cards. The app has a setting for beginners that prompts you to look out for these hidden objects.

Also, the app provides ambient sound for each scenario, which I think is a nice touch. It adds to the feel of being in a locked room.  We found that the game mechanic works really well and it is quite fun once you understood the system. We took an hour and 20 minutes to solve all the puzzles and used the hint 2-3 times.

Looking forward to the next Unlock! game and we hope to solve all the puzzles before the clock hits zero.