Please note: This preview of ‘Squirrels Gone Wild’ is based on a prototype. While the story and gameplay will remain broadly the same, there will be upgrades to the overall presentation and packaging before its release. As such, I will do a complete review (with ratings) once I have played the final version.
What’s it about?
Chester’s nuts have been stolen and he needs your help to get them back! His ex-Squirrelfriend Lucy is keeping them under lock and key, and only by using her secret diary to crack her passcode can you get them back.
Who made it?
This hilarious puzzle game, Squirrels Gone Wild, is a collaboration between Spencer Beebe (Spencer Is Puzzling) and Christine Little (Mysteries of Christine). Spencer is best known for the hugely popular card-based puzzle game Lost in the Shuffle. Christine produces Mystery Tours and the mysterious Conundrum Case Files.
The Secret Scrapbook (aka The Diary)
The secret scrapbook takes centre stage when it comes to gameplay. You gain access to Lucy’s innermost thoughts through her diary entries, drawings and other items. It feels like a love letter to children’s books such as “The Jolly Postman”, where envelopes are stuck to the pages containing all sorts of ephemera. Using this approach for a puzzle book is such a clever idea and works well with the scrapbook nature of the diary.
You’ll have to investigate the diary and work through the puzzles to tease out the elusive passcode that unlocks the pouch. The diary is packed full of hilarious puns and also features a fun cameo from a well-known squirrelebrity.
Puzzles
Aside from the abundance of squirrely puns, the most fun thing about the game for me was the puzzles. At first, I was concerned that they would be too easy, but as I progressed through the game they increased in difficulty. Gameplay is mostly non-linear, so if you get stuck on one puzzle you can try moving on to another. Each page contains a puzzle, some with an envelope that holds other components you will require to solve it. You are also given an answer sheet to jot down all of the answers along the way. It is important to make use of this!
In terms of the puzzles themselves, stand-outs included a puzzle that involved retracing Chester’s movements using a series of postcards, and another that required the use of a new form of the pig-pen cipher. Solving the final puzzle was so satisfying and tied the whole game together in a very clever way. It was perhaps my favourite of the bunch!
The Nut Sack
The locked pouch, which I have affectionately coined the “nut sack” is where Chester’s nuts reside. Once you have correctly pieced together the passcode you can crack it open and retrieve the nuts. These take the form of a pair of squeezable ‘stress’ balls in the shape of nuts, which I found to be pretty hilarious.
At this point, you will be presented with a choice that will determine the outcome of the game. Specific details on that will remain secret for now… but I can say that there are some very funny videos based on the decision you make.
You may, or may not be, surprised to learn that there is a final, ultimate, super-secret challenge that takes the form of a big meta puzzle that might just lead to a shocking revelation…
Hints & Checking Answers
The hint system is completely analogue, so you don’t need to have access to the internet to play the game. You may find that you need to look some information up, but most of the puzzles do not require knowledge outside of what’s in the diary. Hints are printed on the back of each puzzle page, but to ensure that you don’t accidentally read them they are written backwards. Lucy keeps a handy mirror in her diary that will allow you to read these if required.
An online ‘answer checker’ is available so that you can verify your answers as you play. Some puzzles in the game may have multiple stages, so it is worth checking if you have the option to verify the first part (i.e. the order of something) before you tackle the next stage.
Verdict
Squirrels Gone Wild is NUTS! It is totally bonkers, but that is what I have come to expect from anything Spencer Beebe touches. Christine Little is clearly on the same carriage of the nutty train. If you enjoy fun puzzles, hilarious squirrel puns, reading other people’s secret diaries or lining the pockets of slightly unhinged creatives then you will feel right at home.
I’m excited to see the upgrades that will be made to the game components after the Kickstarter campaign fully funds (which it will!). I simply cannot wait until the day that I can hold Chester’s actual nuts in my hands and give them a good squeeze.
How can I buy the game?
Squirrels Gone Wild will be launching on Kickstarter later this month. If you have already backed a Kickstarter campaign before you can click the button below to be notified of the campaign launch! If you haven’t, read on.
What is Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform that allows creators to raise money up front to fund the publication of their products. It is very simple to use, you just need to sign up for an account and can then pledge money to any projects that take your fancy. There are usually different “pledge levels” which allow you to donate money with no reward, buy just the game, or buy the game with extra bells and whistles. Full details will be available on the Squirrels Gone Wild crowdfunding page when it launches.
Once the campaign has been successfully funded, it is normal for it to take at least 3-6 months for games to be produced and sent out to backers. This is subject to all sorts of obstacles that may pop up, such as production and shipping delays.
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