Inspectors' Review:
Box is NICE.
Paper is NICE.
I am so helpful.
Box is a little too small for me...it's okay I sits anyways.
Paper is yummy but boss said no.
There's green goop! Also not allowed to eat...
Boss' Review:
Hunt a Killer is a very popular table top coming that has a huge focus of monthly murder mystery subscriptions. In the past I have reviewed their older paranormal series and a few premiums games. Ghastly Manor is another premium game from the company that is tailored towards collaboration and more of a family friendly vibe.
The premise of this experience is that Thistlemore Manor Inn is opening up again about being closed for over a century after the horrific gas leak in the home. While the construction is still going on, the new owner wants you to look into paranormal circumstances plaguing the house, including his ancestors. He has provided you with items he has discovered and sent you a layout of the home to help you figure out what final answers these ghosts need to be laid to rest. In this sense, you are given a very clear instruction - find the five ghosts questions and answer them correctly to the complete the game. Yet it isn't as easy as it seems...
In terms of narrative, the various documents help provide you piece together the stories behind why some of the characters are still lingering. I enjoyed the interconnectedness of three of the characters stories and their story was really well situated but I felt the remaining two characters to be disjointed - they have no connection to the overarching narrative except to resolve their lingering and the fact they were ghosts because they were in the inn at the time of the gas leak. I also felt the ending was a little abrupt - I wish they would have taken a bit more time with it and made it more of an epilogue than a single paragraph. They provided an ending to the interconnected storyline and I liked that but the reader in my wanted more.
In terms of puzzles I really liked the hidden aspect of some of the components. There were ciphers, deduction, clue finding, and more. It definitely fit more of a children's vibe as the puzzles weren't extremely difficult to figure out but some did take time to unravel the solution. In a group setting it could easily be divided but, alas, my inspectors cannot help me decode so I had to do it all alone. In addition, the cipher keys becomes readily available as you continue which definitely aid younger puzzlers who aren't as rehearsed in the ciphers available. I will note one puzzle require a lot of focus so some kids may struggle with it and so this game does need someone to assist while playing in that regard. The solutions for the puzzles were rewarding and gave momentum until the final conclusion, which I mentioned above was an abrupt ending.
In terms of customer service, this game was bought from the company of my behalf by a friend. When I received it I did find the hook that held the lock to the wooden box had broken off. I was able to repair it with some gorilla glue. In addition, the black light did not work. This may have been because of how long the game was in our possession but I still was able to complete the game with no issues and a little bit of glue (I had purchased my own blacklight awhile back).
Overall, I found Ghastly Manor to be a light and easy puzzling excursion that is definitely more for kids. At times the ciphers were a little tedious but the unfolding of the story was pretty good for the majority of characters. This game needs focus so if you think your child can focus for about 2 hours then I think they would enjoy the exploration of the game but they will need your assistance for some of the puzzles. It has locked puzzles, hidden secrets, and slime, which definitely get a child's attention. As for me...I want more story but that's the reader in me. The story had some high points but the ending didn't keep the momentum as rich as I have seen in other HAK games.
Check out Hunt a Killer and their other games here.