The ComicBuzz gaming team and I finally got our chance to get our hands on the final two parts of The Isklander trilogy from Swamp Motel. We did already; review the first part of the Islander trilogy, just in case you want to check out that review.
The Isklander trilogy is a team-based online alternate reality game part puzzle, interactive movie, escape room and scavenger hunt. You and your team have a limited time to solve several multimedia riddles in a limited time.
The second part of The Isklander trilogy is called The Mermaid’s Tongue, and the third part is called The Kindling Hour. I do not want to give away any spoilers, so I do not really want to talk about the story. All I want to say is that the subsequent parts of the trilogy; continue the story set-up in the first part-Plymouth Point. Plymouth Point is a mystery that involving a person named Ivy Isklander. I think: the less you know about the plot of any mystery game going into it, the better the experience is. I believe this is true for The Isklander trilogy.
I have already mentioned that this is a team-game, for up to six people. You and your team must use your skills to solve the puzzles that arise. The set-up involves you; meeting several characters in the form of a live-action scene and, the rest is up to you and your team. The rest of the game involves you and your team; getting into a spider web of multimedia unknowns as you race against time to solve the puzzles before the time is up.
To play the game, all you need is a web browser: PC or laptop, cam, mic. I do recommend a pen, paper and some form of headphones and some quiet time. I have to say I really enjoyed the game as a whole; I found the story more intriguing as it went along, the puzzles also got more complex. For me, the live-action scenes pulled me into the plot. It felt very engaging. I enjoyed the acting. For me, it really added to the overall atmosphere of the game. I have to say that I thought the second and third parts seemed a bit short to me. The reason parts two and three felt short; could be that I was having too much fun or maybe due to my team just being so good at puzzle solving.
The Isklander trilogy was the first time that I experienced this type of team-based online alternate reality game. I had a blast. I can see why some companies would use this type of game for a team-building exercise. It is a very different experience from your PC/console gaming.
I would recommend this game for anyone who likes puzzles games and has several friends to get together with and enjoy themselves. The game is unique, something I think gamers should experience. I look forward to seeing what Swamp Motel can do in the future with this medium. I would say that the ComicBuzz gaming team would love to experience it.
