The Case of the Curiously Correct Blueprints is the latest instalment in Bluefish Games‘ whimsical puzzle game series set in the world of Mr. Hincks. This standalone case blends cosy crime, witty wordplay and audiobook-style narration to offer a fresh experience for puzzlers new and old. Expect the unexpected as you attempt to solve puzzles and unlock more of the mystery.
Players: 1+ // Age: 14+ // Playtime: 3+ hours
What you need: A pencil and paper. An internet-connected device.
Synopsis
“As a member of the SHhhh, We’re Reading Book Club in Hincksville, you’ve been patiently awaiting your turn to read the advance copy of the highly anticipated new Ells and Ernie mystery, when Mr. Hincks gives you some shocking news: your copy of the book is at the bottom of a vat of candy! Never fear, Mr. Hincks will save the day! (Which is only fair, seeing as he was the one that ruined the day.)
Mr. Hincks has recorded an abridged audio version of the book and put together a box of peculiar reference materials in order to recreate the story for you before the book club meeting. But there’s one problem: the first rule of book club is, NO SPOILERS! How can Mr. Hincks recap this mystery book for you without spoiling any of the twists? You’re not quite sure, but he seems to have a few puzzling tricks up his sleeves.”
First impressions
The Case of the Curiously Correct Blueprints landed on my desk a mere 24 hours ago and there was no chance it would remain unopened for long. As I’m a bit under the weather, I decided to cheer myself up with that tried and tested medicine that is a Bluefish puzzle game! A note on the inside of the box reads: “no spoilers, please” and I will be adhering to this for my review.
If you’ve played The Hincks Gazette or any of the other Hincks games, you’ll be pleased to hear that this game offers plenty of the witty wordplay and clever puzzles we’ve all come to love. To shake things up a little, a new element has been introduced into the mix. This game features over 30 minutes of audio narration from the one and only Mr. Hincks. The catch is that you’ll need to solve puzzles to unlock each part of the audiobook – but you love puzzles, right? I thought so!
Gameplay
The box contains a note from Stephen P. Hincks. It turns out that a rather unfortunate mishap means he cannot send you the one-and-only advance copy of the latest Ells and Ernie book. Ordinarily, this would be passed between book club members before the next meeting. To avoid you attending with no knowledge of the plot, and having it completely spoiled, he has recorded an abridged version of the story. This is retold through a series of narrated audio clips.
To unlock each part of the story you must use the reference materials that he has provided. You’ll find these split across five bright blue envelopes labelled ‘Reference Materials A-E’. Each envelope contains a set of pages replicated from books in the Hincksville Public Library (using a special page replicator!). They include key information to help you progress through the story, fleshing out the plot and characters.
Mr Hincks’ letter instructs you to visit a website to access the first recording. Once there, you can test your audio settings and find out what you can and can’t look at in the box. You can then listen to the first part of the audiobook recording. At the end of each part of the audiobook, the story cuts off mid-sentence. It’s then your job to piece together the rest of the sentence. For that, you’ll need to don your puzzling hat and solve the puzzles hidden among the reference materials. Once you have the correct phrase, you can progress to the next stage of the story.
Presentation
The presentation has a slightly rustic feel that’s in keeping with the nature of the game. The rather simple exterior of the cardboard box is what you might expect from a book club delivery. On the inside, however, it has some nice stylistic flourishes. The SHhhh Book Club paper bag contains a bookmark, pen and notes page. It also includes a little sticky note on the front and features a rubber stamp logo. The sticky notes pop up a lot during the game with little comments from Mr. Hincks.
The components are almost entirely paper-based with different paper stock/types for variety. There is a real mix of colour and art styles too, which I really enjoyed! Everything still manages to feel very on-brand for the Hincks world, which must have taken a lot of thought and creativity to dream up. Provided you treat the pages with care you can play the game without destroying anything.
The quality of the audio recording is great and it hits the perfect balance of humour and mystery. I’ve not played a game before that utilises the audiobook format in this way and it was a refreshing experience. It is worth pointing out that there is a transcript available, which I found to be very helpful. This also gives you the option to disregard the audiobook element and narrate the game yourself if you choose.
Puzzles
Bluefish Games are renowned for their clever wordplay, meta puzzles and unique blend of humour. This game certainly won’t disappoint on any of those fronts. I adore the multi-layered approach to the puzzles. The first challenge is figuring out which item to begin with, and then slowly as you solve each piece it starts to fit together seamlessly. It is so satisfying. The signposting, as always, is excellent and it is also worth noting that no Googling was required in the hunt for obscure references or knowledge. Everything you need is contained within the box.
The puzzles primarily revolve around wordplay, logic and a little maths. The creativity in how the puzzles are constructed is what always brings me back for more. I was also impressed with how closely integrated the puzzles, components and audio elements were. The gameplay is a joy.
Hints & Difficulty
I was somewhat alarmed when I found the first envelope to be a very quick solve but my worries were allayed upon opening the second. It felt like the level of challenge increased as the game progressed, although I did find the final envelope to be an easier solve. It is worth pointing out that the game is designed to sit somewhere between easy and hard, and I think they’ve hit the nail on the head.
Tiered hints are available at the bottom of the webpage and work in a very similar way to previous Hincks games. I found the signposting/clueing to be excellent, as always, and didn’t need to use the hints for this game.
Verdict
The Case of the Curiously Correct Blueprints
Summary
The Case of the Curiously Correct Blueprints is a refreshing shift in format for Bluefish Games. It retains all the wit, charm and wordplay you’ve come to expect from their games while adding a new dimension with the locked audio-book mechanic.
Wonderful voice acting, multi-layered puzzles and a variety of well-designed book pages make for a fun and unique experience. It’s a fantastic addition to the Hincks collection, with plenty of room for more Ells and Ernie adventures in future. A little birdie tells me they will return for a new mystery soon; bring it on!
Discount code: For a limited time, you can use SAVE15 at the checkout to get 15% off your order.
About Bluefish Games
Bluefish Games is the brainchild of Anna and Ace, who are based in the US. They work hard to ensure the quality of their games through rigorous playtesting, beautifully crafted components, and an eye on their business’s environmental impact.
In addition to The Case of the Curiously Correct Blueprints, they have released two volumes of The Hincks Gazette (with 12 issues each): The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks and The Curious Stairs of Mr. Hincks (currently out of print).
Did you know? Anna and Ace were featured in our Meet Your Maker interview series in November 2024.
Disclaimer: Bluefish Games kindly provided me with a review copy of this game in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences the content of my review.
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