Funko Games - "Star Trek: Cryptic"

Photo above is property of Funko Games

Company: Funko Games

Game: Star Trek: Cryptic

Country: USA 🇺🇸

Language: English

Type of Game: Tabletop Game 📬

Genre: Sci-Fi

Date Played: March 6, 2024

Difficulty (based on 2 players): 4/10

Size of Team: Unlimited (Ages 10+)

Time: Unlimited (Approximately 3 - 4.5 Hrs)

Price: $34.99 USD

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Beginning as a cadet at Starfleet Academy, join different federation ships and move up the ranks all while using your logic, deduction and puzzle solving skills to help discover alien civilizations, prevent intergalactic conflict and more.

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Opening the box, we found 3 envelopes with federation ship names on them, merit coins, a logbook, a plastic sheet, a dry erase marker, some inserts and more.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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In the box, we found an instruction booklet that described how to play the game, what type of challenges and puzzles we would encounter, and how to work with certain items. Once everything was ready, we turned to the Logbook, which was our guide through the adventure. Each page revealed a part of the story accompanied by a new puzzle challenge we needed to complete. There were also some physical components that added an extra layer of fun and interaction to the game.

The game worked on a point system where every puzzle or pathway challenge we completed, we would be rewarded with merits, but if we needed a hint, got an incorrect answer or other things, merits would be deducted from our score. At the end of each chapter, the number of merits we had would determine our ranking.

This game did some things extremely well. For each puzzle, they clearly outlined what items you needed to solve it. Even for some components, it marked out which area of the item you would need to focus on. Most puzzles also provided us with what kind of solution we should be looking for such as a 5 letter word or a number. The writing was captivating, featuring numerous easter eggs for Star Trek fans while still enjoyable for those unfamiliar with the franchise. One thing worth noting is that the box suggests a playtime of 60 to 90 mins, which we found is the playtime for each chapter, not the entire game.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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The puzzles were inventive with some diversity, that included logic, mazes, indexing and more. The puzzles were great for beginner puzzle solvers and even veteran solvers would enjoy the cleverness of them. All the puzzles also flowed well and blended seamlessly into the experience, with no puzzle overstaying their welcome.

One fun way the puzzles were broken up was with the Pathway challenges. These involved a clear plastic sheet and a “Pathway” picture. Laying the plastic sheet overtop the picture, we marked the start point. We then removed the plastic sheet and placed it beside the picture. We would then have to freehand draw a pathway to the goal while avoiding obstacles. Once complete, we would place the plastic sheet back on top of the picture and see how we did. There were a handful of these that advanced the story and gave us a small brain break from the puzzles.

The hint system was limited unfortunately and only offered one hint, and even a few times, when looking for a hint, we were given information that we already knew. At this point, if we still could not solve it, we would have to go straight to the solution, which gave no explanation on how to solve the puzzle. The game could have benefited with a more tired hint system and thorough explanations.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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"Star Trek: Cryptic" was a brilliant experience and exceeded our expectations for a mass-produced box game. The puzzles and high-quality items had clever twists and kept us engaged throughout. The story was well written and brought us along a thrilling adventure. We played with 2 people and found that to be just right. The majority of puzzle solving, and interaction required the logbook, which can be difficult to pass around if there were more people. Any Star Trek fans or a couple looking for a night in would find this game enjoyable. Get ready to embark on a journey to seek out new life and new civilizations and boldly go where no one has gone before.

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(If you do decide to try this game, please remember to let them know that you heard it from"ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

#MatthewLui #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzlesByMail #FunkoGames #SciFi #StarTrek #USA