Unlock!: Fifth Avenue

The initial release of Unlock! came packaged with a 10 min intro game, but also provided a 30 min free print and play game, The Elite. Fifth Avenue is a second free print and play game of the same length as The Elite. There appear to be two more print and plays due for release in the near future, as well as a new boxed set of three new full games, so the franchise is rolling the scenarios out at quite a pace. This one has a 1930s setting with a corporate espionage theme.

For a demo game like this, the main questions are I expect: is it worth printing it out? is it a good introduction to the Unlock! games? and should I play this or The Elite?

Of the two demo games so far available, I preferred Fifth Avenue. It’s simple and holds together well. There’s marginally more in it than in The Elite. It’s also easier, which I suppose makes it better as a demo game, although also meant that we finished it rapidly and were left thinking, ‘is that it?’. It definitely took longer to cut the cards than it did to play through the game.

If you’re an Unlock! addict, or are looking for a free taster to try before buying their full game, and/or you can get the cards printed easily and cheaply, then this is fun and worth a quick play through – just don’t expect it to be more than a brief diversion.