EXIT: The Magical Academy

• Designers: Inka and Markus Brand
• Publisher: Kosmos
• Players: 1-4
• Age: 12+
• Time: 1-2 hours
• Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3ZLJ71w

The EXIT series was one of the original puzzle-game franchises to hit the market when the escape room game craze took off a few years ago. To date, my family and I have been able to play all of the ones released here in the US, and this is a series that we continue to look forward to future installments. While there are many worthy competitors in the genre, the EXIT series is possibly the best known of the bunch – due in part to the initial set of games being awarded the 2017 Kennerspiel des Jahres award.

This most recent installment in the series places you in the role of a magical student (whose roommate is probably called Larry Snotter or something similar):

“Spells, elixirs, magical powers: you thought your studies at the academy couldn’t get any more exciting. But when a gang of polterbolds — small, pointy-toothed creatures from the netherworld — shows up, chaos breaks out. Can you stop the creatures before they literally tear your school apart?

I will try to give my thoughts on this game, but beware – much of what I saw will be couched in generalities. As with all the other escape room game reviews, I will not spoil any of the secrets. Any details come from the box or the rules themselves.  Like almost all the earlier EXIT games (except The Catacombs of Horror), this game comes in a small format box, and all the puzzle material is contained within the box.

However, the rules specify that you will need some extra material – it recommends having paper, pens, and scissors handy. Unlike some of the other entries in the escape room game genre, this one is definitely more of a “legacy” style as the intent is that you will need to alter the components in some way in the process of solving the puzzles.

The format of the game is similar to the previous games, so if you are a veteran of the series, you already know what to expect… Each has a small book of rules, a large deck of cards and a few assorted specialized bits that are specific to each game. In this game, you also get some wands?!

The deck of cards is split up into three stacks.  The first stack is a bunch of green clue cards. There will be three clues for each of the ten puzzles in each game.  So far, in the entire EXIT series, there have always been ten puzzles in each box. The puzzles are identified by a shape (in the game components) and this same shape is found on the back of the associated cards.  The second stack are the light blue numbered answer cards. You will use these to see whether you have answered a puzzle correctly. A final stack are the red letter cards, from A thru … (different for each game). As you solve different puzzles, you’ll be directed to reveal certain letter cards which give you more information or puzzle pieces.

So, when you start the game, you generally only have the glossy book to start with – the initial story and hints are usually found on the cover and the first page of the book.  Again, puzzles will be denoted by a black outline of a shape (such as a circle, a crescent moon or a cross).  As you can see from the booklet below, you’ll also start with the “A” card as you can see it right on the front cover of the booklet!

However, many puzzles have multiple parts to them, spread out amongst the different game components, and oftentimes they’re not all labeled – it will be up to you to figure out what goes with what.  As you look thru the bits, you will often see a red letter card icon. Whenever you see this, you can then look at the matching letter card from the deck.

All of the puzzles have a three part solution – which might be letters, numbers or shapes.  It all depends what is on the solution wheel in the particular game. When you think that you have the right answer, you use the solution wheel to dial in the answer.  The outermost ring has the ten puzzle shapes. You line up your three-part answer in a column under the appropriate shape, and then you look at the hole in the inner section.  It will give you a number. You then go to the deck of numbered cards, find the match and then look at the back.

Generally, that numbered card will have a grid on the back of it – and then you have to find the number which matches the puzzle you’re actively trying to solve.  The grid will not be filled with the black shape outlines but rather images which are somehow associated with that puzzle; this prevents cheating or inadvertent puzzle solving.  The chart will direct you to a second card number which you then find. If you’re wrong, the card tells you to try again. If you’re right, there will be instructions, puzzle bits or letter cards on the back of the second card that you can then add to your inventory.

The group wins the game when they complete the ten different puzzles.  If, at any point, you feel like you’re stuck, you can flip over one of the clue cards for the puzzle you need help with.  They are ordered from one to three. The early clues mostly make sure that you’re at the right place in the game to be solving the particular puzzle – the earliest clue usually telling you which game components you need to have access to at that time in order to be able to solve the puzzle.  The game doesn’t necessarily specify an order to the puzzles – but for many of them, you have to solve other puzzles first in order to have all the information that you need. It is not uncommon for there to be two or three puzzles that are active at any time, and usually solving an earlier puzzle will give you a needed card or special component needed to progress on a different puzzle.

Once you have finished the game, you can give your performance a rating using a chart provided in the rules.  Essentially, the best rating is for finishing the game in under an hour and having used zero hint cards. Your rating decreases with more time spent and more clue cards used.  There is a certificate on the last page of the rules which can be filled in if you want to keep track of your successes (or failures).

My thoughts on the game

I continue to be impressed how the Brands can come up with so many new puzzles in this series.  The small physical size of the box does limit the number of things one can do in puzzle construction, but yet there are still one or two puzzles that really impress me with each new EXIT game – and this one is no different.

Overall, this one was in the middle of the complexity scale, rated 2 out of 5 – my companions abandoned me so I solved this solo in about 40 minutes without requiring any clue cards or hints. The puzzles are well constructed, and most of them are “fair” in the sense that you are given all the information that you need to solve them.  Sure, there is a bit of lateral thinking involved in solving some of the puzzles, but there is generally enough clues given to you in the game material to at least allow you to make the mental leap (if you’re able to piece together the information correctly).

The EXIT games all have a difficulty rating on the front of the box, and this one is a 2 out of 5, the lowest difficulty rating found on the EXIT games (there has yet to be a 1 out of 5).  It was certainly on the easier end of the puzzle spectrum, and it would be great for gamers new to the genre or for families with children.  The  information for the puzzles is often found on different cards (or other game elements), and this is good because you can split up the work amongst the different team members.

Though the overall difficulty level is low, the hint cards are well written to help nudge you in the right direction if you were to need help. In my play, I did not require any of the hint cards, but I have also done nearly every game in this series before.  I did glance at a few of the hint cards after the fact, and they seemed to be well designed to get you on the right path to solving the puzzles.

Unlike many of the games in the genre, these games are meant to be used only once.  As the rules clearly tell you, you might need to alter the components (drawing, cutting, pasting, eating, etc.), and once you do that, it may be impossible to play that particular set again.  I don’t have a problem with this at all. First, and foremost, allowing (or demanding) that you change the components opens up all sorts of possibilities with puzzle creation, and I think that the Brands have done an excellent job at this.    Second, the cost of the game is not high – and at an MSRP around $18 (I have found them as low as $11 online), that is a fair price for a good one to two hours of entertainment for a group. If nothing else, it is certainly in line with the price of other one-use games.

Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3ZLJ71w .

Check back often as they do occasionally go on sale!

Now that there about 20 EXIT games available – I think many of you will already know if you want to do these or not.  If you haven’t played them yet, they can be found online fairly easily, and they are perfect for a little activity when you’re stuck at home. The amount of puzzling goodness is very high given the size constraints of the box, and I think that the overall experience of this series is the best of any of the escape room games I’ve played thus far.

Overall, my rating for the entire series is an enthusiastic I love it!

Until your next appointment,

The Gaming Doctor