Simulacra Games: The Wilson Wolfe Affair

Among the booming trend of "Escape Room-in-a-Box" games, The Wilson Wolfe Affair sets itself apart as more of a "Puzzlehunt-in-a-Box": this is not a game for the faint of heart! There are no familiar introductory puzzles giving a 4-digit code to settle you in... there is not a helpful hints guide... you will not solve it in one hour... in fact, you'll be lucky if you've even worked out where to *start* in the first hour - you'll still be sifting through the overwhelming range of documents and artefacts contained in the box. Most of these are paper-based, but they are all beautifully-designed and with loving attention to thematic detail - alongside a handful of physical items and online resources which together tell an interesting and unusual narrative: a refreshing change from the "find the killer" standard fare.
My main complaint is that it is exhausting to play - and a few of the puzzles are a bit hit or miss. Perhaps if the scope had been reduced slightly, the quality could have been made a bit more consistent and this would be an absolute gold standard of at-home puzzle experiences. As it is, it's definitely a game for the hardcore puzzler and, if you have the determination to make it through, you'll find enough content here to keep you busy throughout lockdown and far beyond. However, I suspect many will be turned away before making it that far.