It’s no secret that the team at Escape Games Canada loves gaming. You may have seen some of our previous posts about our exploits in Overwatch or noticed that we spend a lot of time chatting about games and puzzles when you’re here. Well, we want to share that love in more than just the escape games we build. That’s why, this holiday season, Escape Games Canada has started carrying the Unlock! series of board games!

What is Unlock!?

Unlock! is basically an escape room in a box and offers several different challenges to choose from. The game is played using cards which you interact with one another as puzzles are solved and reveal new cards from the deck. The game also makes clever use of an app to allow a digital space to input codes, a hint system and even creates an atmosphere for your game.

The staff at Escape Games Canada are all fans of the Unlock! series. Each one of the games sets the story and then, through easy to follow mechanics, engages the players. The best part about the Unlock! games is that the puzzles are very fair. For the most part, the puzzles are self-contained and don’t require any previous knowledge to make logical sense, so you don’t have to worry about studying up on anything before playing. The game prevents itself from being too simple by punishing players who make illogical moves by deducting small amounts of time from their timer. Unlock! can be played with up to 6 players, but if you really like a challenge, most of the scenarios can be played solo.

In our professional opinion…

Here’s what some of our staff have to say about the Unlock! series: Chris says he enjoyed the challenge and found them to be a fun and affordable alternative to travelling to an escape room. Plus, you don’t have to book ahead to play! Andrea used Unlock! to introduce her family to the idea of an escape room. Because they were able to play in the comfort of home, they were less intimidated and now they’re keen to try their first actual escape room. Lara says “The games integrate a unique and entertaining experience between modern technology (the Unlock! app) and good, old-fashioned cards and rules. The challenge is in how well you can put to use the world that the Unlock! box creates for you.”

As you can see, we really are fans. We think the Unlock! games are great as gifts, or for a fun night in and they’re available now at Escape Games Canada.