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 December edition, which contains a mix of tabletop and video game experiences, including both deduction and puzzly gameplay!
1973 is a premium murder mystery experience from Hunt A Killer. It focuses on FLUF, a cult band of the 1970s, and the murder of its lead singer. Gameplay involves deduction with several ciphers—some had fun ahas, while others dragged on. Thankfully, hints and translations are available on the website for the few puzzle elements. There is also an envelope explaining the full story, but since it wasn’t meant to be opened until after you’ve finished—you’re on your own for the deduction and piecing together the timeline.
The story is fresher than most murder mysteries, and it includes extensive online content and backstory. Some deductions were satisfying, but others felt obtuse or buried in filler. Though advertised as a 6-10 hour experience, we finished it in one sitting.
This game also contains an impressive amount of memorabilia for the invented band, though some of the physical items are just there for flavor. While we were disappointed that not all elements are used during gameplay, the production design is still a highlight, and it even includes a playable vinyl record!
Time: ~2-3 hours
Difficulty: 2.5/5
This mystery adventure/exploration game tasks you with saving a cursed Roman city by altering events through repeated time loops. While initially intimidating, the time loop mechanic is cleverly designed to save your progress and prevent unnecessary quest repetition, allowing for smooth and satisfying gameplay.
There’s a captivating sense of progression and discovery in the game, and while the characters aren’t deeply developed, they convey enough personality to evoke a range of emotions. Fans of narrative-driven puzzle games should definitely give this a try.
The dramatic conclusion and denouement were satisfying, though the epilogue felt over-the-top and a bit cheesy in a way the rest of the game wasn’t. Navigating without a map was also challenging at times, but the overall experience was captivating enough to make me curious about exploring the outcomes of other choices and endings.
Time: ~8 hours
Difficulty: 2/5
Carto is a cozy, relaxing puzzle game with a cute art style and charming characters. Its wholesome story follows a girl on a journey to reunite with her grandmother.
Gameplay revolves around rotating and replacing map tiles to navigate and reshape the world. Some puzzles are simple, while others require a bit of tricky riddle interpretation. A handful of puzzles felt like they required guesswork, which led me to use hints, since the game’s linear progression can stall without the right solution.
With its relaxing pace and satisfying mechanics, Carto is perfect for playing a level here and there when you have an hour to spare. Its charming story and enjoyable puzzles make it a delightful experience overall.
Time: ~6 hours
Difficulty: 2/5
The Man from Sector Six is an escape room style game from The Mystery Agency with impressive components and a fun theme. The puzzles vary from simple gimmes to more engaging challenges, and all were logical and flowed well.
The thing we most wanted was simply… more! The mystery plot was enjoyable, but it unraveled too quickly, and felt a bit too obvious. The components, though well-made, were limited in number, and there were a couple of digital elements that would’ve felt more satisfying had they been printed out.
We finished much faster than the advertised 2+ hours. That being said, the game is easy to reset for others, and is overall a solid, well-executed experience.
Difficulty: 1.5/2
Time: ~1 hour
This EXIT advent calendar is a unique spin on the traditional EXIT series. The 24 puzzles varied in quality: some felt too straightforward, there were a couple of red herrings, but most of them felt logical, and many had fun, tactile components to manipulate. However, two mechanical malfunctions—one early and one at the finale—detracted from the experience. Had these effects worked, they would have been impressive, but ultimately it made the ending anticlimactic.
The hint system, similar to other EXIT games, isn’t as incremental as we’d prefer, but it is nice that its analog, making this a fully offline experience. We enjoyed the novel answer-checking mechanic as well.
The story, while present, felt more like background dressing than an integrated narrative. The prose was largely expository, and because it didn’t deepen the gameplay, it ultimately could’ve been cut down.
Despite some uneven puzzles and minor frustrations, this is a solid holiday activity for families and puzzle enthusiasts alike. While it’s of course implicit that you should play one puzzle each day, we split it up into two 2-hour sessions, which also worked well.
Difficulty: 2/5
Time: ~4 hours
What have you been playing lately?
Thanks for sharing! Excited to see some of the tougher ones you recommend next time
I really appreciate the honesty of the experiences, instead of giving in to a natural urge to just focus on only the positives, to express support for all puzzle makers for example. There's a lot more potential in this genre, and feedback sharpens the game!