The Return to the Abandoned Cabin is a tabletop escape game created by Exit: The Game.
Format
Style of Play: tabletop escape game
Who is it For?
- Puzzle lovers
- Any experience level
- Fans of Exit: The Game
Required Equipment: pen & paper, scissors
Recommended Team Size: 1-3
Play Time: 60-90 minutes
Price: about $15
Booking: purchase and play at your leisure
Description
We were summoned back to the original Abandoned Cabin from early in the Exit: The Game series in an effort to track down the whereabouts of Dr. Funbeq, our pesky captor. Unlike in our first visit, this time we got to explore an actual 3D replica of the cabin. Using clues from this model plus various riddle cards and artifacts, we gathered codes to enter into the trusty Exit: The Game decoder wheel, pointing us toward more clues and puzzles.
Cindi S’ Reaction
As a sequel to Exit: The Game’s The Abandoned Cabin, this game started out strong, with a creepy introduction that brought back the sinister Dr. Arthur Funbeq and his dusty cabin in the woods. The initial game setup was unexpected and gave us something more substantial to explore than the usual paper booklet found in other Exit: The Game installments. There was also a nice mix of creative puzzles and hidden surprises, including several unique props that added a bit of mystery to the gameplay. There were definitely a couple of puzzles that had us stumped. We also enjoyed the humorous nod to experienced Exit: The Game players. Our only problem was when we discovered a gap in the narrative that made us think we’d missed something. We quickly retraced our steps, but ended up in the same place, so we pushed forward and finished the game. The Return to the Abandoned Cabin is a must-play for Exit: The Game fans.
Theresa W’s Reaction
Exit: The Game has been building games in a format that has worked well enough up until this point, but recently they have really tried to break the barriers of their own game design. The Return to the Abandoned Cabin brought new life into the gameplay, adding 3D room dioramas and physical components to explore. This installation of Exit: The Game had more simple puzzles, with clear cluing structure and solid game flow. Puzzle elements were clearly labeled, and it was easy to decipher if you had all of the components to solve each puzzle. I’m excited to see how the Exit: The Game designers take their concept further, and as they continue branching out from the norm!
Sarah Mendez’s Reaction
The Return to the Abandoned Cabin added a new level of physicality to the Exit: The Game foundation that may feel refreshing to experienced players, but fluster those new to the series. Aside from the regular mechanics (the decoder wheel, answer cards, and mysterious items), this installment included a 3D replica of a cabin with a few maneuverable objects inside. This was an intriguing setup that offered a welcome sense of place to the experience. Even though the resulting interactions ultimately lacked complexity, this environment was a fun departure from the normal Exit: The Game presentation, and I would enjoy seeing more of it. That said, the newer player on our team found it difficult to determine what pieces were in play at what time, which tracks with the unreliable onboarding techniques in other installments. So, as usual, the 3/5 difficulty rating of this game relates not so much to your puzzling ability but rather to your familiarity with Exit: The Game’s common shenanigans. Also as usual, your enjoyment will likely correlate to how much you enjoy those shenanigans.
Kate Wastl’s Reaction
To be straightforward, Exit: The Game’s The Return to the Abandoned Cabin was one of my top three favorite Exit: The Game installments, I’ve played over the past several released seasons. It had non-linear options to explore, no massive stretches of logic to arrive at the coded answer, and was clever in its execution of the entire structure of the game. It is always impressive to see how much content is fit into such a small box, and this version takes on a whole new dimension. Without hesitation, I would recommend this game universally from beginner to expert as an example of what a play-on-demand, at-home experience should be.
Disclosure: Exit: The Game provided the Hivemind reviewers with a complimentary play.
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