Even so, each mission included a variety of observation, communication, searching, and physical challenges, giving newer players a nice sampling of puzzle types. This focus on time pressure and action came at the expense of puzzle depth, a presumably calculated balance meant to accommodate the short game clock without frustrating novice players. More than just inspiring several mad dashes through the house under pressure, this design also lent itself well to split-information puzzles, requiring us to refine our communication strategies from mission to mission. Even the game’s simplistic door-hanger locks added a sense of progress and accomplishment to the experience, something that seemed even more profound to younger imaginations. The game established a large footprint to explore within this timeframe by spreading various game elements throughout several rooms. A 15-minute game time for each mission created this expectation upfront, so we had to work efficiently to beat the clock.
Rather than attempting to recreate the aesthetic immersion of an escape room, this set of six “missions” achieved a sort of adrenaline immersion that resonated a lot with my kids.
