The Medieval Mishap (History Mysteries) // Review

The Medieval Mishap is the second release from UK-based History Mysteries. It is a fun, educational, family-friendly escape room in a box that thrusts players into the past to solve intriguing mysteries. This game takes place in England in 1345; the previous game was set in Egypt in 1922.

Players: 1-5 // Age: 8+ // Playtime: 60-120 mins // Difficulty: Medium

What you need: A pen/pencil and paper. Access to the Internet; you will need a laptop, desktop, or tablet to play.

Story

“Agent Lance Steele is Deputy Director of the secretive organisation known as the Ministry of Time, and he’s having a tough day. His newest Junior Agent has gone missing on their very first assignment. They were sent back in time to investigate a strange anomaly in Medieval England, and nobody has heard from them since.

The only clues are some coded parchments, cryptic journals, bizarre devices, and an unmarked map of… somewhere? Steele suspects there are dark forces at work. And that’s where you come in.”

First impressions

The packaging for The Medieval Mishap follows the same striking aesthetic as its predecessor. The slick black box features a gold foil detailed sleeve decorated with astrological symbols and shields. I appreciate the continuity of the packaging and that whilst the title and colour scheme stays the same, the symbols on the box reflect the contents/story of that particular game.

Everything within the box is made to a very high standard. The components, which are primarily paper-based, are some of the best I’ve seen in terms of quality and attention to detail. They are housed in an authentic-looking Manila folder, sealed shut with an “Evidence” label. The art style is familiar if you have played The Egyptian Enigma but with a distinct Medieval flavour.

One of the main centrepieces of the game is a beautifully designed map of a Medieval town, complete with a castle, estates and a monastery. Alongside this is a handy notebook containing the scribblings of a Ministry of Time Agent, an intricate Astrolabe and lots more!

The backs of documents have inky fingerprints or scribbles and the map looks used with staining on the folds. Not only is everything wonderfully crafted but you can feel the love that has been poured into every aspect of the game, which I appreciate so much as a player.

Gameplay

Egyptians vs Knights

I’ll start with the main differences between this game and its predecessor, The Egyptian Enigma. I anticipated more of the same, which I wouldn’t have complained about as I loved the first outing. Rather than opting for a carbon copy of the first game set in a different time, History Mysteries has taken a new approach to gameplay for The Medieval Mishap.

The game is not timed this time around so you can play at your leisure. While I thought the countdown added a sense of urgency, mirroring a real escape room experience, I welcomed the slower pace for this outing. This is especially important as the game is around two hours, which is twice as long as The Egyptian Enigma.

Instead of the envelope gating technique used in the first game, the characters you interact with throughout this one will let you know which documents you require to solve each puzzle. Most items are not locked away in envelopes but are accessible from the start of the game.

MoTos (Web interface)

History Mysteries games use a specially designed web interface – MoTOS (Ministry of Time Operating System). This acts as the central hub for the online element of the game and houses a hint system, background music and additional settings. The interface is well-designed and simple to use. Once you manage to solve the login puzzle, you will be able to kick off the game with a mission brief from the main protagonists. The animation and voiceovers are charming and there are plenty of laughs along the way as the colourful cast of characters come to life. As the story unfolds, you’ll encounter new faces and maybe some familiar ones…

Puzzles

The Medieval Mishap is labelled as medium difficulty and the puzzles are more challenging this time around. Not so difficult that they are inaccessible for the family audience, but they will require more brainwork. This was welcomed as I did find the first game a little too easy for my liking. I didn’t use any hints this time, but they are accessible via the big question mark on the MoToS screen.

There is a great mix of well-themed puzzles! You’ll solve riddles, apply logic, use your observation and map reading skills, dabble in alchemy and trade goods. The puzzles are relevant to the medieval setting and combine seamlessly with the narrative. And more importantly, they are fun! A stand-out for me was a crop rotation puzzle and any puzzles using the Astrolabe.

As you progress through the game, you’ll be given prompts as to which documents you need for each puzzle. This is a great way to ensure you stay focused and don’t get overwhelmed by all the components.

Here are a couple of handy tips from my playthrough:

• No outside research/knowledge is required; everything you need is in the box.
• Keep note of your answers as you go – you may need them again later!
• You need to write on or manipulate certain items, but if you are careful you could still pass the game on to someone else afterwards.

Once you’ve finished

The fun doesn’t stop when you complete your mission. You can download and print a certificate of completion to display on your wall. There is also a fact file on medieval times which shares some interesting trivia on the period in which the game is set. And finally, watch out for at least one Easter Egg hiding in plain sight…

Verdict

About History Mysteries

Disclaimer: History Mysteries 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.