Children’s Book Review | Ice Cavern Vaults

Ice Cavern Vaults Review

Ice Cavern Vaults, written by Kai Synapse, is a children's co-op dungeon adventure that allows kids to take the lead on an icy expedition while parents act as their guide.

The expedition begins by setting the scene: Three map explorers are trapped behind a frozen gate. They have warm seats, food, lamps, and a working radio, but their route home is sealed by ice.

Your crew is entrusted with a difficult task. You must trace the old stair, clear the right ice, and open the gate, all without sending the meltwater the wrong way.

Readers (being children ages 8-12 and a leading adult) choose their crew roles, follow four Halls, and pause at each room as they survey the scene.

In each new scene, they're presented with three clear choices, or the option to suggest their own. Once the action is decided, the guide flips the page, reads the results of the group's choice, and follows the directions provided.

Just like adult co-op games, collecting clues and tools from earlier rooms can save readers time later, while making a careless move may leave a repair for the Hall boss. A final mistake sends the whole crew safely back to plan again.

Hall trackers, a parent/reader help page, crew cards and certificates, and one brief die challenge are all included. All readers need to bring is a pencil, one die, and an adventurous spirit!

First of all, this gamebook solves a very real problem I know I have as a parent - finding age-appropriate games that don't include magic, the occult, gore, or death.

My daughter isn't ready for those themes yet and I appreciate a book that doesn't surprise us with them halfway through. It also makes the co-op a no-brainer to play with her friends, since I can trust it won't violate any other family's standards either.

I was thankful the author allowed us to problem solve together at our own pace, specifically calling out from the start that rereading, drawing, discussing, and asking an adult what a word means don't move the story Clock.

A lot of co-op dungeon adventures incorporate more time limits, which has discouraged my daughter from trying them at all. This one allowed her to gain a level of comfort with the game that I know will help her build up to faster-paced games in the future.

The setting was a lot of fun for us too. Who doesn't want to explore dark, icy passages to rescue fellow adventurers?! It opened the door to a lot of fun imagination.

And finally, I love the screen-free opportunities this book offered to laugh and connect with my daughter. It set up the same kind of adventure she enjoys in video games, but brought it directly to our kitchen table.

One thing I should mention is that if you're new to co-op games, Ice Cavern Vaults isn't exaaaactly a grab-and-go first ever co-op book. Here's a quick example from the text:

At the start of each Hall, set Clock to 10 and Supply to 3. Keep earned keys and hand tools in the shared locker. The next Hall refills both resources; gear and its actual condition carry forward.

If that snippet feels confusing, you may want to start with a beginner's guide to RPG games, or at least plan on spending some extra time researching what these things mean on the internet.

Overall, this is a fun adventure that kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy. You can find Ice Cavern Vaults and other books by Kai Synapse on Amazon.