Tammy McLeod Archives - Page 3 of 15

Webscapade – Season 0: Welcome to Argenia! [Hivemind Review]

2 August 20216 August 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

Season 0: Welcome to Argenia! is a ARG-esque light puzzle hunt created by Webscapade.

Image of a hotel room the morning after a fun night. Champagne, and room service dishes sit on a table beside an unmade bed with clothes on the floor.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Play on demand
Light puzzle hunt

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 1-4

Play Time: about 90 minutes

Price: $25 per team

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

Welcome to Argenia! involved light ARG-style narrative puzzling. Players need to access a variety of webpages to progress through the game. There is simulated hacking as well as puzzles to solve. The story unfolds throughout the game.

A website for booking a room at the Capital Hotel in Argenia.

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A/Maze – The Ghost of Pointe-à-Callière [Hivemind Review]

20 July 202123 July 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

The Ghost of Pointe-à-Callière is an online escape game that explores a real-life museum. It was created by A/Maze in Montreal, Canada.

An illustration of a puzzle involving letters plugging into one another.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Point-and-click… ish

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 60-90 minutes

Price: $50 per team

Booking: fill out a form on their website to book

Description

In this game, you’re navigating through a 3D representation of the museum by either 1) clicking on an area using an overhead floor map of the museum or 2) moving around the museum in a Google Street View style.

The game tells the player what to look for, and provides puzzles to solve using the exhibit displays. This game is linear and it says so up front.

When a puzzle is solved, any team member can type it into “Mission Control” (a shared session across the team) and advance the entire team to the next puzzle.

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Virtual Escaping – Detention [Hivemind Review]

19 July 202123 July 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind, Virtual Escaping

Detention is a collaborative point-and-click escape game created by Virtual Escaping.

3D rendering of an old, rundown office in a school.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Play on demand
Point-and-click

Required Equipment: computer with an internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 1-3

Play Time: 60-90 minutes

Price: $40

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

Detention is a point-and-click game with built-in video chat, allowing for team members to collaborate via a browser-based system. Players solve puzzles by searching, using inventory items, and opening locks.

You can choose to play without a timer or challenge the clock. You also have the option of playing an easy or expert level game.

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The Escape Game – The Mysterious Benedict Society [Hivemind Review]

16 July 202123 July 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind, The Escape Game

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a free avatar-led escape game to promote the Disney+ show of the same name. It was created by The Escape Game in Nashville, TN.

An ornate hallway with portraits and many curious objects.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Avatar controlled by the players
Web-based inventory system

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 45 minutes

Price: This was a free event, promoting an upcoming Disney+ series.

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

This was a typical livestreamed escape room, played via Zoom with the gamemaster as the avatar. It included a separate custom inventory interface that kept track of locks in a separate list, and played game-related videos.

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Online Escape Rooms Ireland – Spirit Seekers Ireland: The Clare Abbey [Hivemind Review]

8 July 202114 July 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

Spirit Seekers Ireland: The Clare Abbey is a point-and-click game created by Online Escape Rooms Ireland in Ennis, County, Clare, Ireland.

View from a country road in Ireland. Text reads, "The Clare Abbey lies on the west bank of the river Fergus, a mile south of Ennis and north of the village of Clarecastle.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Play on demand
Point-and-click
Web-based inventory system

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, pen and paper

Pen and paper are useful to keep track of what you find in each area, since you will need to revisit areas throughout the game.

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 60 minutes

Price: €24.00 per game

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

Spirit Seekers Ireland: The Clare Abbey is a point-and-click game with 360-degree views of a real place in Ireland. Non-linear gameplay allows players to search independently, find items, and interact with the environment to solve puzzles. Items are automatically added to an inventory page. The game is creepy but not scary.

A pelican case open with a camera, an IR detector, an audio recorder, a strange device, and a file labeled "evidence."

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