HiddenCity: Moriarty’s Game: A Killer In The Hive

We really enjoyed this game, it wasn't too difficult but at the same time didn't spell things out too easily. Found the experience to be quite immersive considering we were sat at home, good quick response time from the text messages and the use of audio and video helped with the immersion. It felt very high quality,  a good opening chapter, if following chapters were a bit harder that wouldn't be a bad thing. Will definitely play the next episodes.

For this game you don't need any resources apart from your phone (and maybe a computer), so it makes it easy to set up and you could easily play it with an online group over Zoom. You get your clues in the form of text messages from the detective and weblinks to the police archive with case files and security footage. You then do research or study the material you are given to find clues about the criminal and text it back to the detective. 

You pay per device, so you could have the whole family playing on just one device if someone reads out the text messages you receive.

It was quite different from other play-at-home escape rooms I have done because it felt very realistic as it felt as if you are texting a real person and you had to use real websites likes Twitter and maps to find out clues. The only snag was calling a hotline which kept on hanging up on us, but I guess it is also very realistic that you get frustrated when calling a hotline...

Definitely recommend it, and not too expensive either.