Periodically on this blog we highlight a handful of tabletop and digital games to spread the word about interesting experiences and support other creators. Here's our August edition!
The Arkham Asylum Files is a Batman-themed augmented reality (AR) tabletop game that uses a companion app to overlay digital content on physical game components.
It’s safe to say Infinite Rabbit Holes did not skimp on production values. This innovative game is packed with a wide array of physical and digital game materials, and we were quite impressed with the sheer ambition of the game.
That being said, we often felt that the well-crafted physical materials weren’t used to their full potential. Some only played a minor role in a single puzzle, while others were simply used to conjure AR media, and weren’t relevant to the puzzles themselves. We occasionally had to retrieve items from previous chapters just to scan them for a cut scene, which felt unnecessary.
The AR itself, though ever occasionally glitchy, functioned well overall, and the app worked smoothly. One minor gripe is that the cut scenes often necessitated pointing the tablet or smartphone at an object throughout the video—it would’ve been nice if it just continued the cut scene after the initial scan, without the need to keep holding up the device.
The puzzles were relatively beginner-friendly and generally had satisfying solutions, though we’d advise against playing with more than 3-4 people. Having said that, this could definitely be a great game to play as a family, especially if you’re all Batman fans.
Difficulty: 2/5
Time: ~6h
Detective is a tabletop mystery game where players investigate crimes using physical materials and an online portal and database.
This game is very similar to Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, but utilizes an online database in lieu of the story booklet and newspaper. While some players do prefer a strictly analog experience, the upside is that you don’t need to parse through quite as much text, and you can do neat things like check fingerprints and DNA matches through the web portal.
Uncovering the plot and following leads engaged us, but a lot of the actual text revolved around laughably mundane descriptions: entering offices, submitting paperwork, and waiting for people to retrieve things from the archives for us. Some cards only existed to tell us to look at an entry in the database, which was occasionally frustrating.
The game allots you a certain number of in-game “days” to solve each case. Each day consists of 8 hours. Completing tasks, doing research, and moving between locations each takes up a certain amount of time, so you need to plan and budget your hours accordingly. While this didn’t add any time pressure to our actual gameplay, it was usually not predictable how long certain tasks would take in-game, which frequently threw off our time budget, especially if a card didn’t yield much additional information. That being said, the creators seemed committed to mirroring the reality of time-consuming detective work, so we at least understood the logic behind this choice.
The game includes five cases, though the first case acted as more of a prologue. Once we got into the second case, things really amped up and we were drawn further into the story. An expansive mystery with details spanning all five cases is an ambitious undertaking, and sometimes it felt like we were on a roller coaster, riding the highs and lows of the narrative. Cases 2 and 4 were our favorites, but we enjoyed unraveling the many threads of this story. Did all of it absolutely make sense? Not exactly. Did the characters’ actions and motivations feel justified and believable? Not always. Were we satisfied with the conclusion? Mostly. Either way, it was certainly an interesting journey.
Difficulty: 3/5
Time: ~2-3h per case, ~12-15 hours total
Murder on Canvas is a tabletop murder mystery that includes both puzzles and deductive reasoning. (We previously reviewed Peculiar Pond’s other game, Requiem for a Double, here.)
In comparison to Requiem for a Double, there were overall fewer puzzles and less complexity in Murder on Canvas. All the puzzles solved cleanly and were enjoyable to solve, making this a very accessible game for players new to the genre. In both games, however, it’s possible to accidentally read evidence you don’t have access to yet.
The theme is less dark than the average murder mystery plot, with a quirky spin on the weapon, which we appreciated. While it’s not a particularly realistic narrative, the puzzles integrated smoothly into the story, and we were able to figure out the timeline, murderer, and motive without any logic leaps.
Some portions of the website and game materials did appear a bit slapdash, and a stronger attention to detail and presentation quality would go a long way in adding polish to this otherwise well-thought-out experience.
Difficulty: 1.5/5 Time: 1-2 hours
T.I.M.E. Stories is a narrative “decksploration” game: part TTRPG, part board game, with a few escape room elements sprinkled in. Players act as a team of time-traveling agents, completing missions to prevent temporal faults and paradoxes.
Going through the rulebook initially felt like a bit of a slog, but once we actually started the tutorial, the gameplay quickly made sense. Take note that if it’s your first time playing, you’ll likely need to go through the time portal more than once to complete the mission, which could take several hours—plan your day accordingly.
The storytelling was intriguing with a touch of creepiness. Like a point-and-click game, there were some red herrings that drew you in but were actually a waste of time and resources. It’s also worth mentioning that success at a specific task often depends on a good dice roll, or in some cases, just choosing the "right" path.
The fact that this big box only comes with one scenario is a bit disappointing; I expected to be able to play more stories right off the bat. Still, with the right group, this game is a fun exploration, and we’re looking forward to playing through some of the expansions.
What have you been playing lately?
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