Photo above is property of The Mysterious Package Company
Company: The Mysterious Package Company
Game: NYARLATHOTEP
Country: Canada 🇨🇦
Language: English
Type of Game: Puzzles By Mail 📬
Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Occult, HP Lovecraft
Date Played: October 21, 2021
Difficulty (based on 1 player): 8/10
Size of Team: Unlimited (Recommend 1-4 ppl) (Ages 16+)
Time: Unlimited (Approximately 8 Hrs)
Price: $329.99
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A large package arrives on your doorstep. Inside is a wooden crate nailed shut, a
coffee mug, a work badge, and a welcome letter after you supposedly accepted a new
job at Kauket Analytics and Operating System. Your predecessor left the position
quite suddenly and the company needs you to continue his research quickly. They are
sending you everything that was on his desk pertaining to his research, but it’ll need to be sent over two mailings. As you begin to examine the artifacts, antique documents, and online articles available you to you start to piece together the story of two men, an ancient Egyptian archeological site, and a group of modern researched dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of what these men uncovered. You get the sense that some things are best left alone…but curiosity is a fickle beast and you dive right in.
Video above is property of The Mysterious Package Company
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"Nyarlothotep" is a massive puzzling package consisting of two hefty wooden crates being mailed to you over the course of four weeks. In the first crate you receive a welcome letter, Kauket coffee mug (fill it with hot water!), your ID badge with QR code, your predecessors ID badge, a broken carving, a curious obelisk, a cigar box filled with letters, an old pocket watch, and more.
In the second crate you receive a large statue with faces on it, two daggers, a journal log, a large map, photos of your predecessor’s parents, his journal notes, a large pen, and more. This game is incredible looking down to the aged look of the daggers, the worn pages of your predecessor’s diary, and the innocuous photos of his parents. I felt like a kid in a candy story pulling all these items out of the box and eagerly looking them over.
Of note, there is an online app (mihOS) required for this game that requires iOS and android 11 or higher. There is no hint system for this game, but you can reach out to the company for help or ask on a puzzle forum like Puzzle People on Facebook.
Photo above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
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This game is intended for more open exploration but in Crate One the main goal is to investigate the mysteries behind the app, mihOS. Your predecessor did not leave a lot of information on the app but you have a sense there is something hidden with and there must be something in the crate that will crack it open. In Crate Two, you learn more about the research team behind the app and their journey to build it. They’ve left something unfinished, and you must figure out what they discovered in order to finish their work.
That said, there are quite a few mini experiences to unravel from strange messages you find, locked files, and conversations that you are encouraged to read. These bits and bite help build a better image of what has taken place…and what is currently happening. Think of this in terms of side quests and main quests. The more you do the better you will feel about the experience.
There is quite a bit of reading that takes place in this experience as you have letters, logs, journals, emails, texts, messages, etc to unpack. There is also a USB in this game. If you are uncomfortable inserting those into your computer, you can email the concierge of MPC to ask for the file to be sent over.
Noting again that the app used in this experience requires a lot of power. My phone did heat up quite a bit so I recommend having your phone near a fan or something cool if you worry about overheating.
Photo above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
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For Crate One, there is one prominent puzzle that takes the stage with a few smaller
ones that I would better describe as more fun nods to the theme and story than actually contributing to the overarching narrative. The fun side puzzles are mainly cipher based while the prominent one is a multistep puzzle. It relies on observation and pattern recognition and it an extensive puzzle that took me about around three hours to complete. It isn’t a hard puzzle, but I highly recommend having a pen and paper available to track your steps as you navigate this puzzle because you can easily become lost.
In Crate Two, there are quite a few puzzles. Much like Crate One, there are some
smaller puzzles that are more atmospheric than integral to the story. This crate was a great deal more cipher heavy of a game, but it is broken up into chunks to help with pacing. I enjoyed how easily I was able to divide up the puzzles so my partner and I could be working on something separately. We would then come back together and discuss what we learned. The main puzzles provided great “aha” moments when you figured out their connection and I also appreciated that you were able to figure out how the characters also solved various parts during their journey. It made sense they provided some key information but having the ability to back solve so you could appreciate their journey was a great addition. It is not necessary I would say but if you want the full experience, I recommend taking the time to figure out how the researchers (like your predecessor) made it as far as they did. At the end, you use the tools the characters left behind to solve the final part and it was really satisfying when it clicks together in your head.
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
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Overall, "Nyarlathotep" is an amazing Lovecraftian themed experience packed with
story, mystery, horror, and intrigue while also giving players everything they need
uncover the truth and decide for themselves what they will do. The digital elements
enhanced the experience to add a lot more engagement but the traditional elements to MPC were still there and I will definitely enjoy displaying them.
This experience took about 10 hours (both crates) and while it is expensive, I think the value is there if you appreciate this level of tangibility. If you enjoy collectable components, cool tech, and full immersion with a strong narrative, then this is a great option for people with bigger budgets. I recommend playing with another person to get the true joy as you band together to learn the truth. If you want something a little cheaper with a similar feel, check out our review of HASTUR. As always, I cannot wait to see what MPC releases next!
(If you do decide to try this game, please remember to let them know that you heard it from"ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)
#JillianRaymond #AtHomeGames #PuzzlesByMail #OneOffs #Supernatural #TheMysteriousPackageCompany #Canada