The Case of the Curiously Quiet Theater (Bluefish Games) // Review

The Case of the Curiously Quiet Theater is the latest instalment in Bluefish Games‘ SHhhh, We’re Reading Book Club puzzle game series. Blending a whimsical audiobook mystery with Bluefish‘s unique brand of wordplay-based puzzles, it makes for a charming gameplay experience. With its clear signposting and hint system, it’s accessible for casual puzzlers and enthusiasts alike.

Players: 1+ // Age: 14+ // Playtime: 3+ hours

What you need: A pencil and paper. An internet-connected device.

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.

Synopsis

“In The Case of the Curiously Quiet Theater, Ells and Ernie find themselves embroiled in a mystery amidst special effects, costumes, and shady characters. While attending the hottest play in town, Ells and Ernie discover that someone is interfering with the production in a most nefarious way. The detective duo will need to utilize all their skills to pull back the curtain and discover the truth behind the strange occurrences happening behind the scenes. Ells and Ernie are no strangers to mystery, but this time they’re up against a pool of suspects who are all classically trained actors and any lie is going to sound convincing.”

First impressions

If you enjoyed Ells and Ernie’s debut outing, The Case of the Curiously Correct Blueprints, you’ll love the next chapter in the series. In The Case of the Curiously Quiet Theater, Mr Hincks has accidentally returned the last copy of this month’s book club novel to the library. When attempting to retrieve it, he discovered that it had found its way into Carla the Library Cat’s domain. Hincksville residents know not to mess with Carla, but he attempts to reclaim the book anyway. With his attempts scuppered, he has now resorted to piecing together his recollection of the story in audio format. All so you don’t turn up to the book club, with no idea of what happened in the book…

If you haven’t played the first game, fear not, as these are standalone cases. I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Case One though!

I played solo, rationing myself to one envelope per evening to eke out the experience. It is probably better enjoyed over a shorter period of time to be fully absorbed by the narrative. Although I played on my own, it is possible to share this experience with more players.

Gameplay

SHhhh, We’re Reading Book Club veterans will find themselves right at home with The Curiously Quiet Theater, which follows the same format as the first game. The experience switches between audio-narrated story and puzzle-solving sections, with each puzzle solution unlocking the next part of the story.

The game box contains five envelopes to play through, which must only be opened when Mr Hincks instructs you to. Each houses a set of reference pages that are required to solve the puzzles. These have been created using a special page replicator, based on pages from books found throughout the Hincksville Public Library.

A letter in the box directs you towards a website that will guide you through the game. To begin, simply log on to the website and play the first audio recording. This sets the scene, kicks off the story and ends mid-sentence with a mini cliffhanger. Progress is gated, with players having to find the final solution word or phrase for each envelope to move forward.

Presentation

As always, the presentation is delightfully whimsical and instantly recognisable as a Bluefish game. The boxes for each game follow the same design, maintaining visual continuity. This also allows them to be neatly displayed on a bookshelf, with titles for each case printed on the side.

Components are broadly paper-based and utilise a range of different paper types, colour schemes and art styles. Everything fits within the Hincks world, and the colourful and varied nature of the pages keeps them interesting and engaging. The replicated book pages are annotated with helpful sticky notes, which really accentuate the homemade feel. A small brown bag is also included in the box; this contains a bookmark, a pen designed to look like a pencil, and a cryptic note from Mr Hincks. I love when items live beyond the span of a game, and I’ll definitely use the bookmark and pencil.

The audio quality, as with the first game, features crisp and clear dialogue that is easy to follow. Over 30 minutes of narration are included, broken up into smaller chunks that you’ll unlock as you play. The inclusion of a transcript means that you can choose to read instead, or opt to narrate the drama yourself, or take it in turns within your group.

Puzzles

As I’ve come to expect from Bluefish Games, the puzzles did not disappoint. The excellent signposting means that you won’t ever get stuck for long, often leading to very satisfying ah-ha moments. Tonally, the puzzles are laced with the trademark brand of humour and whimsy, while still feeling rewarding to solve. Once you’ve worked out where to start, it soon becomes clear where to go next.

You can expect each envelope to contain multi-layered puzzles that feed into each other, leading to one final solution. These feature a mix of puzzle mechanics, such as wordplay, logic and pattern recognition – to name a few. I found with some puzzles that I thought I knew what they were, but then this was cleverly subverted. All of the puzzles were a delight to solve, so it was genuinely hard to stop myself racing on to the next envelope.

If I had one criticism, it is that I’d like for some of the puzzles to be integrated into the audio sections. At the moment, you could skip those elements altogether and still be able to complete the game. I guess for some this offers an alternative way of enjoying the experience, but I feel that it would be a little more cohesive if it was all linked more.

Hints & Difficulty

I found the puzzles to cover a mixed range of difficulty from easy to hard(ish). Some felt a little on the easy side, while others required more work. I never stayed stuck for too long, which is a testament to the great clueing. Your experience will vary depending on your level of experience with the particular puzzle types.

Tiered hints are available on the website, each nudging you a little more towards the final solution. The solution is also there if you get really stuck, but I’d advise stepping away for a bit first. I usually find that when I return to a game, the way forward presents itself. As with the first game, the signposting was sufficient that I didn’t need to use any hints.

Verdict