I think they’re all pretty poor. Too much hidden number crap, and the stuff that isn’t hidden numbers often makes us go “huh?”. (The final puzzle of Island of Doctor Gooseoorschieshcsrich in particular was garbage)
You can somewhat work around the hidden number with the app. When you first start it up it will ask you if you want to enable hidden object help or something. Then every once in a while it will pop up a hint about finding one. Still, the best solution I’d offer is just sticking with Exit.
And speaking of Exit, anyone try the Adventure Games: Discover the Story series by Kosmos yet? Looks like their attempt at a TIME stories type game?
I would agree the early series were inferior to Exit. However the last 3 series in particular have been as good.
The Island and the Nautilus Trap were particularly egregious for bullshit. The latest are better designed. Though there is usually one or two puzzles that either debate, or actually use, a hint on.
Wizard of Oz was the best one we tried, although that meant it amounted to a shoulder shrug from everyone instead of outright hating it like Island of Doctor G.
I played (most of) a 4-player game of it the other night. Started explaining the rules at around 6pm, and we called the game at 11pm, halfway through wave 3. Rules explanation took forever, and we were all getting the hang of it when we realized how late it had gotten. Fun game, but a ton of small idiocincratic rules bogged it down a bit. We’ll probably play again.
Also, I used to play a lot of Roads & Boats, and a new (hopefully reasonably priced?) edition is interesting, but I doubt I could get anyone to play it with me these days.
Hokey smoke, IMDB informs me that there is another movie with the same plot made 3 years later starring none other than Dennis Hopper also playing a detective named H.P. Lovecraft!
I’m pretty sure both those movies were produced by HBO. Witch Hunt is a ‘sequel’, but they recast the lead, as you noted. I’ve never seen it, but Cast a Deadly Spell is a lot of fun.
Oh wow. Roads & Boats is kind of legendary, at least because back in the Catan days it was an epic euro costing over $100. You say you’ve played it, @JoshL? Finding players aside, would you think the gameplay holds up?
It is fiddly, and long. It’s a logistics puzzle. If you like city-builder games (like Settlers), you’ll like it. Don’t play with more than 3 players, is my advice.
I have some friends who pre-ordered Roads & Boats. Very excited to check it out! Haven’t disliked a Splotter game yet (though Indonesia did feel a bit too long for my tastes).
