Acclaimed cartoonist Stephen Kelly disappeared some time ago … so long that it’s become a cold case. But can we really let a kidnapping just go unsolved like this? No! Of course not! If we can work our way through the 28 comics left behind, we may just be able to figure out what happened to him after all. Let’s get cracking!

What Is It?

A visual puzzle game where players work their way through various comic panels looking for clues. Each comic is unique in both look and how you find the solution, but all of the clues work together to solve one overarching story!

Who Is It For?

  • 1 or more players – There are lots of puzzles to go around and you have access to them all at once, so I think a group of 4 is pretty ideal
  • Ages 14+ – Many puzzles will be too difficult for a younger audience
  • Fans of comic strips and puzzle style games
  • Players who don’t mind using technology during games

PROS

  • Quality – Great production on these comics. They are big, so you can clearly see everything you need to, and they’re printed on nice paper with a great finish. The box is also really nice, and holds everything well. The additional components (pen/paper) are basic, but very nice
  • Aesthetics – Love the art on these!
  • Plenty to work on, so it’s good for a small group
  • Free range to use electronics to look up anything you think you need to know
  • The rule book is full of QR codes to quickly look up a hint for puzzles you get stuck on
  • As a reviewer, I loved that the promo pack of puzzles was included to give us something to show off to people without spoiling the game

CONS

  • Sometimes the hints were very vague, which was ultimately not very helpful
  • Sometimes the solutions seemed to be a bit of a leap in logic, but it could just be because of the way my group thought
  • The game can run very long, depending on how long it takes you to solve certain puzzles, so either break it up over two sessions, or just be prepared for a brain buster!

Final Thoughts

The Enigma Emporium is at it again with brain burning puzzles! At first glance, this definitely looks different than other games of theirs I have played, those being postcard sized puzzles, with only a few to an envelope, and one being a deck of cards with puzzles to solve. These large comic images are so awesome, and I felt that looking for the clues within them was much more enjoyable than in the smaller pictures from other games. I also really praise the overall high production on the game, cause it’s great!

A lot of the puzzles are very tricky, so if you don’t have a group that really wants to get into it, this may not be the best choice. But if you’re a hardcore puzzle fan, you do not want to miss this one. Despite how tricky they are, once you get going on some of them (I noticed this, which leads me to that, and finally this … etc) it can lead to some great “light bulb” moments.

While I didn’t always find the hints super helpful, I did really liked having the hints readily available in the rule book, as I find it so much quicker than going to a website and getting that to load over and over again.

Overall, definitely my favorite from this company thus far, and I’m excited to see what’s next!

Additional Information:
My Final Rating – 7/10
Designer – Logan Giannini
Artist – Aleksandar Jovic
Publisher – The Enigma Emporium
MSRP – $50 (+$10 for the promo pack)
Website

*I was provided a copy of this game to do this review*

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