EXIT: The Game by Kosmos has always had two speeds: the classic EXIT series for 10+, catering more towards puzzle veterans, and then there’s EXIT: Kids for younger puzzlers. Now there is a third branch called EXIT: Family, designed to be the middle ground to bridge the gap between the two varying difficulty settings.
So far, there are two volumes in the EXIT: Family series, each in a double-feature box starring a crew of animals called the EXIT Heroes. We will be reviewing the first release, which is EXIT: Family - 2 Escape Adventure - The Mystery at Meanstone Manor and The Caper at Candy Castle. Whew, quite a lengthy name! For the purpose of this review, we will be referring to it as EXIT: Family.
Overview
In this installment of EXIT: Family, we will be helping the EXIT Heroes solve the mystery of animals disappearing all over town, and then get to the bottom of a suspicious stomach ache by investigating the candy factory. The Meanstone Manor and Candy Castle sound like two different tangents, but the narratives might just be connected to each other.
If you’re like me, and this is your first encounter with the EXIT franchise, I have news for you: EXIT is a one-time playthrough game. Mainly because you need to cut, fold, stick, and write on the components to solve the riddles. Secondly, even if (and that’s a big IF) you could somehow preserve the components to reuse them, once you know the answer, that’s it, the charm is gone.
Knowing that, I wasn’t mentally prepared to destroy this game, but here we go!
Setup
As with all the EXIT games, the EXIT: Family box comes with a Decoder disk, used throughout the Adventure to obtain clues and progress to the next riddle. There are seven coloured pie sections on the Decoder, each representing one of the seven Riddles that the clues will correspond to. Setup is fairly easy, as everything, including the insert and the interior and exterior of the game box, holds plenty of information to keep the Adventure as interactive as possible for the family.
While some components will get called into play later on, initial setup requires laying the 9 Adventure cards in a row with the symbols face-up, placing the top lid of the game box with the town image in the centre, and setting aside the 25 Riddle cards (don’t shuffle).
Also needed are a pair of scissors and a pen and paper. Finally, read through the first part of the Handbook until it gives you your first Adventure card.
Gameplay
Your goal is to work as a team, progressing through the Adventure riddle by riddle. You’ll usually uncover three numbers, which then need to be entered into the Decoder disk, matching to align with the colour of the current Riddle. If the three-digit code is correct, a little window in the back of the Decoder will reveal the correct colour to indicate success. Then, you can pick the next Adventure card that matches the symbols shown on the Decoder. Otherwise, an X will appear to indicate the code is wrong. Always remember to enter and read the numerical sequence from outside in.
Should your family get stuck on a Riddle, the EXIT: Family Helpbook provides two hints and the solution. The 1st Clue will remind you what you need to be paying attention to, while the 2nd Clue gives more indication towards the solution. If you aren’t making progress, the Solution is there to help, providing the correct sequence of codes and symbols to pick the next Adventure card.
The Riddle cards will always tell you what components are needed, so make sure everything is within reach, including the game box.
Replayability
The Exit: Family - 2 Escape Adventures plays linearly, meaning you start with The Mystery at Meanstone Manor before gaining access to the Adventures and Riddles of The Caper at Candy Castle, which is conveniently hidden in a locked box. Unfortunately, as with the one-time playthrough format, there is no replay value for the EXIT: Family series. However, the second adventure can be started at a later time.
As a single-use game, the experience of solving two Adventures will feel more cohesive for the narrative flow if played by the same set of players. Spacing out gameplay can help you feel like you’ve made the most of the contents, as well as build the suspense.
Once you are done with the game, all the components are safe to recycle.
Final Thoughts
EXIT: Family does exactly what it sets out to do: bridge the gap between the challenge of the classic EXIT series and the simplicity of EXIT: Kids. The two linked mysteries give the box a sense of narrative continuity that makes solving both adventures feel worthwhile, rather than like two disconnected puzzle packs slapped together.
As a genuine middle-ground option, EXIT: Family gives families with mixed skill levels and ages a way to escape-room together without one player carrying the group or another being bored. The layered hint system (two clues plus a full solution) means no family gets stuck for long enough to lose momentum. I feel that balance is really the whole pitch of this series.
The two-adventure format and connected storyline add just enough value to offset the one-and-done nature of the game. I’d recommend this for families looking for a shared puzzle night that doesn't require a puzzle expert in the room. If you've got a mix of younger kids and adults at the table, or you're simply new to EXIT and want a gentler entry point, EXIT: Family is a solid pick. It reminds me of the puzzle adventure books I had as a kid: deciphering codes, solving mysteries, and pretending I’m a spy.
Anyway, if you go in knowing it's a single playthrough, consider spacing out the two adventures to get the most mileage out of the box. The one-time experience isn’t a flaw unique to EXIT: Family; it is baked into the entire EXIT format (although EXIT: Kids have endless replayability). Still, it's worth weighing against the price point, especially since you're paying for two adventures.
Additional Tip (Note: The images provided are NOT spoilers)
The keys used to unlock the box in The Mystery at Meanstone Manor didn’t come pre-coloured in our copy, so we had no way of knowing which key matched which colour from a certain Riddle.
If your copy of the game did not come with colour-coded sticks, before starting your game, I’d suggest marking the ends yourself with some markers and then placing them back in this order: Yellow > Red > Blue > Red > Blue > Yellow.
