Category: Hivemind

An Enola Holmes Adventure is a free print-and-play collection of puzzles with a light narrative created by Escape Hunt in the UK. This game was released in partnership with Netflix to promote their new movie, Enola Holmes. The film was noticeably escape room-ish.

Format

Style of Play: print-and-play collection of puzzles with a light narrative

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, printer, pen and paper, scissors

This game is meant to be printed.

Recommended Team Size: 1-3

Play Time: 30-60 minutes

Price: free

Booking: download and play at any time

Description

This is a full-color PDF of puzzles with setup instructions, a few minimal/ quick folding and/ or cutting puzzles, and an accompanying hints website with some hints also included at the end of the pdf in mirror writing.

Hivemind Review Scale

Prototype is a point-and-click adventure game created by Edaqa’s Room.

Format

Style of Play: point-and-click adventure game

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: There is no timer. The website says groups usually take about 90 minutes. Our reviewer group played in about 45 minutes.

Price: introductory price of $12.50 per team

Booking: Upon purchase you gain immediate access to the game in the browser.

Description

Prototype is a point-and-click adventure game with collaborative elements. The whole team plays together, but everybody can move around the screens separately.

Hivemind Review Scale

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a real-life escape room livestreamed and played through an avatar, created by Novel Escape in Austin, TX.

Room Escape Artist reviewed the real-life version of this game in August of 2019. This is a review of the online adaptation.

Format

Style of Play: real-life escape room livestreamed and played through an avatar

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 2-5

Play Time: 75 minutes

Price: $60 for first two connections; $15 for each additional connection

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

This is a standard, avatar-guided adaptation of a real-life escape room. In addition to the live first-person video stream of the room, you also have an auto-populating inventory that allows you to inspect items up close. This game uses Zoom video chat with Telescape inventory.

Hivemind Review Scale

The Profoctor Predicament is a light puzzle hunt created by Oblivity, and set in the world of their podcast.

Format

Style of Play: light puzzle hunt with many audio and video clips for the story

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Of note, the printer is optional, but some reviewers found having printed materials to be extremely helpful.

Recommended Team Size: 1-4

Play Time: The website says there is no time pressure and the game is about the experience, so it should be enjoyed over a couple of hours, with snacks. It’s probably about 60-90 minutes, more if you engage with all the audio and video material.

Price: £5

Booking: To get The Profoctor Predicament, go to their Ko-fi page, linked from their website, and give at least £5. You’ll receive an automated Ko-fi email receipt containing your 8-digit pass-code. Use your pass-code to start the game from the link on their website.

Description

The game takes place within The Profoctor Predicament online game space, and players are advanced from one section to the next by entering numerical answers to puzzles. There is a “base journal” that contains all of the puzzles, and it may be printed or downloaded. Hints are received as audio, video, and written clues, all delivered in character by cartoon figures that represent the cast of the Oblivity podcast. There is no video chat interface for the team of players. We set up our own Google Meet, and then divided up the puzzles.

Hivemind Review Scale