Streamline Design + BlueMatter games (Manufactured by PlayMonster) - "Break In Alcatraz"

Videos/ Photos provided by Streamline Design/ BlueMatter Games & PlayMonster

Company: Streamline Design/ BlueMatter Games (Manufactured by PlayMonster)

Game: Break In Alcatraz

Country: USA 🇺🇸

Language: English

Type of Game: Puzzles By Mail 📬

Genre: Prison, Thriller

Date Played: 10/19/20

Difficulty (based on 2 players): 5/10

Size of Team: 1-6 Players (Ages 10+)

Time: Unlimited

Price: $14.99

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It is the night of June 11th, 1962. The day has finally come. You need to break in to the world's most secure prison in order to help your boys escape from the inside. This is such an insane idea. Are you ready to accept the challenge?

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The artwork for this game was done by DC Comics artist Steve Downer. A lot of the artwork felt very 3D-like. The hexagon shaped box has images of an escapee trying to hold on to his life in the treacherous ocean surrounding the Alcatraz island. Inside the box (if you're able to break in that is), you'll find an expanding 3D game board, 54 cards, 7 solution sticks, envelope with puzzle, radio decoder and some other hidden components.

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Our advise is to read the instruction manual first before starting the game. If it's still too confusing, there's a tutorial video on their website. The first thing you should do is find symbols on the game board. Once you discover them, read the cards that matches those symbols for the next steps. These cards will contain a puzzle that you must solve and the solution will be in forms of a solution symbol, a color and a number. Once you figured that out, you'll need to use the solution stick along with the box to reveal a solution symbol. This would be another card that you'll have to read instructions in order to proceed to the next puzzle. You'll repeat these steps until you escape at the end. If you get stuck, hint cards are available and can be revealed by using the radio decoder. If you want a more difficult style of playing, mix up the card numbers as we found that the story does happen in sequence to the card numbers so you might accidentally peek at the next solution card.

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Most of the puzzles were more in a "search and find" format where the solutions are already printed on the game and you just need to find it. A lot of the puzzles were also story driven so you'll get a good amount of "quests" asking you to find escape routes. There were a few instances where we had to utilize a game piece we've received in conjunction with another piece in order to reveal more information. One particular one was quite amusing to see the final product. We did find a few solution answers didn't quite make sense to us when matched it with the physical locations of the items on the box. Please note, the game that we received was in the earlier production batch and they had an incorrect print on one of the solution cards. We were informed by the creator that this issue was fixed in the latter batches so do make sure to check with them if you come across a puzzle that you thought you solved correctly.

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Playing this game felt like watching a movie. Every time we solved a puzzle, a new written story was presented to us on a symbol card. This would open up a new "scene". Our favorite part about this game is the design. The 3D game board along with the ability to be maneuvered in a way where we felt like we're literally peeling away secrets to reveal surprises within. Every time we thought that was the last layer we would be surprised with more. As we outsmarted the guard, snuck through the vents, climbed down the roof and ultimately made it to the rescue boat, we were relieved. Just when we thought we safely escaped Alcatraz, more life and death choices were presented in front of us...Let us know how you chose to end your adventure if you decided to try out this game!

Check out our interview with the creators to understand more on the development side of these game:

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(If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank Streamline Design/ BlueMatter Games & PlayMonster for providing us with a sample of their game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.

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