Tag: Michelle Calabro

Society of Curiosities – The Bewitched Circus [Hivemind Review]

by reahivemind, posted in Hivemind, Society of Curiosities

Bewitched Circus is a light puzzle hunt created by Society of Curiosities.

One ticket to the circus.

Format

Style of Play: narrative-driven, light puzzle hunt with some ARG-style elements

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, mobile device

You need to text answers to an in-game character. You can choose to do so by regular text messages on your phone, or (for international players) you can use their online chat tool.

Recommended Team Size: 1-2

Play Time: no timer, but it took about an hour

Price: $12

Booking: purchase online and play at your leisure

Description

There is a weird circus in town with some magical and suspect behavior happening. You are the one chosen to figure out what’s going on there before the show starts. The gameplay consists of reading, inspecting photos, and sending text messages. The messaging interface leads you through a story.

Hivemind Review Scale

REA's hivemind review scale - 3 is recommended anytime, 2 recommended in quarantine, 1 is not recommended.

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Secret Library [Hivemind Review]

by reahivemind, posted in Hivemind

Secret Library is a digital immersive mystery.

A few teammates interacting with actors in the game world.

Format

Style of Play: digital immersive mystery

Required Equipment: computer with an internet connection, and a smartphone will come in handy for some portions of the game.

Sign on early and be a little patient as you get a sense of the technology and flow of the experience. It is actually quite simple to interact with, but it’s different from just about every other video conferencing system, so it requires some adjustment.

Recommended Team Size: This is a public-ticketed show that supports around 60 connections (devices). Because you are part of an interactive audience, you can experience this solo, or with a large group of people all booking into the same showing. We recommend only 1-2 people per connection.

Given the size of the digital environment and the number of characters, Secret Library was legitimately designed to work properly with groups ranging from about 20-60 people.

Play Time: 100 minutes

Price: $35 per connection

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

Secret Library was a large-scale immersive mystery. It blended elements of escape rooms with immersive theater. There are approximately 10 characters to interact with and a clickable map that changes which video conference room you’re occupying. We had to work with the characters to accomplish a series of missions and ultimately solve a greater mystery.

A character talking through video with a chat window open.

Hivemind Review Scale

REA's hivemind review scale - 3 is recommended anytime, 2 recommended in quarantine, 1 is not recommended.

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clueQuest – Print + Cut + Escape Episode 3: Humanity 2.0 [Hivemind Review]

by reahivemind, posted in clueQuest, Hivemind

Humanity 2.0 is a print-and-play escape game created by clueQuest in London, England.

A colored in character with an exposed brain beside an assortment of colored pencils.

Format

Style of Play: print-and-play escape game

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

Recommended Team Size: 1-3

Play Time: 1-2 hours

Price: £12

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

The game includes a 20-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, serving up videos, audio, and simple gadgets for entering solutions. You refer to the printed puzzle pieces that correspond to the chapter.

Black & white illustration of Mrs Q, labeled "Sniper"

Hivemind Review Scale

REA's hivemind review scale - 3 is recommended anytime, 2 recommended in quarantine, 1 is not recommended.

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Omescape – Pursuit of Assassin Artist [Hivemind Review]

by reahivemind, posted in 2020 Golden Lock, Hivemind, OMEscape

Pursuit of Assassin Artist is a time loop escape game, created for livestreamed play through an avatar, created by Omescape in San Jose, CA.

The artist walking around in his home.

Format

Style of Play: time loop-style escape room, livestreamed and played through an avatar, and designed for livestream play

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, phone that can call a US number

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 90 minutes

Price: $179 per team, for up to 8 connections

Booking: book online for a specific time slot.

2020 Golden Lock Award Ribbon
2020 Golden Lock Award Winner

Description

This was a typical avatar-driven game with a pair of twists.

  1. There was a live actor as antagonist.
  2. Your avatar was a character trapped in a time loop. If you – through the avatar – make a critical failure, the avatar dies, and your avatar immediately returns to the start of the game with no memory of what has happened. Everything in the game world resets.

Expect the unexpected. This game plays with time resets, character improvisation, outside knowledge, and accumulated knowledge. Be ready for anything.

Hivemind Review Scale

REA's hivemind review scale - 3 is recommended anytime, 2 recommended in quarantine, 1 is not recommended.

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clueQuest – Print + Cut + Escape Episode 2: Alpha Brain System [Hivemind Review]

by reahivemind, posted in clueQuest, Hivemind

Alpha Brain System is a print-and-play escape game created by clueQuest in London, England.

Colored pencils atop a colored in printed page.

Format

Style of Play: print-and-play escape game

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

You definitely need to print. Be precise with cutting on the Prologue.

Make sure to test print a couple of pages first to make sure the images are printing with the correct margins and alignment.

Recommended Team Size: 1-3

Play Time: 1-2 hours

Price: £12

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

The game includes a 26-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, serving up videos, audio, and simple gadgets for entering solutions. You refer to the printed puzzle pieces that correspond to the chapter.

Cut up pages and a scissor.

Hivemind Review Scale

REA's hivemind review scale - 3 is recommended anytime, 2 recommended in quarantine, 1 is not recommended.

Read more about our Hivemind Review format.

Continue reading “clueQuest – Print + Cut + Escape Episode 2: Alpha Brain System [Hivemind Review]” →