Inspectors' Review:
Boxes are top notch
We will not share them!
Ohhh accessories we can eat (don't tell the Boss!)
A cult?!? Will they rub my belly for me?
Boss, it's a multiple choice quiz - how hard can it be?!?
Why is there cat level in this cult - raven, deer, squirrel but no "magnificent car" - very much a missed opportunity!
Boss' Review:
This is a review from July 2020 - I have added to it to reflect my knowledge of the previous seasons.
As a lover of horror, the idea of Empty Faces by Hunt a Killer interested me. This series consist of three seasons and this review focuses on season 2. As a note, it is best to play these games in order, as you will notice they are connected in some ways. In most cases it will be apparent through little easter eggs.
The Mountain’s premise surrounds you being invited to join Radiant Mountain, a religious sect that focuses on meditation and communing with nature. As you begin to unfold the narrative, you realize something is happening behind the scenes and someone deep within the cult wants your help to uncover the mystery.
While there are puzzles within the series, the priority I found with Empty Faces is putting together the pieces of the narrative. There are various ciphers, hidden messages, and more but the way to understand the story in by tying both puzzle solution and additional artifacts provided for background together. This game doesn’t hand you the ending with a bow on top; you will conclude the game after you understand what has happened and your part in this world. In this frame, the ending is a little ambiguous. It is a departure from previous HAK games where one you know who the killer is you are done but in Empty faces you are not just hunting a killer. You are observing something strange and potentially supernatural.
In general the puzzles are relatively straightforward and a hint system is available to help keep you focused and provide answers. I will note there was a puzzle in box 4 that I never understood how it worked, but the hint site provided the answer so I was able to move forward (upon speaking to someone who could ask HAK the question, I understand the puzzle now but it was a puzzle relying on very precise counting). There are also a series of tests, one for each box, you must pass to move forward in the sense one you have completed the test you have a reason to opening the next box. The hint system has no solution for later tests but joining the dedicated facebook groups for each episode can be helpful - since I have played the facebook group has created a more robust hint system for these quizzes but these test/quizzes are difficult as you are not given an indication of what answers are right and what are wrong. These tests (and the letters you receive from various members of Radiant Mountain) frame the boxes each but it is up you to solve it.
In terms of customer service, and with full disclosure, I purchased the game second hand. If you purchase HAK second hand, you cannot reach out to the company for assistance. The person's who account purchased the game can ask for assistance so be advised there is a risk to buying used (ie. if items are missing or you need help past a hint). When you purchase from the company, they have an amazing assistance program both through email and Facebook - they even hold Facebook lives to introduce how these games work so know that buying first hand is recommended if you think you may want to utilize their services for assistance.
For my feelings about this game is that I enjoyed it. I loved uncovering secrets and passwords leading to website and strange articles. The story was interesting and eerie. There is a lot of detail and story behind the scenes and I had quite a few “aha” moments when I put two and two together. I also felt really accomplished after solving a particularity difficult test – it is that accomplishment that encourages me to keep puzzling on. I struggled with one puzzle in particular and there were some components that I wished had more interaction (some times are just there for theme) but these didn't impact my enjoyment. If I could say one improvement it would be that they create a bit more signposting to let you know what is a rabbit hole and what is just a visual. There were times where I thought maybe something in a picture or locked link was important but there were no direction to whether it was or wasn’t (I assumed they were not). Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and look forward to trying out the next Empty Faces!
To sum up, if you enjoy cipher puzzles, exploring narrative mysteries, and Hunt a Killer style games, I think this is an excellent option. I felt it was the hardest of the Empty Faces virtue of these quizzes(honestly some of them took my TWO hours to complete because I had no hints) but the story was great (some may not like the bit of ambiguity but I didn't mind it). This game takes about 2 hours per box so approximate 8-10 hours of play time.
If you love puzzles, horror, occult, and narrative building then I recommend giving this game a try!
For more information of the game, check out HAK's website site here. You can buy the Empty Faces Box sets there when available.