Review: Alone Together 2: Together Apart | Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room

OFFICIAL INFO FROM COMPANY...

🕹️ Alone Together 2: Together Apart

🌐 Enchambered ▪ Puzzles & Games

🗺️ Based In United States

⏲️ N/A ▪ 💪 N/A ▪ 🔢 2 Teams

THE PREMISE

📚 Play with a friend! Can you decipher enigmatic puzzles that require constant communication between you and your teammate to solve? Your escape is dependent on how well you work together to find your way through gadgets and clues to solve the puzzle. Using two separate devices, play with a friend on the couch or even all the way across the globe on the phone or video chat! This is the sequel to the free puzzle game Alone Together.

THE GUIDE

THIS IS CLASSIFIED AS...

▪ Play At Home » Purely Online Digital Game

▪ Cooperative (Co-op) Communication Puzzle Game

MY BODY IS READY! NOW WHAT?

🛒 TO BUY, CLICK HERE!

THE REVIEW

Alone Together 2: Together Apart ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room

THERE'S A PLOT NOW... KINDA

In a nutshell, instead of throwing the players two random work tables and just begin working puzzles of various nature and objects, there's a modest attempt of tying all the brainteasers together with a overarching story world:

The two players, Player 1 and Player 2, will fulfill the role of the Fortune Teller and The Clock Maker, tasked to solve the magic of two pieces of magical artifacts. Though two separate entities, these separate objects respond to each other through supernatural forces, as one should rightfully expect, lol. Solve the mysteries within to save... our... lives...?

Honestly, I didn't find the plot line too believable, they oughta fix that.

Player One, Clock Maker ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room

MORE OVERTLY THEMED

Though I wasn't quite on board with the plot per se, the resulting theme that each player got to witness was deserving enough for anyone to overlook the narrative shortcoming.

Since Player 1 is now the Fortune Teller, everything is dripping with an occult flavor. (And in some cases, typical "witch-y" ingredients and potions.) And yay, Tarot cards! Love these.

I do believe the title of fortune teller was more of a politically correct-driven choice, because most of the items I saw was more in line in the world of witchcraft. I would've preferred the more appropriate and esteemed title of a warlock! (This is my preferred side of the two options.)

On the flip side, Player 2 the Clock Maker receives a much more mechanical looking box, with a lot of metal gears, buttons, and similar contraptions to fiddle with. There are cogs turning, handles to pull, and keyhole to look through. Somewhat fascinating still, just not as exciting.

One or two particular new puzzles now involve parts manipulation, in a similar fashion to that of a sliding puzzle; and while I acknowledge this as a respected form of puzzle and long standing member in the history of brainteasers, (and I am actually quite proficient at solving them,) it still felt more chore like than actual fun. So a bit of a pet peeve there.

Player Two, Fortune Teller ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room

PERPLEXING PUZZLES

The challenges do not seem to have any common theme, and rather random and eclectic. There's really no explanation why there are playing cards and alien language symbols just laying around, thus making the communication hurdle aspect that much more interesting.

Overall, this is a pattern recognition game relayed over a conversation without face to face contact, though some of the brainteasers really do remind me of the exact types one would commonly confront in an actual physical escape room!

STILL IMPRESSIVE ARTWORK

One thing that remained equally awesome from the previous game, and still radiated brightly across the board was the art work. Whoever's been rendering these images for these lovely puzzle games, a loud round of applause.

You have done it again.

This only further fuels my desire to play their in-real-life, physical games with this company. I bet they would look beyond awesome. Sacramento just became a destination spot for me!

Alone Together 2: Together Apart ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room

DOH! IT HAPPENED AGAIN!

Having completely botched my first attempt at Enchambered's first installment, my partner and I played the sequel immediately after, thinking we would do much better and hopefully redeem ourselves from any further embarrassing performance.

And in a way, yes, we did that, kinda? We were able to advance through much of this second game without any major obstacle... except until the final stretch.

There was one particular puzzle towards that end that my partner, whom I adore dearly, though I was beyond frustrated with at the moment, just flat out refused to understand.

It just so occurred that the puzzle clues didn't align with how he thought they should be presented. He was at a mental gridlock. A complete standstill. Gah.

Long story short, after patiently waiting for him to have a breakthrough for roughly half a hour, I broke my vow to stick with the game rules, walked over to his screen, and examined his clues, and proceeded to finish the game within 3 minutes.

AHHH! I could just strangle him! 😇

So my advice for the last game still stands this time around:

If you, like I, have a team that include participant(s) of varying level of experience, it's best to play with at least 2 players on the side with less past puzzle solving knowledge. That helps leveling out the playing field, and also fills in the gaps of weaknesses.

Expert players with great communication skills should do just fine with 2 people.

Alone Together 2: Together Apart ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room

HELP IS INCLUDED

What's new in this sequel is the self guiding game hints page, available for you to use should you ever get stuck. (You can only access this guide with an active license key, however.) Obviously, spoilers alert, so only use this if you absolutely have to. The guide webpage is also gorgeously designed, so do have a look after you beat the game.

While I didn't know this hints guide existed during game play, I doubt it would've helped my team specifically since the problem was rooted in a misinterpretation of the graphics, rather than truly baffled by the question, so to speak. Just my luck! Haha!

Speaking of help, your donation of $5 (USD) or more to access this game helps the company pay for rent and their staff during temporary forced closure. Your monetary support assists their ability to retain all the wonderful people who have skillfully served their guests all these years. This is definitely a worthy cause, and I was happy to oblige.

THE FUN DOESN'T END

All in all, Enchambered has done it again with an exceptional new product with a cheap price tag to match. You're getting a great value for paying very little out of pocket. Having gone over the entire game one more time by myself for reviewing purpose, I can tell you this is a winner.

If you enjoyed what "Alone Together 2: Together Apart", don't forget to also check out its previous installment "Alone Together"! Puzzles format is similar, and it's generally regarded as the easier of the two. You'll sail right through it with ease!

If you need further challenges still, Enchambered has even more riddles and brainteasers available, all executed with the same high quality graphics that have come to become a signature for all the online games from this venerable Sacramento company.

Signing off,

ESCAPE MATTSTER

Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

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