A museum takes you to extraordinary and wondrous worlds in the past, present and future. You will find an array of cultures, creative minds and adventures. Museums come in different shapes and sizes and there really is something for everyone. There are also sure to be museums on a specific subject or theme. There are museums for modern art, classical art, natural history exhibits, scientific exhibitions, bread, beer and board games. That’s just the tip of the iceberg! As far as I am concerned, a visit to a museum, no matter the subject, is a perfect way to fill an afternoon. Or a night, because like Night at the Museum, who doesn’t dream of spending a night in huge halls with the most interesting exhibitions? Many museums also contain myths, miracles and mysteries. In The Custodian’s Keys, you are given the keys to a museum, but will you know how to solve all the mysteries this chain full of keys opens?
The Custodian’s Keys is the first volume in the Curious Correspondence series. This series is a unique collection of different stories, games and riddles that transform the safe environment of your home into an escape room. The different volumes in the Curious Correspondence series can be bought separately or players can opt for a subscription (-like) experience. Players are sent letters and packages, and this literal mail for each volume contains multiple riddles and puzzles that players must solve and a mysterious plot that players must unravel.
In this first volume, players receive an envelope a museum ticket with a curious symbol. This ticket gives you access to the M. B. Franklin Museum of Natural History. Players find six keys, corresponding to six exhibits and one strange lock with multiple keyholes to investigate. The envelope contains various clues such as a map of the museum, images of the various exhibits and some flyers and other information. Based on these documents, players must discover the puzzles and relate the different information to each other to find the combination of keys and the keyholes to unravel the secret of this museum and its exhibits.
The Curious Correspondence series features a the high-quality production and has a small footprint as each mystery literally fits in an envelope. The letters, illustrations and various paper and cardboard components are beautifully designed and made, and the attention to detail (for both the designs and puzzles) is evident. This escape room is narrative and thematic, and the various game components are clearly tailored to the corresponding theme: in this particular case, the museum theme oozes off the components.
The puzzles are challenging but not impossible or illogical as is unfortunately sometimes the case with some escape rooms. Should the player (or players) get stuck, there are clear instructions on the Curious Correspondence site, so players can always reach the end of the adventure. The different parts of Curious Correspondence have different levels of difficulty, but The Custodian’s Keys is an accessible first part with an inviting theme.
Curious Correspondence The Custodian’s Keys is a rock-solid introduction to this series of escaperoom games. Fans of escape rooms can indulge themselves with these games and will certainly appreciate this game and its succeeding volumes. Curious Correspondence lends itself perfectly as a remote gift because of its small footprint. Give that puzzle lover in your life a volume, collection or subscription as a gift and he or she will find an intriguing story with challenging puzzles on his or her doorstep.
