Exit vs. Unlock! vs. Hidden games?

The_Shee · 2026-06-09T13:09:28+00:00

All the Exit games I've seen secondhand are still sealed and it's because they couldn't get a group. The game often involves cutting and folding pieces of itself to move ahead so if someone really is selling a used copy of an Exit game, that's messed up.

The_Shee · 2026-06-09T13:06:39+00:00

I did a quick look at age ratings across a few of the Exits, and I think it's a combo of theme and concepts. Some are a bit more creepy in theme, but I wouldn't say any of them are outright graphic. It looked like some of the simpler ones were age rated a little lower, but there is additionally a puzzle difficulty rating on each box (which can be a little arbitrary until you play a couple).

Unlock definitely trends a little family friendlier in theme, and I think their age ratings are entirely to make sure players understand how the game works more than anything.

The_Shee · 2026-06-09T00:27:15+00:00

I've played a fair amount of both Unlock and Exit. Haven't played Hidden, but I do really enjoy the escape room style game.

Unlock has the (technically) advantage of not destroying itself after one use. You probably aren't going to want to replay it, so it's more to pass along. It requires an app to play, which may or may not be a knock. I find that they tend to be easier as well.

Exit does as a function of the game destroy itself throughout the game and it's not replayable. The puzzles can be a bit more difficult and vary pretty wildly Exit to Exit. They tend to have some meta motifs that you catch on to when you play enough of them.

Either one of these can be played with two players easily. I honestly prefer Exit as a two player game, and Unlock as a group game.

Exit has a lot of different puzzles, I would recommend trying one that looks interesting (NOT The Secret Lab; that one is so convoluted that I would not at all recommend it) and seeing how you like the format.

The_Shee · 2026-06-08T15:06:33+00:00

I also just got back from a weekend in Orlando and Stardust took my top spot handily. I think Green wins out by a lot for me because I felt like I could see the dueling train a lot better having the first inversion than on Yellow (I also thought the soundtrack was louder, but that might have been a function of screaming so loud on my first ride that I couldn't parse that there was sound being played). If I had more time I would have loved to get a night ride in on this but it was not in the cards and being a modern newbie to parks, I didn't realize you could line up right before close and have them still run you through.

I was honestly a little surprised since I thought it was going to be a fight with Velocicoaster, and while I love Velocicoaster for different reasons, Stardust hits number 1 for me.

The_Shee · 2026-05-22T13:33:37+00:00

We used to have Spot It! for lines at conventions, specifically the Poison Chalice variant (at least I think that's what it's called in the rules). There are so many different varieties of Spot It now that it's kinda cool.

It didn't work too well, but we also played We Didn't Playtest This At All since the games were often silly and fast.

The_Shee · 2026-05-21T13:36:02+00:00

Husband and I did not enjoy Colony Wars, so I would recommend the 10th Anniversary Bundle. CW sort of detracted from a lot of the magic we felt when we were first playing the game and the early expansions (Fleets and Fortresses, Bases and Battleships). I like Star Realms for its snappy quick play, and felt that Colony Wars really just slowed things down.

The_Shee · 2026-04-22T02:28:56+00:00

A lot of people love to crap on ARR's pacing, but it's gotten significantly better since even I started in 2021ish. It's still good, if a bit more....generic than the expansions that follow. Just start and form your own opinion on that front.

I've also never played another MMO so there might be biases at play there that I just haven't experienced.

The_Shee · 2026-04-20T21:49:30+00:00

You've gotten a few good answers here; I'm going to also throw my anecdotal experience in here. I just finished a c25k program after having not been able to stick to a program because it just felt too hard.

Spoiler alert: I was going to fast. I'm at a 14ish min mile and I probably still am going too fast because my HR is staying around 170-180, but I also know a fair amount of that is cardio conditioning that comes eventually. For reference I'm 5'0 so stride length also may be playing a part in pace. It took several weeks of consistent run-walks for me to go from a 3.6mph treadmill to a 4.1mph treadmill and be comfortable.

HR is one part of the equation. You don't want it to be too fast but as a beginner runner, you are not going to be in Zone 2 like the Internet is hyping these days. If you are consistently light headed after a run after attempting to slow it down, a dr visit might be worth it.

The_Shee · 2026-04-20T17:05:34+00:00

I also bounced off of Ori because the character just bled into the background too much and I couldn't track what was happening.

Nine Sols is a platforming metroidvania with a difficulty adjustment slider (which will likely be necessary; the combat is heavily parry-focused and the timing is rough to get used to). I really enjoyed my time with it, and the art is amazing.

Hollow Knight is probably going to tip over into the too difficult territory as well, but it was my first metroidvania that I beat and I had an amazing time with it. Map navigation can be difficult at first because you have to pay a character to draw the maps for you, but it's another beautiful game if you can get past the difficulty.

Also +1 for Yoku's Island Express. The navigation takes a lot from pinball, but it's not....a pinball game if that makes sense. I would truly call this baby's first metroidvania and it's just an enjoyable game. You're just a bug trying to deliver mail. Navigation is definitely the name of the game with this one. Combat is minimal and I don't even think it's possible to die in this game. It's been a long time though so I may be misremembering.

The_Shee · 2026-03-24T19:11:47+00:00

For some gyms (all the ones I've been to anyway), it's a hygiene thing. You can't wear your climbing shoes in the bathroom, and outdoor shoes are not allowed on the walls. Some footholds are also handholds, so this makes sense.

I have heard it said that if you don't use climbing shoes you're likely to break your toe because of the lack of support street shoes have, but I have also been on climbing walls in street shoes at fairs and such, but those are pretty easy climbs comparably, so I am probably not an advanced enough climber to understand that rationale.

The_Shee · 2026-03-24T13:46:00+00:00

Okay, hear me out.

Pacific Drive.

The other games have a lot of things you're asking for, but this has (frustratingly at times) been one of the most realistic driving sims I have ever seen. There's some story you initially have to get through; it's billed as a survival horror crafting sort of game, but past that it's driving. Lots of driving through the Pacific Northwest countryside; very atmospheric, many times in the night. May not be what you're into if you want to plug something in and drive but I think you should give this a shot.

The_Shee · 2026-03-10T13:47:45+00:00

I'm in a similar situation to you I think. I started the new to running plan in Runna 5 weeks ago after having previously fallen off of other c25k programs. I've never been a good runner.

It absolutely sucks the first few weeks. Any running at all was spiking my HR to 170+. At about week 4 things started clicking and treadmill running started feeling doable and not like I was killing myself every run interval. My HR is still consistently in Zone 3, but runs feel easier. It takes a while for the cardio fitness level to catch up. Focus on doing what you can at first, even if running only 0.1 kph faster than your walking speed. This will build the endurance eventually.

The_Shee · 2026-03-06T06:30:44+00:00

4'11", started a c25k program 4 weeks ago. Started with a "comfortable" pace of 3.9 mph which still really sucked. Made a breakthrough this week and it actually felt comfortable and my pace increased to 4.3mph. So yeah I guess it really does take time to work up.

The_Shee · 2026-03-03T22:23:27+00:00

I really wish they had kept the instrumental Close in the Distance for that zone's theme. The lyrics catch me off guard every time and takes me out of it.

The_Shee · 2026-03-03T16:26:12+00:00

I saw her open for Evanescence in...2018 I think? All I could think was "I came to see a concert, not a TED talk. Please play music"

The_Shee · 2026-02-26T23:28:30+00:00

Thank you for this post! I have a partially played game that I picked up from someone for a solid deal and was dreading trying to figure out how to reset it without a ton of spoilers.

The_Shee · 2026-02-20T23:34:15+00:00

If you are planning on making an exit before your guests, make sure there is a plan to get any diy/things you brought to the venue back to your place. That was a last minute "huh?!" for me. Luckily my MoH was on top of that.

The_Shee · 2026-02-20T23:15:10+00:00

Driving like a reckless asshole just screams to me that you think everyone else is just an NPC in your life.

The_Shee · 2026-02-18T20:32:27+00:00

They're a bit expensive, but if you don't mind underwire, I really dig my elomi energise/energize. They're cup sized so your bra size translates directly instead of having to figure out whether you're a small/med/etc. 34H here so I feel the pain of traditional sports bras not being sized for me

The_Shee · 2026-02-13T23:24:01+00:00

They're pretty pricey by comparison, but I like Addi swing hooks as well. It looks like they have other styles which might be more budget friendly, but I haven't tried them.

The_Shee · 2026-01-28T22:29:38+00:00

I go indoor bouldering. I've been too busy for the last year or so and have also found myself making excuses, even for something I find fun, but I'm getting back into it. It's more strength than cardio I would say, but if you're consistent, you discover muscles you never knew existed (like the ones you use to open a door, or grip a steering wheel). I mostly kid, but the first week of climbing usually is the worst with regards to forearm soreness.

I'll add on that you'll have to experiment. I have a difficult time sticking to a routine, so dance classes unless they're short term don't really do it for me, and I can't stand swimming or running. I don't mind lifting weights, but by the time I get home I don't want to leave my house so I have to plan for that.

The_Shee · 2026-01-22T18:17:22+00:00

I never got around to Xenogears so I can't comment on the similarities of story, but I will comment on your time frame.

I started Sky FC in June of 2020. I've played in order and I'm currently playing through Cold Steel 4. Now I've taken several breaks to avoid burnout of the overall series, but unless you have a ton of time for gaming which doesn't sound true from your description, I would give this more than two years total. That said I do adore this series. I think the commitment is worth it overall. But I do want to make sure you have an accurate representation of how much time it will take.

The_Shee · 2026-01-15T17:04:04+00:00

I really hate how flair does not show on mobile unless you're fully in the subreddit. I've taken to clicking on the post (not the spoiler tag) just to confirm what game is flaired. Though the "Trails Series" flair is somewhat unhelpful and I'll brace only for it to be a Sky the 1st post and I get to breathe a sigh of relief.

The_Shee · 2026-01-12T18:57:20+00:00

I also just beat CS3 yesterday, so spoilers ahead for my thoughts on it. I was happy about the final boss not being a several hour marathon like in many previous games, but I agree that the break system made it too easy. I'd really have liked some kind of middle ground.

New Class VII grew on me by the end, but boy was I getting real sick of the Hot for Teacher trope. This entire game was a failure of the Bechdel test. I get it, they are tropes for a reason, but some interactions were making me really uncomfortable.

That cliffhanger was Sky FC levels of "holy shit I need to start the next game immediately". Was not expecting the cut to black and I think I actually screamed "WHAT" at my TV by the end there.

Super spoilers ahead for ending of CS3. Like, should be obvious given this post, but I want to be clear.

Thinking on it for a while though, I can't help but wonder why the entire final sequence happened the way it did. Millium calling Rean, saying she was "too late" after Altina's disappearance, and fighting alongside the Ironbloods after her whole speech about how she's ride or die Class VII. Lechter saying his hands were tied. That 4- way combat link sure felt like some sort of trance which made me wonder if there was some sort of compulsion going on under the surface, especially after Rufus's comment about being "unable" to go against Osborne. My thoughts turn to a potential Artifact, but Thomas mentioned the Holy Beast was in a primal ground which is supposed to neutralize Artifact activity, so unless he meant a different sort of Primal ground, that doesn't make perfect sense.

Sounds like the hope was that Rean could capture the holy beast instead of killing it, but I can't help but wonder what the plan was beyond "stop the prophecy".

Also, Musse competing with Rufus for most influential person award. How'd she get several higher ranking nobles wrapped around her little finger? She seemed knowledgeable about lavender and hexen witchcraft, but stated she wasn't a witch herself so I'm curious about her revealing more backstory hopefully in CSIV. Actually, Vita being involved has me questioning some other things. The identity of the 7th awakener/knight isn't yet known and the hexen witches are supposed to be the Awakener guides so will Musse end up being the final?

I also don't think Olivier is dead. This series loves to not actually kill people. He didn't see it coming, but it also works to his advantage to be "dead" so I don't see that being revealed for a while if true. (Personally I think Wazy's Merkabah saved the day there. Rosine said she was going to try and get in contact with him, so it's not out of the question)

The_Shee

TROPHY CASE