Publisher: Mini Mysteries
Player Count: 1-4 Players (my recommendation)
Game Length: 60 Minutes
Complexity 1.5/5
A mysterious package has arrived at your door and as unbelievable as it may seem, this parcel is a plea for help from a time traveling agent from the future! Should you accept the mission? Before you know it you’re listening to a correspondence from a woman named Cleo who is trapped in Egypt in 1922. Now you must solve a series of puzzles before time runs out or Cleo will be trapped in the past forever.
Escape from Ancient Egypt
Egyptian Enigma is a lighter, friendlier escape room targeting families with kids. Players will be tasked with solving a series of puzzles centered around the Egyptian gods. The adventure is supplemented with a website link that provides a timer for the game as well as a story that intercuts in between solving your objectives. All the characters are voiced by real audio actors and the story is whimsical and humorous keeping the entire experience light and fun.
I’m going to do my best to avoid spoilers, but the entire presentation is really well done. All the material is delivered in a series of envelopes. Everything feels very authentic with a variety of pieces and paper-types. The graphic design has a neat throwback-vibe that really places you right in the middle of this mystery.
As I mentioned, this is more of a family-friendly escape room meant for younger adventures. The puzzles are just challenging enough to keep kids engaged without getting them frustrated. It’s really ideal for a child’s parent to help guide them through, but hang back and let them solve the puzzles. There was only 1 puzzle that didn’t quite feel up to the quality of the others, but that may just be due to my personal thought process. Throughout the game, you’ll be faced with a series of puzzles that also have a level of educational and instructional material. As the game progresses you might need to lean on past puzzles as the entire story comes together.
I’m not a super-sleuth when it comes to escape room games. I’m actually notorious for spending hours on a puzzle that the average person might solve in a matter of minutes. Thankfully, Egyptian Enigma is a legitimate, under-and-hour scenario. In fact, the game comes with a timer you can cast on your iPad or television that increases the tension. Once completed, you’ll be able to compare your success against other players from all over.
PROS & CONS
➕ Fun story full of humor and solid vocal performances
➕ Great production with authentic looking pieces
➕ Quick, light puzzles to keep kids and families engaged and moving forward
➕ The entire game plays in under an hour – which feels just about right
➕ Fun overall experience
➖ I struggled with 1 puzzle that I didn’t feel quite reached the level of the others
➖ The audio drama did contain some brief, mild language. So that’s something to consider in regards to your audience.
Neutral – Puzzles may be too simple for older kids. I’d put this in the 8-13 year old range.
WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?
If you’re looking for a quick, tight, escape room that’s got a fun presentation, humorous story and works well for younger adventures, you should definitely check out Egyptian Enigma.
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?
The best thing about Egyptian Enigma is the overall presentation of the material. While the puzzles may be lighter, the production doesn’t flinch. Each puzzle is unique and has its own look. It is all very historic and authentic and makes for an engaging experience.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Egyptian Enigma is a fun escape room experience you can easily complete in one evening. The puzzles are on the lighter side so this is best for families with kiddos. While you may have a good time, it’s certainly not intended for more seasoned escape artists. I thought the puzzles were consistent and interesting. I really appreciated that they weren’t too challenging. We had played a more demanding escape room game the night before and while it claimed to be for kids, the difficulty level ultimately led to my kids losing interest. I love seeing my kids work to solve puzzles and the excitement stirred when finding the answers. One day they’ll be ready for escape room primetime, but until then, this hit the right level of difficulty. Along with the solid production and theatrics, Egyptian Enigma brings a lot of value. Overall we really enjoyed the experience.
Check out this and other mysteries at minimysteries.club.
