Category: physical

老宅 | Old House

This physical-set game seems unique to Maze Escape Room.

Played at: Maze Escape Room (Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia)
6 characters (2 female, 4 male)

This physical-set game is only available in Chinese — which is a shame, as it’s a solid case within a set that’s full of fun surprises. Definitely worth the trip up to Selangor. Note that while the stated duration is 150 minutes, that’s just for gameplay and doesn’t include some ~45 minutes of preparation beforehand.

Case: The case is beginner-friendly but not trivial, with some clever threads of logic. There are various fun relevations, some more predictable than others. A significant sideplot adds further interest to the experience, not least with the inclusion of escape room-style puzzles.

Suspects: All characters have secrets of their own and personal mysteries to solve. While a couple of characters might have slightly thinner scripts, the sideplot should ensure that no one gets bored.

Structure: Old House has a great dramatic opening that sets it apart. New areas of the set are unlocked after the first evidence search, which is always fun. The debrief is satisfyingly comprehensive.

Setting: The set is a major strength of Old House. The dramatic entrance helps players get immersed from the start; the set itself has lots of cool surprises. Perhaps the only complaint is that there are signs of wear and tear, including clues with faded text (though the DM can help with reading those).

Facilitation: The case includes a detective played by the DM, allowing for narrative-integrated facilitation. Our DM did nudge us quite a bit, but we probably needed it.

Try if you like: Dramatic sets; NPC interaction (in the opening); discoveries and surprises; physical-set jubensha in general.

Not recommended for: Players (especially murderer-players) who dislike being nudged by the DM. But otherwise I’d recommend this case for anyone.

The Lost Tomb of the Queen

Created by: AveLIVEX
5 to 10 players

AveLIVEX has created several online escape games, which might explain why this jubensha includes escape-room-style puzzles alongside the central mystery.

It’s available in two modes: Murder Mystery, the traditional role-playing format where the culprit can lie in order to escape suspicion; and Crime Scene Investigation, a co-op format where players just read the testimonies of suspects.

The game is played at offline premises, but makes extensive use of an online interface. I liked that they had physical replicas of some items, which were more fun to work with than the digital versions.

The escape room puzzles were okay: a few questionable design decisions, but also a couple of fun ideas. I wouldn’t play this with the puzzles in mind, but they generally added to rather than detracted from the experience.

The central mystery itself is solid, spreading suspicion around while preserving clear paths towards the truth. We played the CSI version, but I think the Murder Mystery format might be more fun — there’s some room for the murderer to manoeuvre, especially as the digital format imposes artificial difficulty in keeping track of the evidence.

The game serves as a good introductory jubensha, with a forgiving three hour runtime, fun touches such as costumes, and a relatively straightforward plot. As a rare English game in Singapore, it’s certainly worth playing.

There might still be tickets left for this weekend’s run; I can imagine this working for corporate groups as well.

二律背反

This half-physical-set (半实景) game is also available in China, so Chinese reviews exist; you might want to check them out too.

Played at: 忆南馆谋杀之谜 / 忆南推理馆
6 characters (2 female, 4 male)

《二律背反》is a fascinating “half-physical-set” (半实景) case. It has a hefty amount of content (~6 hours’ worth, when we played) and a complex structure worthy of a tabletop case. But instead of reading clue cards, you search the scene for physical evidence, which you then interpret.

Most interestingly, unlike some physical-set games where you just ransack rooms, the placement of each piece of evidence is significant.

Case: This ambitious hardcore case covers all the usual types of deduction: figuring out identities and relationships; reconstructing specific happenings based on evidence and timelines; piecing together a broader story; and exploring the world’s overarching mysteries. Granted, the plot goes to some strange places in the final act — but up till then, 《二律背反》is an engrossing exercise in reasoning.

Suspects: Due partly to the nature of the case, there’s limited immersion, though certain revelations might still be emotionally effective. Some roles are more important than others, but there aren’t any truly sidelined characters.

Structure: This multi-stage, multi-layered case requires at least as much stamina as a tabletop one — perhaps more, given the added dimension of physical scene analysis. There’s a build-up to a narrative and deductive climax, and a thorough epilogue.

That’s the core experience; what about 忆南馆’s specific implementation?

Setting: I suppose this is technically part of the game specifications rather than the implementation, but: by far my favourite aspect of《二律背反》is its use of physical evidence. For me, this alone suffices to make the game worth playing. It’s not just the fun of handling real evidence; what I really appreciated was the inclusion of clever details and subtle significance of various clues. The actual setting isn’t that impressive, but that’s in line with the plot, so nothing to complain about there.

Facilitation: Our DM saw us through the case patiently, asking the right questions to get us unstuck without giving too much away. He was also quite generous with the ending, haha.

Try if you like: Ambitious and unique game formats; interpreting physical evidence; rigorous in-depth analysis and deduction.

Not recommended for: Beginners; players uninterested in working out detailed strands of logic; players who dislike unrealistic elements.

异闻录 | Special Rumors

This physical-set game is also available in China, so Chinese reviews may exist; you might want to check them out too.

Played at: LOADING SG
8 characters (4 female, 4 male) with no detectives; also playable with just 7

Compared to LOADING SG’s other case, Special Rumors is less conventional and less accessible. Set in an anachronistic version of ye olde Europe, this faction game’s physical set and game structure are arguably more interesting than the underlying case.

Case: There are two tasks: identifying the members of one faction (with voting thus meant to be along faction lines), and finding the murderer (with all players free to vote for them, even if they are faction-mates). Perhaps we didn’t get a full debrief, but I found the threads of logic underdeveloped in both cases. This does provide lots of fun leeway for the players who are trying to escape suspicion, but the lack of rigour may bother those who focus on analysis.

Suspects: In-character confusion is an intended feature of this case, which you may or may not enjoy. Interpersonal ties are quite developed, which increases engagement and can make for some fun confrontations.

Structure: The game starts off in an unexpected manner, with a significant lead-up before discussion begins. There’s a larger dramatic component compared to LOADING SG’s other game; I’d recommend playing in Chinese if you can, since the NPCs might be more comfortable in that language.

That’s the core experience; what about LOADING SG’s specific implementation?

Setting: The physical set heightens the game’s dramatic elements, from the unique opening stages, through to mid-game cutscenes and the ending itself. Costumes were cool, though props felt a bit perfunctory.

Translation: Generally fine, though some of the names are odd. Any confusion in this case arises from the content itself, not the translation.

Facilitation: Our gamemaster was patient and accommodating. He nudged us along where required, without spoiling the game, and was open to providing clarifications.

Try if you like: Dramatic sets; interesting game structure; social deduction and intrigue.

Not recommended for: Players who prefer a focus on hard evidence; players who don’t enjoy faction games; players who are sensitive about the use of quasi-Christian elements (watch the trailer for a sense of this).

青鸾居 | Qing Luan Residence

This physical-set game is also available in China, so Chinese reviews may exist; you might want to check them out too.

Played at: LOADING SG
6 characters (2 female, 4 male) with up to 2 additional detectives; also playable with just 5

Set in historical China, this physical-set game is a great all-rounder, with dramatic backstories, plot twists, interesting physical elements, and a solid underlying case.

Case: The case is accessible without being simplistic. Clear threads of logic should allow most groups to approach the truth, while leaving room for the murderer to manoeuvre. There are various fun revelations, some more predictable than others.

Suspects: One or two are less integrated into the storyline, while another one or two have a larger burden to bear, but I don’t think anyone will feel completely left out. It helps that everyone is trying to solve some mysteries and hide some secrets of their own.

Structure: Gameplay begins with a cute narrative skit (小剧场) that includes the detective(s). The endgame is thorough, with reminders that more is at stake than merely the truth of the murder.

That’s the core experience; what about LOADING SG’s specific implementation?

Setting: The dramatic entryway set the tone well. The main playing area is minimalistic in comparison, but cool physical elements do appear later. Costumes were stylish (arrive early if you need time to take photos!) and props were fine.

Translation: Generally clear and fluent. Ironically, bilingual groups might be thrown off by how English versions of names (e.g. Edith, Eric) are used instead of pinyin transliterations — making it easier for those who can’t read Chinese, but possibly causing confusion (and being incongruent with the setting).

Facilitation: Our gamemaster was patient and clear in her explanations, and didn’t assume that players are familiar with the genre; this might be particularly helpful for English-speaking players, who are less likely to have jubensha experience.

Try if you like: Dramatic backstories; discoveries and surprises; physical-set jubensha in general.

Not recommended for: Jaded veterans who are tired of common jubensha tropes? But I’d recommend this case to anyone, really.

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