Cooperative elements are very strong in Escape. If two adventurers are in the same chamber, they can pool their dice together to meet whatever requirements are needed. To activate a gem, for example, you might need to roll 4 keys. That can be take quite a while if you are solo, but if two or three people work together, it is much, much easier. Another way players can cooperate is by rolling golden masks to help others in the same room recover their locked black skull dice. In the end game, teamwork is perhaps most important. When a player escapes, they can give one die to a poor soul still inside, making their way to freedom that much easier. It truly is one of the most cooperative games I’ve ever played.
It deserves mentioning how impressive the game components are. In Escape, time is of the utmost importance, and any second spent deciphering the icons or being confused about what to do next is totally wasted. The graphic design is extremely clear and easy to understand, but not at the expense of theme. You can tell that the designers carefully considered the balance between making the game attractive from an aesthetic standpoint while still being simple to comprehend even during the thick of a heated gameplay session.
Escape: The Curse of the Temple is one of the most interesting and unique games I’ve played in recent memory. The compelling theme and easy mechanics make it accessible to younger children and even non-gamers, yet still enjoyable for more accomplished gamers. Rolling all those dice is fun, and the relentless soundtrack adds to the frenetic pace and action. I highly recommend this gem to any fan of cooperative games.