Adventure Games: Monochrome Inc.

I've been on a quest for a good, immersive, story-driven board game for a while now. I love the escape room experience, but I find the time pressure and the feeling of being trapped a bit stressful. That's why I was so excited to hear about the Adventure Games series from KOSMOS. Monochrome Inc. is the second game in the series, and it definitely delivered on the promise of a fun, relaxing adventure.

The game's premise is simple: You and your team must break into a mysterious research building and uncover its secrets. The gameplay is reminiscent of those old point-and-click adventure games I used to play as a kid, where you explore your environment, collect items, and solve puzzles by combining them in unique ways. I found the puzzles to be just the right level of difficulty – challenging enough to be engaging, but not so hard that they were frustrating. The game encourages collaboration, and I really enjoyed working with my friends to solve the mysteries.

I appreciate that the game doesn't have any player elimination, so everyone can participate from start to finish. Health is more of a scoring mechanism here, and while it does affect the final outcome, it doesn't make anyone feel like they're losing. Also, the three-chapter format is fantastic. It makes it easy to take breaks between play sessions and allows you to savor the story without feeling rushed.

The only downside to the game is that it is a one-time playthrough. While there are multiple endings and different paths you can take, once you've experienced the game, you've basically seen everything it has to offer. That said, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure games, escape rooms, or choose-your-own-adventure books. If you're looking for a relaxing, story-driven game that you can enjoy with friends, Monochrome Inc. is definitely worth a try.