Breakout Games is the largest escape game company in the United States, and they've now launched a murder mystery subscription box called
Dispatch!
*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.
Have you heard of escape rooms? They're exactly what they sound like -- real life, interactive games where you try to escape from specific situations, often with a story woven in.
Dispatch allows you to experience the excitement of an escape game from the comfort of your home.
Series One is "On The Run." Once you open your first box, you'll find yourself immersed in the story of the disappearance of your closest childhood friend. He's also suspected of killing his wife, a well-known heiress. The physical clues in the box and details embedded online will help you deduce what's fact and what's fiction and help find what happened to your friend.
I love the idea of this box! It's unique and a really fun way to engage in a murder mystery game. You'll receive your first box shortly after you subscribe and additional box each month with clues to further explain the story.
Boxes are $24.99 per month. When I entered my address (in New York) into the checkout page, shipping was free but NYS taxes added another $2, bringing my total to $26.99. I still think that's a fair price considering how well-made everything is in the box. The subscription auto-renews unless you cancel and you'll be billed approximately every 30 days after you place your first order. You can cancel at any time through your account page, but if you choose to continue through the length of the story be advised that each story lasts for "less than a year," according to the Dispatch website. They'll also refund you the most recent box if you're not satisfied with it.
I was eager to dive in to this box! I've always loved mysteries and detective stories since I've been a kid, so being able to sort through the clues was really exciting.
The first box contains a bunch of different clippings, notes, and other items. The only information aside from the clues is the above information card. There isn't any guidance regarding what to do with the items, but if you've signed up for this box I'm assuming you're aware of how it works. That being said, the info card does state that if you get lost at any point, "the local detective can help you along the way" (more on that in just a bit).
I won't explain in detail every clue because that seems tedious, but I did take photos of all of them. Everything is such high quality and it really makes you feel like you're receiving real clues. By that I mean it's easy to forget that you're playing a game --- for example, the above pictured wedding program looks like an actual real wedding program, down to every detail!
I just love the attention to detail on all of the clues; it's easy to see that a lot of thought went into planning out this box and story. Even the red ink and corrections in the best man speech (yellow paper) add to the authenticity!
The bread and butter of the box is your journal. Right inside is the business card of Bailey Detective Co., and this is the
website you'll use if you get stuck on any of the clues. If you go to the site you'll see that there's a contact form where you can fill out your name and what game you're playing, along with any questions you may have.
The journal also has other information aside from your writing, including newspaper clippings and a note on a napkin. I haven't read the entire journal yet but so far it's a really intriguing story.
The last two clues are magazine covers that feature stories about your friend and his wife's murder.
Bottom Line: I was blown away by the quality of this box! Everything is put together so well and the clues are all high quality, down to the tiniest detail. I love the idea of investigating the story each month and I think this box is a must-have for mystery fans!
