RATING: 4 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: Not Timed
Dear diary, some day people will wonder what happened here. I could tell them, or I could leave a bunch of cryptic puzzles. Yup, definitely going to go the cryptic puzzle route.
A top secret excavation did not bring any result for 28 weeks.
It was on the 29th week that something unexpected happened.
The team disappeared and the only thing that was left behind was their Journal.
You must solve the riddles in order to solve the mystery.
The story behind this mysterious journal builds a quintessentially adventurous plot. It creates an excitement to explore a secretive excavation plot in hopes of uncovering… something. Be it a nefarious character or force that led to the disappearance of the team, or a portal to another dimension filled with lost treasure, an expectation is set that there will be a narrative path to follow throughout the journal.
Unfortunately the storyworld of Journal 29 abruptly ends after the blurb at the beginning of the book. There is no further development of characters, the excavation site, or the end result of the intrepid team members. While the puzzles held within the journal can allow the reader to further the story in their head, there are in fact zero additional plot points or narrative discoveries to be had.
As we’ve touched on previously, being a home game, we define “Scenic,” from a graphic design perspective, as well as the quality, weight and feel of print materials of the product.
Journal 29 has an interesting and appealing appearance. The cover is relatively plain: an all black page with white text reading “Journal 29”, a triangular symbol, and a line letting searchers know it is an interactive book game. It has a matte finish that picks up finger prints, giving it a dirty or dusty look. In addition, there are very small glittery specks embedded in the cover that when combined with the smudges gives off the illusion that the book may even be covered in a fine sand.
The inside pages of the book are the inverse, being mostly white with black ink making up the cryptic puzzles. There are some really interesting graphics throughout the journal, and while there are a few similarities in look between many of the puzzles, each has its own distinct aesthetic. The excavation team that was keeping track of their dig hired some excellent artists who really used shading and sketching well to create an altogether beautiful diary.
One small issue with the scenic is the occasional difficulty interpreting a word or letter due to the font used. While the fancy font works within what little storyworld there is, the cursive may be occasionally difficult to decipher for some readers.
Journal 29 is truly a mixed bag, or book, of puzzles. There are sixty-three puzzles in total, each contained in two facing pages. Every challenge follows a similar format, which requires access to the internet. The puzzles all resolve to a word, phrase, or number that is then entered into the Journal 29 website. If correct, the website will display a Key that should be written in that Key numbers designated spot on the left hand page. While some puzzles are self contained, a majority of them call back to a previous Key or Keys, meaning that in order to progress through the book readers must solve the tasks in order.
The level of difficulty varies immensely throughout the book. Some puzzles will likely be solved before the page has been fully turned, while others may take several days to decipher, requiring explorers to return with fresh eyes and clear minds. The mechanism of using previous Keys in future puzzles is executed in a very clever fashion, often leading to fun “Ah ha!” moments. These tasks are created in a way that allows readers to continually discover new secrets or see things that were missed on the first scan of the page.
While a vast majority of the sixty-three puzzles are logical and satisfying to solve, a small number do entail fairly large logic leaps or outside knowledge. Outside knowledge is usually a disqualifying aspect of any game, but the premise of discovering and deciphering a journal allows readers to use tools – such as an internet search engine – while remaining well within the storyworld that (we wish) Journal 29 had. The groan-worthy challenges are few and far between, but they do prevent this from being a truly great 5-Key product.
An official hint system is not currently available, however there is a robust forum of like-minded puzzlers who have helped each other get unstuck. Access to the forum is through a tab at the top of the Journal 29 website.
Journal 29 fills a unique space in the at home escape game market. Many of the puzzles are “escape game-y”, yet there is a distinctly unique style that sets this product apart from other options. The inter-connectivity of many of the pages within the book creates a cohesiveness that makes this a really fun adventure to work through. The fact that it also is a self contained and relatively small book makes this a perfect option for travel, or… quarantine. While some puzzles are flawed or frustratingly illogical, the overall product is a very enjoyable and provides for hours of puzzling at a great price point.
This was the first puzzle book published under the Journal 29 banner. A sequel, Journal 29: Revelations, is now available, as well as an online game titled “Quest Cards”. The refreshingly unique style makes us here at Escape Authority excited to see what they create next!
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Venue: Journal 29
Location: At Home Game
Number of Games: 3 (1 book with 63 puzzles in this purchase)
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: Not Timed
Capacity: N/A
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers (but if you are, call 911 immediately to report a home invasion.)
Cost (at Publish Time): $14.39 (Amazon.com)