Location: Your Home!
Players: We recommend 1-4
Price: $29.95 per box
Everyone deserves a second chance, don’t you think?
Theme:
In the past, Don Arroz was a master criminal, but luckily his wrongdoing was swiftly halted when Isaac King put him away twenty years ago. He’s returned to the Sleuth Kings offices now, but not for revenge. He wants Sullivan’s help to prevent him from returning to a life of crime! Someone has taken Don’s daughter, and is blackmailing him into committing crimes around the city, but for what purpose, he cannot determine. It’s up to you to figure out who’s pulling the strings on Don, save his daughter, and put an end to whatever plot has been set into motion before it’s too late!
First Impressions:
Sleuth Kings always delivers the greatest props and most imaginative puzzles. The fact that this box included a $100 bill wallet, a kid’s menu from an Italian restaurant, and a strange note that all exuded mystery in their own way truly encapsulated the feel of a Sleuth Kings mystery. We couldn’t wait to get started and see how everything tied together!
I love the fact that there’s a kid’s menu included. It’s such a weird, yet perfect fit.
High Points:
One of the best things about Case 010 is how clues that are so disparate from each other come together in such a perfect way. The aforementioned wallet, note, and kid’s menu all tie together thematically and appropriately. This case also allows for multiple endings, tasking you with deciding how you’d like to solve the case. In fact, puzzle clues cleverly lead toward the branching paths, and allow for some slightly non-linear solving in what is usually a fairly linear experience! Like a good, story-focused video game, this case also affords you the joy of going back through the story to see what would’ve changed had you made a different decision, and seeing both of the possible endings was highly satisfying. Due to these branching paths, there were a couple more puzzles than usual, which is always appreciated, and at some points, the two of us working on this box were able to split the puzzles we were best at and work in tandem! The puzzle flow is flawless, and even with some steps leading towards other possible paths, they don’t become accidental red herrings, as your goals are always clear and well explained within the narrative. As always, the epilogue letter we received a week later was highly anticipated, and contained a fun keepsake and denouement. The addition to the meta-narrative of Sullivan’s missing father continues to build towards the next bonus case, and we cannot wait to find out what happens next!
A coin for your troubles!
Low Points:
There is one specific puzzle included in this case that we’ve seen a couple times before in other Sleuth Kings cases, so it has become old hat for us to solve. I don’t dislike the puzzle itself, there’s just not as much mystery surrounding it as when it was fresh, so it becomes more of a speed bump than an engaging clue. The branching storyline is great, though it seemed strange that of the two options given for catching the bad guys, the one that was denoted to be more difficult actually involved a couple fewer puzzles and was actually much more direct, game flow wise.
Verdict:
Sleuth Kings is an always excellent series of mysteries that we look forward to receiving every month, and this month was no exception! Continuing to boast a phenomenal blend of puzzle solving, deduction, and superb world-building, Sleuth Kings is a must have subscription for any mystery enthusiast! The ongoing meta-narrative continues to be highly engaging, and we love the fact that the story follows up in real time through the mail! You absolutely should try it out, and you can use the promo code ESCAPEADVENTURE to get $5 off your subscription here! As always, I highly recommend it! You can also read the rest of our Sleuth Kings reviews here!
9/10 (Excellent)
Full Disclosure: Sleuth Kings provided a complementary box.
Escape Room Adventurer 