Forget the chocolates, give me a puzzle!
Location: At home
Date Played: June 29, 2022
Team size: 2
Duration: 60+ minutes setup time, 45+ minutes for scavenger hunt as described with no customizations
Price: about $69.99
REA Reaction
When I first heard about Scavenger Box, a do-it-yourself romantic scavenger hunt kit, I was intrigued. Our anniversary trip was a few weeks away, and it seemed like the perfect occasion for a fun, unique gift-giving experience. The kit arrived in a plain black box; I told my husband it was another Kickstarter escape game and I was going to add it to the pile. Instead, I put it aside to pack in my suitcase…
I took a quick peek; the presentation of items in the box was beautiful, and the quality was impressive, especially the satin-lined treasure box and the heart-shaped lock. You can tell that a lot of thought was put into each and every item. In fact, there were so many props, I admit I was a little overwhelmed. Could I really pull this off? But the step-by-step guide made setup so easy! It detailed exactly what clues to write, what items to use and where to hide them around the room. Additionally, there were suggestions for customizations to make the whole experience as unique and personalized as you wish.
Our big day arrived and I sent my husband to the beach while I got to work. Setup took a while, around 90 minutes. There were quite a few steps and I had to make some adjustments due to the hotel room layout. I also created some of my own clues and added a few wrapped gifts here and there. I made one minor mistake with the clue that used disappearing ink, but it was easily fixed. Once everything was setup, the room looked amazing…my husband returned to find flickering candles and rose petals and Clue #1.
Everything flowed perfectly from one clue to the next…until the jigsaw puzzle. Not only did it interrupt the momentum of the experience, but it was also a bit awkward to simply sit and watch him put a puzzle together. One other clue could have used more specific instructions, and I imagine it would have been difficult to solve if the scavenger hunt had been outdoors.
Overall, we both absolutely loved Scavenger Box, as it brought a fun, playful and creative element to our anniversary celebration. For a special occasion – a romantic birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day or even a marriage proposal – I would not hesitate to recommend Scavenger Box. Maybe next year it will be my turn to receive one?
Who is this for?
- Couples celebrating a special occasion
- True romantics
- Any experience level
Why play?
- Quality components
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Playful, romantic theme
Setup
Setup included writing clues and preparing props and then hiding items around the house, outside in a park, or anywhere you want the scavenger hunt to take place. You can even involve other people by making the recipient talk to them to get the next clue.
Gameplay
Scavenger Box is a unique, do-it-yourself scavenger hunt with a low level of difficulty.
Gameplay focused on searching, solving clues, and discovering the final surprise. While the scavenger hunt was not a puzzle-focused experience – there was really only one puzzle-based clue – you can certainly create your own cryptic clues and components.
Analysis
➕ Simple yet detailed step-by-step instructions made setup so easy that anyone can create a fun and romantic adventure for their special someone.
➕ Unique high-quality props and suggestions for personalization make for an elevated experience, limited only by your imagination and creativity.
➖ Time to set up and create customized clues could be quite lengthy depending on the complexity and structure of the experience you design; planning ahead of time is recommended
➕ Everything I needed was included in the box, including a few extras of key items in case I made a mistake. This was a thoughtful addition.
➕ Scavenger Box takes a typical gift-giving experience and elevates it to something unique and really special.
➕/➖ The kit is meant to be used only once, although several components can be kept as keepsakes or reused for other purposes.
Tips For Players
- Space Requirements: At a minimum, you’ll need one room where you can hide clues, but the hunt can take place across multiple rooms or even outdoors.
- Required Gear: A pen; everything else is included!
Buy your copy of Scavenger Box, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Scavenger Box provided a sample for review.