An Immersive Escape Room Experience with Room for Improvement

Table of Contents

Location: Home

Date Played: May - July 2023

Team size: 2; we recommend 1-4

Duration: ~12 - 18 hours

Price: ~S$250 on their website

Premise

Something strange is going on at the museum. A member of staff has been murdered. Could it be related to the unveiling of an ancient artefact, reputed to be a tool of an evil god?

"The Cursed Exhibition" is the third season from The Detective Society, comprising six chapters, each offering around 2-3 hours of engaging gameplay. Intrigued by the game's positive online reviews and the allure of free worldwide shipping with a minimum expenditure of S$200, we embarked on this enigmatic adventure. Did it live up to our expectations or did it disappoint us like a lackluster exhibit?

Components

Our journey through "The Cursed Exhibition" commenced with an abundance of trinkets and items in Chapter 1, setting our expectations high. These physical components were both impressive and useful. However, our enthusiasm began to wane as the chapters progressed. By Chapter 4, nearly every item provided was a document. This diminishing of tangible elements left us feeling somewhat "cheated" after the tantalizingly strong start in Chapter 1.

Gameplay

In "The Detective Society," gameplay entails solving puzzles using the documents and items provided in each chapter. What sets this series apart is its adept incorporation of the internet into the experience. Players engage with in-game characters via Email, Phone, SMS/Whatsapp, and while their responses are predetermined, this interactive approach adds to the game's immersion.

The chapters vary in structure. Chapters 1 and 5 follow a linear progression, while Chapters 2-4 comprise three distinct segments, each contributing to an overarching puzzle. Chapter 6, the culmination of the adventure, similarly features four distinct segments.

Puzzles/Thoughts

➕Puzzles Offer Enjoyable Challenges. The puzzles, predominantly logic or math-based with sporadic cryptic and "connect the dots" elements, provided enjoyable challenges.

➕High-Quality Components. The documents exhibited impressive realism and durability, enhancing the overall experience. The limited trinkets that accompanied certain chapters were not only fitting but also practical, bolstering immersion.

➕Immersive Social Media Integration. The use of emails, SMS, and chatbots contributed to the game's immersive atmosphere.

➖Fixed Responses for AI Interactions. Interaction with in-game characters felt restricted, as they could only respond to predetermined, close-ended questions and answers.

➖Lackluster Story. While the premise was intriguing, the narrative felt more like a backdrop to the puzzles than an engaging story.

✖️Surprisingly Easy Finale. Chapter 6, intended as the grand finale, proved disappointingly easy in terms of difficulty. We breezed through most puzzles without requiring hints.

✖️Convoluted Puzzle in Chapter 5. A particular puzzle in Chapter 5 felt unnecessarily convoluted and confusing, leading us to seek answers directly. Regrettably, there were two instances of this frustrating puzzle.

✖️Puzzles Lack Depth and Variety. While enjoyable, the puzzles lacked depth and variety. Few provided that "wow" factor and many relied on similar concepts, contributing to a sense of repetition.

Verdict

"The Cursed Exhibition" delivers an enjoyable experience filled with engaging puzzles and creative social media integration. However, the hefty price tag of S$250 makes it challenging to justify the cost, especially for newcomers to the escape room game genre.

We recommend considering a second-hand purchase at a lower price unless you're a dedicated escape room enthusiast.

Rating: 3.5/5

★★★✯✩

You can buy their game here