Mobile Escape - "Escape Mail - The Shackleton Series: Episode 2 & 3"

Photo above is property of Mobile Escape

Company: Mobile Escape

Game: Escape Mail - The Shackleton Series: Episode 2 & 3

Country: Canada 🇨🇦

Language: English

Type of Game: Tabletop Game 📬

Genre: Historical

Date Played: September 30, 2024

Difficulty (based on 4 players): 6/10

Size of Team: Unlimited (Recommend 1 to 4 ppl)

Time: Unlimited (Recommend 1 - 2 Hrs)

Price: $20.00 USD (at the time of the Kickstarter)

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Continuing the story of Ernest Shackleton and his crew, we learn more about their ordeal as they attempt to survive the arctic weather on the ship. As the ice closes in, do they have enough supplies, can they keep up the morale and what plans does Shackleton have to save his crew.

Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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Folding the envelope open, each layer and side either has instructions or is built to be part of the game. Once inside, we found a lot of colorful paper and documents and other flat items fully packed in the envelope.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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Folding open the envelope, we found it fully designed on each face. On the outside were all the instructions on playing the game, how to access the web app and the flow card, all helpful in navigating the game. On the inside, the envelope was decorated in a particular manner that looks like it may become important later in the game.

Once inside, we found a lot of documents, some that look like they came from the journal of Shackleton himself along with some photos, cryptic notes and other items. As we played the game, we used the app to check our answers and get hints. One thing we found clever was that the game could be played offline without the app, though the app does provide validation if the answers were correct as well as this was where the hints were. Also, to view the intro and outro videos, the app would be required.

Some of the highlights that we loved about the games were all the pages marked with either a “Puzzle Page” or “Story Page”. A puzzle page was something that we needed to solve a puzzle while the story page was an optional page that we could read to learn more about Shackleton and the crew’s adventures. The game also comes with a flow card, which was helpful for seeing what documents connect with each other. We found that this was like a “pre-hint” when we were stuck. We also loved how Escape Mail incorporated the envelope into the game to add another dimension to the game. Sometimes it was a 3D environment or other times, a creative use for a puzzle.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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Each episode had some fantastic puzzles, each different from the rest with lots of variety (We also loved the “Wuzzle Puzzle” created for each one). Each envelope had non-linear puzzles that allowed everyone to be working on something different and all the answers would then form the metapuzzle. We really enjoyed how creative each metapuzzle was and how each of them took a couple of steps to make for a satisfying solve.

The hints were found only in the app and were well tiered. On any that we were stuck, we could easily go down the tiers and not have our eureka moment spoiled.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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Escape Mail has hit their stride with the 2nd and 3rd episode of the Shackleton series. Each of the episodes have been cleverly designed with the different puzzles as well as educational with the story of the game. We are just as excited to learn more about Shackleton in the next episodes are we are on solving the puzzles. The quality of the items and clever design of the envelope that can be folded up and packed flat were neat. Any puzzle fanatics or history buffs would enjoy this game. We played with 4 people and found that to be a great number for everyone to divide and conquer but still enjoy everything. Like Shackleton and his crew, we will be eagerly waiting for information from afar about this ongoing saga.

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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 Mobile Escape for providing us with samples of the game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.

#MatthewLui #AtHomeGames #TabletopGames #PuzzleByMail #Historical #Canada #MobileEscape #EscapeMail