Inspectors' Review:
It smells like old paper...I want to eat it!
This newspaper is hiding something isn't it?
Pro-tip boss, I think you need to spin this spinny thing - I am such a good supervisor aren't I!
Game is very sniffable. 10/10 sniffs!
I think something happened to Abby...why on earth would you use a perfectly good napkin to write messages??? Obviously they are meant for eating!
Boss would like to correct me that napkins are not meant for eating BUT THIS IS MY REVIEW!
Oh, she also is trying to shove this new intern on me.
Intern is good at sniffing, not supervising.
A mystery is afoot and we are eager to climb in!
Back in 2016, Dutch company PuzzelPost brought forth a beautiful narrative puzzle experience called Het Boekanier Dossier, which was followed by The Medusa Report and The Wild Man Secret. Praised by the European puzzle community and North Americans (such as Postcurious’ Rita Orlov) the biggest flaw (for me and many) was that this game was solely in Dutch at the time. From a few friends I knew who tried going at the game with Google Translate, this game required nuanced understanding of language which meant I would have to wait. I, and many others, sent pleas to translate this game and PuzzelPost was happy to announce this year they are preparing to launch an re-imagined English version of the first chapter of this amazing trilogy under a new company name, Diorama. Even more exciting, they reached out to the Mystery Package Inspectors asking if we’d be interested in taking a look. As you can see, we said yes.
The Story:
This experience follows Helena Vandermist reaching out to you regarding a cold case from 1979. Her sister, Abby, travelled to a quiet Dutch village alone and appeared to have gotten caught in something as she disappeared. Yet, she left a box filled with papers, ciphers, and codes that Helena has failed to decipher after all these years. She is asking you to help her find Abby after all this time.
In terms of narrative, I found this experience rich in plot development and character study. Each new discovery opens up a new avenue to follow and also reveals more about the characters and their motivations. All is not quite as simple as find the missing girl. Rather, you must tease apart what Abby was doing and what messages did she leave behind for her sister. You are not handed the story in exposition but rather through letters to characters, research, and editorials in newspaper.
I don’t want to spoil the narrative but one of the best parts of this narrative is pouring over all the notes and documents to piece it together. Take the time to inspect and make connections and you’ll have a richer experience. This isn’t about solving the puzzles quick but rather learning about what led to Abby’s disappearance and what connections you can make. As a player who enjoys a well-developed narrative I felt this game did an excellent job of giving you something complete while also paving a way for the next chapter.
The Puzzles:
For puzzles, I found they worked well to compliment the narrative. This game follows a pretty linear puzzle format where upon each answer will guide you to the next puzzle. My recommendation is to follow this flow but really take a moment to look over the item you're working with as there are plenty of secrets it may contain.The puzzles consisted of ciphers, pattern identification, logic, and more. I especially loved how well hidden puzzles were that the clues and solutions only appeared when you received the correct direction. I had quite a few “aha” moments when I did read the solution to a puzzle and it directed me to something I hadn’t thought of looking at in a certain way. The techniques appeared simple yet were complex because of how flawless they entwined with the piece they were part of. You get so use to obvious puzzles that when something like this comes around you truly can appreciate the talent. Each solution provides an exciting new element to the table that challenges you to be an investigator in finding Abby. You won’t be handed the answer, you must seek it out using Abby’s clues.
The Company:
In terms of customer service, I will note again I received this game for a review. The game arrived in an extremely timely fashion and the creators were quick to respond to messages. The full online system is not up and running yet but they had a hint system up and running for the promotional players. I found the hint system to be good. I especially like the explanation section of the hints. These clues essentially explained how to solve the puzzle if you were stuck and the hints weren’t working without actually given you the answer. I think this was an excellent edition for a game like this that is focused on the journey of finding Abby. You still get the satisfaction of getting the secret message on your own but sometimes you need to be told the cipher works.
The creator did explain a separate online system would include a hint system and a place to input the final solution, which I am excited to see. For me it was a email process but they did show me how players would receive a summary of the events of the game that actually worked pretty well with the set up. I definitely an intrigued to see how their online system works but what was given to me worked solidly to finish them game with satisfaction. I also was told about a meta puzzle that is being developed to carry throughout the chapters which sounds amazing! I haven't solved it yet but it's very intriguing to say the least.
Conclusion:
Overall, if you enjoy immersive story telling with well integrated puzzles then I think The Vandermist Dossier is an excellent game to add to your list. This game took me about two hours and I was entirely focused in the mystery and intrigue. It's the kind of game you cannot walk away from until you find the answer. It is beautiful designed, down to the smell of the paper and had such strong storytelling that developed with each challenge you faced. The difficulty and intricacies of the puzzles engaged players to think outside the box. Throughout the experience, I felt included in Helena and Abby’s story personally and I cannot wait to see what the next chapter entails.
This English version of the game will be launching on Kickstarter Tuesday September 28th! The base price of the game will be $49.00 (plus shipping). To follow the Kickstarter click here and to learn more about the game and company click here and here.
Disclosure - This game was provided complimentary for a fair review.
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