Puzzling Pursuits - The Fifth Column

The Game: The Fifth Column

The Creators: Puzzling Pursuits

Age Level: 14 +

Average Completion Time: 2-4 Hours

Player Count: 1-6 Players

Difficulty Level: No difficulty rating is provided, just a disclaimer that more time or hints may be needed

Type of Box: Single One Story Box

Can it be replayed? Yes! We had to get a little creative drawing and printing, but yes you can reset it.

Disclaimer: We were provided this box at no cost in exchange for our honest and unbiased review.

Pre-game Research: This small company was well reviewed online and owner Andy was a delight to chat with!

Synopsis: 

June 1945, Manhattan—The city celebrates the recent surrender of Nazi Germany during WWII, but peril lurks in the shadows. A group of extreme Nazi loyalists has evaded Allied defenses and taken up residence in the heart of Manhattan, seeking revenge. With sinister plans brewing, the stakes could not be higher. Can you foil the plans of The Fifth Column?

Storyline: 

The storyline on this one unfolds like a beloved piece of history. With so many factual details the line between fact and fiction blurs as you get deeper into the story. The story didn’t just flow, it unfolded like a history book come to life!

Gameplay: 

We really enjoyed the game play on this one. There isn’t a ton of clarity on how to get going, but we enjoyed figuring that out. The variety of puzzles created a fun, intriguing, and engaging experience. There was not a ton of online content but there was just enough to keep the story moving and add to the immersion with some digital content. The amount of materials in the is box was impressive. Each document was respectfully recreated with superb quality. It was hard to find anything wrong with this box, but if we had to say one thing, we missed the presence of tangible 3D objects vs all paper. This however did not diminish the experience in any way. We almost felt like we were reaching to find something in the way of constructive criticism to add. 

Difficulty:

This box was definitely challenging. The puzzles were all so different and unique which allows for everyone’s strengths to be showcased at some point during gameplay. This also created unique levels of complexity or each of us which we really appreciated.

We give it a difficulty rating of 7/10.

Final Thoughts:

We truly loved this box. The creators showed deep respect and reverence to the historical materials and overall WWII storyline. They also took great care in maintaining the integrity of the era with a finished product of high quality documents and replicas. This box was by far the most transported through time we felt. There is even an online source providing food recommendations, cocktail recipes, attire suggestions, and a playlist of music all in line with the era the story takes place in. Credit must be given for such attention to detail allowing for such a pleasant immersion experience. This felt like a passion project from start to finish. Andy and his wife clearly have an abundant love of history and gaming that shines through every aspect of play. This is a cannot miss game!

Our Completion Time: We opted not to use any hints and played the full 4 hours

Our Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Where To Get It: Want to play this game? Here’s where to buy it!

https://puzzlingpursuits.com/collections/all-products/products/the-fifth-column

On sale now for $34.95, this game is a huge value. You won’t regret buying and playing this one!