50 Clues: Escape the Blast Zone (2022)

About this game

Terrified by a message from an old friend, you try to flee Bornholm. An island far out in the Baltic Sea. Soldiers in chemical suits are patrolling the streets and the boats are sabotaged. Escape the Blast Zone is a free 18-card mini-game, that is available at game conventions, in stores, and as a download for print’n’play. It serves as an introduction to the Sunshine Island trilogy. 50 Clues is a series of immersive puzzle games that offer the experience of an escape room, but in a format that can be played at home. You combine objects, solve puzzles and decipher codes to complete the stories. A smartphone or tablet keeps track of the solutions and provides multistep hints if the need arises. —description from the publisher

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 1 to 5. It has a designed solo mode.
• Rules load. At 1.5/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 16 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.