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◣ VENUE FACT SHEET
🏢 COMPANY: Clue Cracker Live Escape Games • Website • Online Games
🏘️ ADDRESS: 68 St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PE • Google Map
🗾 COUNTRY: United Kingdom
◣ GAME INFO & ACCESS
🕹️ GAME: The Disappearance of DJ McDee (Online Puzzle Game) • Game Access
⏲️ DURATION: 30 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Company) • Very Easy (Mattster's Team of 2)
◣ ONLINE PUZZLE: SPECIFICATIONS
🖥️ PLATFORM: Web Browser
🖼️ MEDIA INVOLVED: Text, Images, Audio Files, Videos
🎒 RESOURCES NEEDED: None, Strictly Web Based
◣ PREMISE & OBJECTIVES
In the town of Tunbridge Wells, local celebrity DJ McDee is due to release his Number 1 album at a once in a lifetime gig, “DJ McDee: Live at The Forum”. You, as a dedicated fan and fellow Raver, are due to attend, but when you arrive at The Forum, ticket in hand, you can see something’s not right! Follow the trail of clues left behind by his evil nemesis MC Floggin, save our local DJ and help release a Number 1 hit! (Spoiler alert, the song is really catchy!!)
► TL;DR: REVIEW SUMMARY ◄
😺 THE GOOD:
A high quality, FREE online puzzle adventure backed by stunning graphics, silly humor, and unusual theme. The final reward for reaching conclusion was arguably even more satisfying than other paid games' congratulatory screens.
🙀 THE NOT SO GOOD:
Lack of proper transition highlighted the disconnect from story to puzzle occasionally. (The total amount and overall difficulty of contents also left something more to be desired by expert players--but that's just my being overly critical!)
🤝 BEST FIT FOR:
Anyone who's bored in the house and is in the house bored! Great introductory puzzles, ideally reserved for solo or duo play due to easy setting.
► A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! ◄
found our missing DJ and saw the world premiere of his music video. It's... something.
🎖️ "THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DJ MCDEE" OFFICIALLY JOINS THE "RECOMMENDED" RANK! 🎖️
◣ THE REVIEW
MUSIC INDUSTRY RIVALRY
This is my first encounter with Clue Cracker, and already I'm in love. These guys from the UK are just so bloody funny. Their unmistakable brand of humor leans on the sillier side, but they commit to that self-aware ridiculousness, and it pays off every time.
Even the whole premise of "The Disappearance of DJ McDee" was ludicrous (and I am here for it!): a threatened rival of DJ McDee, named MC Floggin, straight up kidnapped his business enemy, and hid him God knows where because he's about to drop the predictably #1 album?!
Move over, 50 Cent, the real gangtahs are from Tunbridge Wells!
Also worth mentioning is the signature skit like videos that would become the a stable of storytelling for all Clue Cracker online games going forward. They're done with intentional over-the-top theatrics, and I look forward to every laughter inducing clip.
EVERY INCH IS BEAUTY
What's also readily apparent was the mastery of presentation: this online game looked GORGEOUS! And it was not just the graphics, it was EVERYTHING.
Due to COVID, companies are forced to now deliver their products via a new modality, the web. Truthfully, some are still struggling, sometimes falling short aesthetically. Meanwhile, Clue Cracker found their preferred formula quickly and perfected their game, especially aesthetically.
The visual aspect of "DJ McDee" was probably one of the best I've seen in this market. All was prepared professionally, rendering me envious of their superb Photoshop skills.
The web interface was also intuitive, undoubtedly easy to use for even the most novice players: Game title on top, a clear progress bar, helpful time count down, then puzzle contents, and solution input beneath. A gradual hint reveal system was also conveniently included.
If this is the the format Clue Cracker has set its mind on, I honestly have little to suggest for further improvement. It's fairly great as it is--simple, clean, and effective.
THE RESCUE JOURNEY
Because this was after all a free game, designed to capture a broad spectrum of audience, I expected it to be a bit short and a bit too easy for experts. And yup, bingo on both.
Clue Cracker online games seem to focus on gen 1 style game play, so you should theoretically always arrive at some form of alphabetical or numerical code. If not, something's awry!
The familiarity of these beginners friendly puzzles did not detract from the overall entertainment value; in fact, my partner who has less puzzle solving experience found these to be satisfying, especially given that he could complete them without much external help.
What a proud boy he was that day, awww.
The last puzzle (not pictured) was a blatant advertisement for several local businesses, though ingeniously crafted to be an integral plot device that actually made sense! I usually hate ads when surfing the web, but these, infused with such slick and smart marketing, I liked!
One spot that may warrant a quick tweak was when the narrative described a scenario, abruptly stopped, then suddenly expected the player's answer submission. For instance, I am backstage at the a concert, my idol is missing, and now I gotta put in a 5-letter word code... Huh?!
Because there is occasionally no segue from story to solution input, it made me very aware that I was only solving a highly decorated challenge, as opposed to being immersed in the plot.
Despite really minor shortcomings, "DJ McDee" was still positively enjoyable--a short but sweet 15 minute or so experience, and the best was yet to come...
YOUR HARD EARNED REWARD
If you manage to complete your mission, DJ McDee will thank you with the only compensation that made sense--an exclusive access to his sick new beat and its accompanying music video.
It's... something. You gotta see this gem to believe it, but I'll leave you one single preview:
