Mockery Manor: The Murder Mystery Game (Long Cat Media) // Review

Mockery Manor: The Murder Mystery Game is a new hybrid puzzle/murder-mystery game from Long Cat Media. The company is known for its popular podcasts, including Mockery Manor, The Ballad of Anne & Mary and Madame Magenta: Sonos Mystica. They have now branched out into the play-at-home mystery space – but is this game worth checking out?

Players: 1+ // Age: 12+ // Playtime: 2-4 hours

Requirements: An internet-connected device and a pen/pencil.

Synopsis

“It’s 1998. One of the scare actors on the Halloween Spooky Nights Trail has gone missing, and once again, it’s down to a random teenage staff member to uncover the truth and catch a killer. And that random teenager… is YOU.“

First impressions

Note: I won’t go into story details during this review to avoid any spoilers.

When I first heard about Mockery Manor: The Murder Mystery Game, I wasn’t aware of the podcast on which it was based. Set in a fictional 1990s theme park, Mockery Manor, the series leans heavily into nostalgia, humour and chilling mysteries. It didn’t take me long to start binging the episodes! For those new to the world, this game is a tantalising tease of what the podcast has to offer. Helpfully, no prior knowledge is required. For regular listeners, it’s a thrilling expansion of the world they know and love, rewarding them with new ways to delve further into Mockery Manor’s secrets. There are countless references to characters and locations from the audio series.

What makes this game stand out is that, like a movie adaptation of a best-selling novel, the source material is already so rich. This allows the team to draw on their colourful characters and well-realised locations as a backdrop for an intriguing mystery. There is also the fact that they have access to a stellar cast of voice actors who bring the whole piece to life. The folks at Long Cat Media are adept at world-building and crafting rich and twisty narratives that surprise and delight. If you enjoy a solid mystery, humour and playing detective, you’ll love this game.

Gameplay

Getting started

The absence of a ‘Dear Detective’ letter, which you often find in murder mystery/cold case games, meant it took us a little while to find where to start. Once we’d looked through all of the items in the envelope, this became much clearer, and in some respects made us feel even more like detectives.

I’d recommend taking a moment to check all the components against the provided list. On the rare occasion that something is missing, details are provided to request a replacement. Nothing was missing in our pack! Given that the game is housed in a standard A4 brown envelope, it manages to pack in a deceptive amount of gameplay; you definitely get your money’s worth.

There is a significant amount of online/multimedia content that you’ll access throughout the game. I’d recommend using a laptop if you have access to one, but you can access everything on mobile, too. Your investigation will be driven by audio interviews with the park’s staff, solving puzzles and piecing together hidden clues. There is a good mix of traditional puzzle types (ciphers, logic) as well as deduction, to keep gameplay interesting. Puzzles aren’t too taxing and are very accessible for new puzzlers. They blend seamlessly into the storyline, not breaking immersion by feeling out of place.

What makes this game really different from murder mysteries I’ve played before is the combination of the 90s setting, exceptional voice-acting and the humour. Those who are old enough to have lived through the 90s will experience a hit of nostalgia, while younger players will get a little glimpse into what life was like pre-social media. There is something for everyone.

Presentation

I’d have been impressed with the quality of components if this were Long Cat’s third game, but as a first outing, it’s even more impressive. Everything is extremely polished, with excellent attention to detail; coffee stains on menus, handwritten notes, etc. The colourful park map is reminiscent of the maps you’d find at UK theme parks back in the 90s. This is perhaps my favourite component, along with the UFO diner menu, complete with doodles and notes. I would love to see some non-paper-based items in future games, if possible!

The star of the show is, of course, the audio elements. Performances are believable and entertaining, with wonderful voice acting and sound effects that make the game three-dimensional. I don’t remember the last time I was so captivated by a cast of characters. Thankfully there are multiple seasons of Mockery Manor to enjoy if you find yourself enamoured by the characters. I’m sure there are also plenty of podcast easter eggs hidden throughout the game as well!

Web Interface

As well as the physical items in the envelope, you’ll be given access to a web portal. This houses all of the multimedia content, such as suspect interviews. Transcripts are provided for any audio clips, which are very handy if you can’t quite make out what someone is saying. I also really appreciated the animations that accompanied the audio clips – a cassette tape whirring in the background, with the characters overlaid as they speak.

I love the retro-style websites, which include references to historic web browsers such as Netscape. Talk about a blast from the past! One section of the game involves accessing a computer running Windows 95, which looked really convincing. The sites themselves are easy to use/navigate and not overstuffed with text.

Hints & Difficulty

Stuck on a puzzle? Fear not! The mystical Madame Magenta is on hand to guide you in your hour of need. You can find her business card among the components, which includes a link to her website. She provides tiered hints, which means you can request as little or as much of a nudge as you need.

Replayability

As this game is a murder mystery, you’ll know the identity of the culprit/s by the end of it – so unless you have a terrible memory, you won’t be able to unknow that information. That being said, it is possible to pass the game on to someone else. No refill kit is provided, so if you do plan to do this, you’ll need to make sure you don’t write on anything. There are a couple of pages with items you’ll need to cut out, but provided you keep these items in good condition, they can be used in subsequent playthroughs. There is one item that needs to be physically pieced together, but you can solve this without sticking it together.

Verdict