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OFFICIAL INFO FROM COMPANY...
🗺️ Based In United Kingdom
⏲️ 90 Minutes ▪ 💪 3.14/5 ▪ 🔢 N/A
THE PREMISE
📚 Following numerous reports of maniacal monstrosities terrorizing neighborhoods across the world, we present this emergency training course for all field agents - including you! (This game was originally released as the "Halloween Survival Escape Training" episode, with the hope of adding some hilarity to a host of Halloween parties. But once the event had been and gone we thought, "Why limit it to just one day?" and so we re-christened it "Survival Escape Training".) Compared to some of our other missions this is less of a serious puzzling challenge and more of a light-hearted (and hopefully humorous) hunk of entertainment. So if you're looking to add some supernatural spice to an otherwise empty evening this is definitely the game for you! Take the tests and learn how to deal with a whole host of spooky surprises - including cunning vampires hiding among us, mad scientists with their creepy creations, and hungry zombies out for your brains!
THE GUIDE
THIS IS CLASSIFIED AS...
▪ Play At Home » Print & Play Puzzle Game
YOU'LL ENJOY THIS, IF YOU...
▪ ...Are a fan of classic monsters, like vampires, the Frankenstein monster, and zombies. (Note: this game is not at all scary!)
▪ ...Want a festive and puzzle-based celebration for Halloween, or for any day of the year to feel a little more Halloween.
▪ ...Enjoy clever puzzles that actually employ theming to its full potential. (Or maybe just one with a pumpkin cipher wheel!)
▪ ...Follow the clueQuest brand, and appreciate their signature humorous take on puzzles and their truly impressive art.
▪ ...Fancy these (similar) titles: clueQuest games (Stolen IQ, timeQuest) and family friendly games (B.R.U.C.E. series).
GREAT! ANY ADVICE OR TIPS?
💪 On company's site, difficulty is officially listed as a 3.14/5. (Ah, random math reference, me like.)
🧐 However, based on my team of 1, it felt subjectively like a 6 or even 7/10! (Some elements aren't my forte.)
🔢 With the reasoning above, I would recommend a team of 1 to 2.
MY BODY IS READY! NOW WHAT?
🛒 TO BUY, CLICK HERE!
▪ For this: Print & play media requires PDF Reader to load the file, printer and paper to print, and scissors to cut.
▪ Alternatively, the company can have everything printed and mailed to you for an optional premium surcharge.
THE REVIEW
(Halloween) Survival Escape Training | clueQuest
INTRODUCTION
▪ "(Halloween) Survival Escape Training" is originally a print-and-play puzzle game from clueQuest, designed to celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year--Halloween, of course. As the title implies, this product focuses on teaching the players how to survive the end of times--if apocalypse was brought on by an onslaught of vampires, Frankenstein monsters, and zombies, that is! Since this knowledge should come in handy any time of the year, because disaster don't happen according to a seasonal schedule, this is available for play/guidance all year long. Prepare now, survive and thrive later.
THE TRAINER (AKA THE SETUP)
▪ clueQuest is pretty direct about this on the game information page: this isn't like their previous publications. This is lighthearted, humorous enterintament designed to add some supernatural spice to your evening. Accordingly, the game makers have taken a different approach, and there is no one central storyline to follow; instead, this is eerily similar to a workplace training module that you may have to endure at work. Except it's fun! And it features zombies!
▪ The actor that acts as a lab tech (or maybe a professor of some sort) clearly explains the procedure on how to become a well-prepared citizen against spooky (and possibly deadly) surprises. In each video, he describes the subjects that we are training to protect ourselves against (vampires, Frankenstein, or zombies), thereby also elaborating on the objectives of the puzzles to follow. It's a playful way to introduce the challenges ahead without making us read, and he does so with clarity that I could jump into my printed media portion without hesitation. It's a smooth transition that I appreciate.
▪ And may I say, the acting isn't bad, pretty decent, actually! I would've preferred if he could talk a tad quicker, but he's pulled off the dorky yet adorable role quite well. I love his little bowtie, and though I am not certain if that's his regular hairdo, the curly, puffy, and somewhat unkempt hair style definitely suits the character.
Tasty treats and puzzles, an unlikely pairing? Or perfect match made in heaven? | clueQuest
THE TRAINING (AKA THE PUZZLES)
▪ As to the actual puzzle components, much like in timeQuest, I've noticed that these print-and-cut pieces are rather large. (Like really, really big, seriously. Some jigsaw pieces are bigger than a slice of pizza!) Since this was the Halloween special, and Halloween is a predominantly children holiday, perhaps clueQuest is catering to younger hands. (The game is officially listed for 12 and up.) In which case, I once again, applaud the company for making their game materials friendly for fans of all ages. (My aging eyes are also grateful for the gigantic print. Oh, the joy of growing older.)
▪ Strangely enough, the actual puzzles feel very sophisticated, and not overly catered to only younger audience. In fact, even though these challenges adopt a cartoonish, wacky tone, they are difficult enough to keep grown-ups on their toes. There is a great variety of games chosen, arguably with a wider spectrum than the previous series even, testing the players' skills of observation, secret message decoding, shapes and spatial reasoning, soundbites listening, and more. I am not particularly great at shapes or tiling puzzle, so the unexpected struggle is both refreshing and humbling.
▪ The theming is spot-on and flawless, and I really appreciate the writers for coming up with puzzles that relate organically to the topics, instead of just phoning it in via classic, overused puzzle choices with monster graphics slapped on. For instance, vampires are known to have no reflection in mirrors and live for centuries, so these are reflected (unlike the vampires) in the puzzle designs. Zombies lack the ability of speech, so we find a zombie growls and grunts-inspired exercise in their chapter. Everything makes sense within context, rendering the experience that much more satisfying.
▪ Last but not least, awesome art! This is somewhat of a given with all "Print + Cut + Escape" games, however. Not much of a surprise, but always a treat to see. The final puzzle art, in particular, employs a clever trick of using negative space, which I thought was quite neat! (I mean, did anyone ever figure out if it's a vase or two faces?)
OVERALL: 😃
▪ "(Halloween) Survival Escape Training" is a surprise hit. Initially, I didn't expect much beyond a cute, seasonal option for October. But the more I revisit the product, the more brilliance I find embedded within. Though it is now February, I like it just the same. Besides, I have a strong feeling that most folks wouldn't mind; Halloween is many people's favorite holiday, after all. Grab some candies to chew on while playing this, and you won't know (or care for) the difference!
Signing off,
ESCAPE MATTSTER
Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster
Full disclosure: complimentary game access was generously provided for review or testing purposes. All media are sourced from and credited to rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended. In certain cases, media materials are made available under fair use doctrine of copyright law. CQSurvival.