Photo above is property of DarkPark
Company: DarkPark Games
Game: Never House
Country: Netherlands 🇳🇱
Language: English, Dutch
Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural
Date Played: March 15, 2022
Difficulty (based on 2 players): 6/10
Size of Team: 1-4 Players (Ages 14+)
Time: Approximately 90-120 Mins.
Price: $58.54
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A heavy box arrives at your doorstep with a letter from a family reaching out. Their house is haunted by some strange entities that have locked them out of the house…and things only get worse. Even though you never recall offering to help, you feel a sense of urgency in the words and decide to comb through archival records of the house and ephemera from the family to see if you can help unlock the mysteries of the house and stop these haunting before it is too late. As you start to unravel the mystery you realise there is a darkness lurking…
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The game arrives in a stylized box that really adds to the theme Inside the box is are house schematics, a business telephone directory sheet, a map of the manor’s estate, a broke plate, spirit board, a horror subscription advertisement, a key, a hint QR code card, old photos of the house, hand drawn children’s illustrations, and various other ephemera.
I found the overall appearance to be extremely exciting. There is such a variety to the items in the box that I just couldn't help but explore each item before diving into the journey. The components of the game were well made and aided the journey. The wooden spirit board was beautiful and is a wonderful keepsake to remember the game. The mixing of tangible and digital was a good balance and helps guide players through the experience while letting them have a truly immersive and tactile experience. Let’s just say this box has got a lot of material for you to work with!
Photos above are property of DarkPark
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The story begins by examining the letter from the family before you dive into the first puzzle pointed out underneath the lid of the box. This game generally follows a linear progression and utilizes paper, digital, and physical components to guide players along. You will be in a chat log with a character guiding you through the experience to keep you on task. I recommend having a computer available to make exploring websites and accessing the chat log to make things easier to view. Internet is required to complete this game
One thing I loved about this game was the way in which things were hidden in plain sight. The materials are exciting and grab your attention but the nuance to the game means you won’t catch what you need until it is the right time which is thrilling and makes for some amazing moments of excitement.
PLEASE NOTE: you will be handling a spirit board during this game.
Photos above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
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In terms of puzzles, I was really happy with how well clued and developed these puzzles are. You could solve the puzzles separately (I admit my partner and I ended up digging through them eagerly before even logging onto the first website) but there is a linear progression provided by a character who seeks to guide you through your investigation. As such this game is on the easier side but the immersion and "aha" moments cannot be beat! There is one part of the game where the solution made me say, “No…this can’t be!” as I followed through. The puzzles consist of tracking, manipulation, orientation, etc. I felt with these puzzles there was an emphasis to physically handle the puzzles from writing on them, adjusting them, etc, which was refreshing.
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
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Overall, "Never House" provides a well crafted, true-to-life paranormal experience that is rich in story, immersion, and puzzling. The layering up until the end was well done and I thoroughly enjoyed combing back through the box to see if I could tease apart more clues. The puzzles were engaging and encouraged players to really dig into the game with a freshness that reminded me why I love puzzling. Once again DarkPark has provided another thrilling experience and I can’t wait to see what they develop next!
Check out our unboxing video below of "Conspiracy-19" and "Witchery Spell" to see what exciting items you'll receive in these two games! Puzzle Spoiler FREE!
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
Check out our interview with the creator to understand more on the development side of these game:
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
(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"!)
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