Bluefish Games - "The Hincks Gazette Boxed Set #1 (Vol. 1, Issues 2-6)"

Company: Bluefish Games

Game: The Hincks Gazette - Boxed Set #1 (Vol. 1, Issues 2-6)

Country: USA 🇺🇸

Language: English

Type of Game: Tabletop Game 📬

Genre: Mystery

Date Played: May 15, 2022

Difficulty (based on 2 players): 6/10

Size of Team: 1-2 ppl (Recommended)

Time: Unlimited (Approx. 1-2 Hrs/ per issue)

Price: $49.00

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After having so much fun with the first issue ("The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks"), we were eager to get into this Gazette set. Each newsletter has a different story that happened in the town of Hicksville ranging from a talking plant to a space dinosaur. There are puzzles embedded within the articles and images. You'll need to figure them out in order to solve the final puzzle.

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The newspapers are printed on quality paper that doesn't tear easily and the fonts are also very clear and easy to read. The creators were really thoughtful and included two copies in each issue so that if you're playing with someone else, you don't have to fight over the issue. It also helped during the puzzle solving process as we didn't have to flip back and forth when a puzzle needed information from the front and back.

In the box you'll also find some additional bonus items like a sticker, a pencil and a super cute pin!

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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If you read through the paper carefully, you'll pick up subtle hints on where you should START. Although at times, we picked up hints that looked like clues and sometime solved a puzzle without following the path (it's probably best to do it the linear way). At times, we found that if we skipped the first puzzle and came back to it, the solution was useless at that point as it was actually giving us a hint on where to go next. If you're an experienced solver, you might run into this issue. But if you're just starting out, definitely follow the breadcrumbs that the creators are leaving for you and discover the surprises along the way. I loved that the clues and puzzles were embedded both in text and images. It was nice to be able to utilize them simultaneously in solving certain puzzles.

NOTE: Each issue will only be asking you for one final answer which is just a word. You can't check the midpoint solutions but if you didn't get it right, you won't know what the next step is anyways. At this point you probably should just resort to the hint section.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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Each of the issues had an average of 3-5 puzzles (pending on if you count some of the mini ones). Some we were able to solve in a single step and others were more challenging and required multiple steps. I love the fact that each issue mixed in a variety of puzzles. This is a great way for beginners to see all the different types of puzzles in one place. Some of our favorite ones consisted of word play, morse code, trivia, caeser shift, phonetic, math (don't be scared, it's not High School level, I promise), nonogram, etc. On average, we spent about 40-60 minutes on one issue. Of course it'll depend on if you use hints or not as well. But this is definitely our type of game as we love a quick brain exercise after a busy day of work but it won't drag on into the middle of the night either.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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One of my favorite things about this game is the humor in the storyline. Most of the people will hear gazette and think, "Oh my god, there's going to be so much reading"! But these gazettes were really enjoyable to read. Some of the puns in them really made us laugh out loud. Plus the topics were really intriguing. Who doesn't want to know more about a talking plant or trained carrier quails? And to add icing to the cake, if you're ever the first to solve their secret puzzle that they send out by email (you'll need to sign up), your name will appear in one of these gazettes! Whether you're a puzzle master or just starting out, I promise you this is going to be a fun adventure that will leave you wanting more. Good news is that "The Hincks Gazette Boxed Set #2 (Vol. 1, Issues 7-12)" is in the works and we can't wait to get them and hopefully it'll be delivered by the Hinksville quails!

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Check out our interview with the creators to understand more on the development side of these game:

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(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank Bluefish Games for providing us with a sample of their game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.

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