Kate Wastl Archives - Room Escape Artist

Other Tales Interactive – Tick Tock a Tale for 2 [Hivemind Review]

30 March 20214 April 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

Tick Tock a Tale for 2 is a story-driven, point-and-click game for 2 players created by Other Tales Interactive.

A path to a well in the woods lit by lanterns.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Play on demand (i.e. purchase and play any time)
Point-and-click

Required Equipment: Computer, tablet, or mobile device

Recommended Team Size: 2

Play Time: There is no time limit, but probably 2-2.5 hours.

Price: $5.99 per player on Steam

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

Each player plays on their own device and sees a unique version of the game world. Communication is key to fill in the blanks and solve the puzzles.

This game does not require an internet connection because the two versions are independent. You are either playing as Player 1 or Player 2 and staying in sync with each other.

An open cabinet with an assortment of tools and books.

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Les Enfants Terribles – Sherlock Holmes: An Online Adventure – The Case of the Hung Parliament [Hivemind Review]

16 March 202118 March 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

Sherlock Holmes: An Online Adventure – The Case of the Hung Parliament is a digital theatrical game, designed for digital play, created by Les Enfants Terribles in London, England.

A beautiful old desk covered in documents, artifacts, and a pipe. — Image via Les Enfants Terribles

Format

Style of Play: digital theatrical game, designed for digital play, combining point-and-click adventure game, audio-visual experience, and Zoom

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Multiple screens were helpful during this experience. We also recommend the use of google drive to coordinate intelligence among team members.

Recommended Team Size: 4-6

Play Time: 80 minutes

Price: £15 per person / £90 for a private group of up 6 people

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

We were hosted live by Watson over Zoom, then let loose in a series 360-degree photos of crime scenes. We had to discover clues, interpret their meaning, and determine the suspect, their methods, and their motivations. This was not an escape game. Also, web searching and outside knowledge are encouraged.

Sherlock Holmes smoking his pipe. — Image via Les Enfants Terribles

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Sherlocked – The Vault Online [Hivemind Review]

8 March 20219 March 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind, Sherlocked

The Vault Online is a real-life escape room livestreamed and played through an avatar, created by Sherlocked in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Room Escape Artist reviewed the real-life version of this game in May of 2017 and awarded it a 2017 Golden Lock Award. This is a review of the online adaptation.

View of a masked person through a webcam.

Format

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

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, mobile device

At least one teammate has to call a European number and use WhatsApp.

Recommended Team Size: 2-5

Play Time: 90 minutes

Price: €149 per team

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

The Vault Online is an adaptation of the real-life game The Vault. It has been substantially changed to fit the online format. In this avatar-led version, the host livestreams the game through Whereby (video conferencing similar to Zoom). You direct the avatar within the set, and also perform some ARG-like solving on the internet, accessing social media and emails, and sending texts.

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Palace Games – The Sapphire Palace [Hivemind Review]

22 February 202123 February 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind, Palace Games

The Sapphire Palace is a point-and-click adventure game created by Palace Games in San Francisco, CA.

Overhead view of a boiler room in a digital interface.

Format

Style of Play: point-and-click adventure

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

Recommended Team Size: 4

Play Time: 90-120 minutes (but our group solved a bit more quickly)

Price: $20 per player

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

You log into a web environment where you navigate through a series of collaborative puzzles. Each teammate typically works on one part of a collaborative solve. A little circle always shows you what the other players are currently looking at.

If you’re in different households, you should connect with your teammates through Zoom, Discord, or another video conferencing platform. If you’re in the same household, each player will need their own computer.

Digital interface reads, "Previous, our intrepid heroes cracked the mysteries of the Ruby Palace and claimed their crimson reward."

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My Escape Room Party – The Disappearance of Mr. George [Hivemind Review]

18 February 202119 February 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

The Disappearance of Mr. George is a print-and-play escape game created by My Escape Room Party, based in Minnesota.

The printed kit for The Disappearance of Mr George, a pen, and scissors.

Format

Style of Play: print-and-play escape game

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

The computer is for purchasing the file, printing it, and viewing the intro video and hints.

Many of the pages had a dark background. Not only did it take a lot of ink to print, but you couldn’t easily write on some of the pages due to the black background.

Recommended Team Size: 1-4

Play Time: 60 minutes, but our reviewers all finished in significantly less time

Price: $24.95

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

Mr. George is missing, and you’re provided with a set of printed clues for 10 puzzles. Print out the 12-page kit and gather pen, paper and scissors. The puzzles can be done in parallel, and each contributes to a final meta-puzzle. The intro video and hint system are online.

Note that this game can also be used to host an escape room party. To use the game in this way, you hide the clues throughout a room, possibly taking inspiration from the artwork to add props and/ or integrate the puzzles more tightly with the environment

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