Exit: The Forbidden Castle

Neither here nor there really, some ridiculously easy puzzles and some very difficult puzzles.

My partner bought this game after we had the original Cabin in the Woods. I really enjoyed Cabin in the woods and found it challenging but fun and wanted more of a challenge. 

I am not so sure my partner wanted more of a challenge. She found Cabin in the Woods challenging enough and although I stepped back at multiple points during Cabin to let her play a bit, this wasn't happening during Forbidden Castle due to the challenge. I got the first challenge/key code right away, then got very stuck about how to continue and so we spent about 30 minutes sat there trying to work something out. My aversion to using the cheat cards combined with her aversion to the game ment that after 45 minutes and no closer to the answer - I ended up going solo (date night turned into MeVs.EscapeRoom night). 

I did eventually relent and use a cheat card but I found that the two cheat cards didn't actually always help me get closer to the answer as it was info I had already worked out. Some of the puzzles game number combinations which weren't clear (is it a 2 or a 7, a 6 or an 8, or a 3) which led to a lot of frustration. 

I did eventually escape - it took me 3 hours and 4 cheat cards. Some of the puzzles were excellent - I was frustrated that I didn't get to do both of the challenges in the middle (it forces you to choose one and although I wanted to, I was 2 hours into a game and couldn't be bothered to copy it out) and it would have been nice for it to be a bit clearer when you achieved the numbers on some of the puzzles. 

Would I recommend? Probably not unless you and your friends are 100% avid escape room artists and there are multiple of you. I'll defo go back to easier difficulty and do another.