HomeQuest (Developed by ARDI) - "The Lost One"

Updated: Apr 29

Photo above is property of ARDI

Company: HomeQuest (Developed by ARDI)

Game: The Lost One

Country: Sweden 🇸🇪

Language: English, Swedish

Type of Game: Digital Escape Game 💻

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Date Played: September 17, 2022

Difficulty (based on 4 players): 4/10

Size of Team: 2-6 Players

Time: 60 Minutes

Price: $15.00

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In a futuristic world where people are essentially confined to their smart homes, you have been hired to investigate the disappearance of a well known attorney's son. The police have been combing over everything but are baffled that this child would escape unnoticed in a world where everyone is watched. Your team has been handed the file and you have only a short time to find and save the young boy! Where has the child gone and, more importantly, why?

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"The Lost One" is played on ARDI's own platform. Everyone will log on with their unique link and the purchaser of the game will be the lead captain that starts the game. Once you start, your time begins. There is a mini text tutorial that explains how the game works. It reminded me a little of an interactive fiction game with additional visual clues to help you. Once you find a solution you type into the game and, if it is correct, it will reveal additional information that can help you move forward. In addition this is a questions section of the game where you are aiming as a side mission to uncover a series of mysteries that are part of your journey. Your progress in the game is tracked at the top of the screen. This is text heavy game so keep that in mind you will be reading quite a bit as you navigate this experience.

If you are stuck on a particular puzzle, there is a hint button you can click right underneath the clue. One thing we noted was that sometimes the solutions require precise wording so your answer may be correct but adjustment might needed. There was one time we had the correct answer but because we forgot to include a specific name or added an apostrophe it would process.

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The puzzles in "The Lost One" consisted of observations, logic, maths and pattern recognition. Admittedly I was a little confused as I started the game but once I figured out the first couple solutions I started to understand how the puzzles worked. Some will require you to make connections to words while others will ask you to draw out hidden codes. One thing I wished for was a way to manipulate one of the puzzles as I struggled to turn the items in my head. At the same I found the incorporation of audio and maps as part of the puzzles to be unique and fun. The puzzling as a whole was quite light but things took time as we read and listened to the clues.

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"The Lost One" is a digital game I would recommend to those who enjoy interactive fiction and mystery thrillers. You get to really dig into the story in this experience and, while the puzzling is light, I felt it complimented the game as a whole. I’m curious to see how ARDI’s other games hold up against this one! Now… are you going to join this futuristic task force or will you be left behind in the past?

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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 ARDI 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.