This review is spoiler free!

It’s June 11, 1962, the day you’re going to break into Alcatraz.

Yes, you read that right. You’ll be breaking into the most secure prison in the world to break 4 inmates out. Months of planning has gone into this daring operation and now it’s time to act.

At least it will be if you’re playing Break In: Alcatraz.

From the publisher, Playmonster: “Throughout this collaborative experience, you must work together to follow a series of clues and solve puzzles to unfold multiple layers of the game and move deeper into the prison to help your friends escape! You’ll encounter many obstacles and characters along the way…this game provides the thrill and challenge of an escape room, combined with the experience and world-immersion of a movie”!

Do you have what it takes to break into Alcatraz?

 

How to play Break In: Alcatraz

Set up:

To set up Break In: Alcatraz, players remove just the box lid, gather the clue cards (removing the Tool and Letter cards setting them aside), and place the rest of the deck face down (symbol side up). Along with the two starting cards, players also receive the Radio Decoder. Finally, the Solution Sticks are placed off to the side and the main box is placed in the center of the table.

Players are now ready to play.

Playing:

Players begin by reading the letter found in the rules book. Then they turn to the box to start finding clues.

Clues come in the form of symbols that match cards in the deck and on the solution sticks. Once players find a clue, they must find the matching card in the deck or use the Solution Sticks in the correct slot to receive the next clue.

Sometimes a location can have multiple clues, so they better not move on too fast.

Solving clues allow the players to move deeper into the box, literally unfolding it like a pop-up book of sorts, getting them closer to the goal.

Players continue finding clues on the box and in the cards, moving deeper and deeper into the box. Once players have met up with the 4 inmates and escaped the island successfully, the game ends and the players win.

There’s no time limit in this game, so players can take things at their own speed.

 

What we liked about Break In: Alcatraz

Like most escape rooms in a box, the best part about Break In: Alcatraz is the puzzle solving mind games. More than likely this is why you’d buy these kinds of games in the first place.

The puzzles and clues found in Alcatraz are not too difficult. The game is rated a 2 out of 5 on the difficulty scale. However, if you find yourself getting stuck, like we did a few times, there are hint cards available to get you moving again.

The way the box itself is the puzzle is a really cool twist to this genre of game and it’s very satisfying watching how it all unfolds — literally!

The only catch to this is putting it back together once you’re done. We found that if my wife did the unfolding/opening, it went back together much better.

The lack of a time limit was also very appealing to us. We were able to take our time and not turn to the hint cards too hastily.

 

How does Break In: Alcatraz score on our “Let’s Play Again” game meter?

To be perfectly honest, once you play a Break In game, you most likely won’t be playing it again (at least not any time soon).

There are 2 reasons for this. One is that once you’ve played it, you know how to find all the clues and how to solve the various puzzles. I suppose you could put it back on your shelf and wait long enough until you have forgotten the solutions, but that leads me to point two. As mentioned above, once you take the box apart it’s tough to get back together. Especially if you weren’t careful in getting it apart in the first place.

I think the appropriate question here should then be, would we play a different Break In game?

The answer to that question is a definite YES!

It was a ton of fun solving puzzles and looking for clues with the entire family. Even our 6 and 8 year-olds got into it and were able to contribute. Watching the kids work things out in their minds and come to the correct answer makes for proud parenting moments.

If you’re looking for an activity the whole family can enjoy, Break In games are a great way to spend time together.

 

About the Author

Dane is an Advertising Manager for a national magazine by day and a husband, father of four, and board gamer by night (and mornings). He has a passion for board games and believes board games help bring families closer together while providing kids a unique way to learn many diverse skills. And he thinks they are downright fun!!!

We’d like to thank Playmonster for a review copy of Break In: Alcatraz.