Hivemind Archives - Page 3 of 30

clueQuest – Print + Cut + Escape: Prison of Memories Part I [Hivemind Review]

9 February 202113 February 2021 by reahivemind, posted in clueQuest, Hivemind

Prison of Memories Part I is a print-and-play escape game created by clueQuest in London, England.

An assortment of printed components, a scissor, and a laptop.

Format

Style of Play: print-and-play escape game

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, printer, pen and paper, scissors, and tape would also be helpful

Recommended Team Size: 1-3

Play Time: varies enormously from 90 minutes to over 3 hours

Price: £15

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

Like other Print + Cut + Escape games, this game includes a 24-page PDF full of puzzle pieces to print and cut out, an online app, and a unique access code for registering your team in the app. The app guides you through the story one “chapter” at a time and indicates which printed pieces to use with each puzzle. The app also validates your answers and provides a sufficient hint system.

Digital interface with a video labeled, "Prison of memories part 1"

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Hourglass Escapes – Rise of the Mad Pharaoh [Hivemind Review]

8 February 202110 February 2021 by reahivemind, posted in Hivemind, Hourglass Escapes

Rise of the Mad Pharaoh is a real-life escape room livestreamed and played through an avatar, created by Hourglass Escapes in Seattle, WA.

The team all dressed in fairly elaborate costumes for their game.

Format

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

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 3-6

Play Time: 60 minutes

Price: $30 per person

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

This is an online adaptation of an in-person escape room. There is a light story that is cohesive throughout, but the focus is on the moderately difficult puzzles. Teamwork and communication are key.

Players interact with puzzle materials in Telescape, while the avatar on Zoom manipulates the physical elements that unlock things.

Promo art for Rise of the Mad Pharaoh shows a mummy hand reaching out of the sand towards a laptop.

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Podklobukom – The Biohazard Trilogy [Hivemind Review]

5 February 202110 February 2021 by reahivemind, posted in Hivemind

The Biohazard Trilogy is a light puzzle hunt created by Podklobukom in Slovakia.

A Bony Discman CD Player, headphones, and a CD.

Format

Style of Play: light puzzle hunt

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, a pen and paper also recommended

Recommended Team Size: 1-5

Play Time: There is no time limit. Plan on 1-2 hours per installment, depending on your experience level

Price: €50 total for the trilogy (Installment 1 is free and the following 2 installments are each €25.)

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

This is a linear puzzle hunt through a linear series of web-based puzzles with light thematic content between puzzles. You enter a solution to get the next puzzle.

There is an option to get 1 hint and then the solution on each puzzle. There is also a scoring system based on solving for speed without hints.

The game relied on Google and other puzzle tools more than on the provided code sheet.

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Escape Room Melbourne – Isolation [Hivemind Review]

4 February 202110 February 2021 by reahivemind, posted in Hivemind

Isolation is a digital escape game, designed for livestream play, created by Thin Reality Experiences for Escape Room Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia.

Research scientist Logan in his lab, looking into a video call.

Format

Style of Play: narrative-driven digital escape game, designed for livestream play

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, pen and paper also recommended

You need to tweak your Zoom settings to properly play this game. Pay attention to the instructions at the beginning.

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 120 minutes

Price: $96 USD ($120 AUS) for 2 players, plus about $8 USD for each additional player

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

The structure was organic. We found ourselves on a Zoom call with a person in need of our help.

Isolation is a live-streamed immersive experience/ escape room that takes place over Zoom with a live actor, called a room runner. Puzzles are provided as links supplied in the Zoom chat as the story unfolds. Once solved, they unlock the next puzzle and story element. Expect to have a lot of browser tabs open, but you won’t be overwhelmed with too much info at any one time.

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Escape New Haven – Wreck Havoc: Global Catastrophe [Hivemind Review]

28 January 202129 January 2021 by reahivemind, posted in Escape New Haven, Hivemind

Wreck Havoc: Global Catastrophe is a digital megagame created by Escape New Haven in New Haven, CT.

Format

Style of Play: digital megagame

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: The game supports team sizes from 24 to 240. We played with 32 (8 groups of 4) and this worked well.

Play Time: about 2 hours

Price: $38 per person

Booking: Fill out the contact form on Escape New Haven’s website to set up a booking for a large private group.

Description

A global catastrophe has occurred and nations must sort out how to address the problem. Each player was assigned a team named for a country. Individual countries had to solve puzzles in order to earn currency. The currency could be spent on tools to help solve the crisis. Your country will need to ally with other countries.

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