An Artful Heist is an escape room in an envelope from UK-based Puzzaroo. Use your skills of deduction and puzzle-solving to discover the identity of the notorious criminal ‘Prometheus’ and bring them to justice. Do you have what it takes to save the day?
What you need: A pencil and paper, and scissors. Internet access is required for hints and the conclusion of the game.
Story
“Famous artwork – Il Tranquillo Ponte by Salomone Costa has been stolen. The police believe that this is the handiwork of notorious criminal mastermind Prometheus. They believe they are close to catching the gang leader – the person responsible for the theft.
Their hideout has been discovered, and you will be working alongside the police to sort through any evidence that will help you solve the crime. So it is now up to you to help the police catch the gang leader and recover the painting, which will hopefully help the police get one step closer tracking down Prometheus.”
First impressions
I ordered An Artful Heist on release day after enjoying Puzzaroo’s previous game, The Corporation. I was a tiny bit apprehensive that it mentioned it was perfect for younger/novice players. This can sometimes lead to more childish gameplay, but in this instance, there was nothing to be concerned about!
The components, which are primarily paper-based, are well-designed. I particularly liked the stack of criminal profiles to work through, which have an internal memo paperclipped to them. Unclipping the sheets and leafing through them felt satisfying, as if I was a detective starting on a new case. Also included in the package are various pieces of photographic evidence, a pen, a newspaper clipping, some leaflets and a folded map of Hebson. I feel that the map could be improved with better print quality, but it still functioned perfectly well.
Gameplay
Getting started
An introduction letter sets up the game and signposts where players need to go if they need any hints. Once you’ve read that, you are on your own! This game is completely non-linear so you can start with any of the puzzles and work through them at your leisure. You are required to complete them all before you open the mysterious black envelope that’s included, at which point you will be required to prove that your detective skills have been up to scratch.
As you solve the puzzles you amass key information about the specific requirements Prometheus had for his second in command. You’ll be able to use this information to rule out criminals who don’t fit the bill and hone in on the true culprit. Other handy pieces of intel will become apparent along the way, so be sure to make notes as you go as you may need the information later!
The game is not designed to be regifted, as several of the items are written on or manipulated during gameplay. There isn’t an option to replace any used items but the game is very reasonably priced so I didn’t feel cheated by not being able to pass it on.
Puzzles
One thing I love about Puzzaroo is the variety of clever puzzles in their games. There are plenty of these packed into An Artful Heist, which combines a spot of deduction with puzzle-solving. While some puzzles are single-step solves, there are a few with two or three steps, which I often find to be more satisfying. One example requires you to solve a riddle, fill in specific sections of a picture and solve a cipher. Once completed, you are rewarded with a key piece of information to help rule out one of the suspects.
Everything comes together nicely as you open the final black envelope which challenges you to answer specific questions about the case. Provided you have obtained all the information you need and correctly solved all of the puzzles, you will then gain access to the final challenge.
Difficulty & Hints
This game sits in the ‘easy’ bracket for experienced puzzlers, although it was still perfectly enjoyable. For younger/novice players, I suspect it should pose enough challenge that they will feel they have earned the ‘ah-ha’ moments, but not so much that it will become frustrating.
I didn’t need to use any hints during my playthrough, however they are available. I do feel that the way the hints are displayed could be improved, as you have to click through multiple pages rather than dropdowns on the same pages (which some other games employ). That being said, this isn’t a huge issue and the contents of the hints are what ultimately matters.
Verdict
An Artful Heist
Summary
An Artful Heist combines deduction and puzzle solving to create a fun experience for new and seasoned puzzlers. It is accessible to a younger audience but doesn’t feel dumbed down, which is refreshing. The non-linear gameplay allows you to share puzzles with others around the table but also to pause on a puzzle, if stuck, and move to another to progress.
If you enjoyed Puzzaroo’s first game, The Corporation, you are bound to love this too!
(By the way, a new range of button badges and medals can also be added to your game order – click below for details.)
About Puzzaroo
Puzzaroo is a UK-based company founded by Paul. His first game The Corporation was released in 2022, followed by An Artful Heist in 2024.
The next game to release will be The Astronomer Assassination. No information is currently available, but watch this space!
Disclaimer: This game was purchased with my own money. As always, my thoughts are my own.
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