Hunt A Killer: Camp Calamity - Solve a Murder at a Summer Camp, Interactive Unsolved Mysteries Game, Mystery Box for Game Night, Murder Mysteries Card, Puzzle, and Board Games, for Ages 14+

This review is for the Hunt a Killer Camp Calamity murder mystery in a box. Unlike a traditional board game, the Camp Calamity set includes evidence and puzzles, and it's up to the players to piece the clues together and identify the killer. Hunt a Killer says Camp Calamity is a challenging stand-alone episode rated 4/5 difficulty and should take 3-5 hours to solve. The game can be enjoyed by yourself or a group; no specific number of players is required. While the content is supposedly kept at a "PG-13" level, it's not entirely child friendly in terms of difficulty. Solving this mystery requires an eye for detail, cracking a cipher, and the ability to create a timeline from the events in the clues.It's my first time interacting with a Hunt a Killer product, and boy, was I surprised! The attention to detail, world-building, and authentic-feeling evidence and props really add to the mystery's immersion. My wife and I tried playing Camp Calamity, and it took us a few sessions to get the ball rolling. The game is self-guided, and with only the high-level objective of figuring out who the killer is, it took us a while to figure out how to get started. The game requires dedication and commitment, and I'd recommend preparing a large tabletop and notebook to keep track of the clues/events. It's easy to miss, but an online account is necessary to access digital assets that provide clues for solving the case.If you like the game and want more, a Hunt a Killer subscription will allow you to access a "season" of cases in episodic format. While the upfront cost might seem high for a game with little-to-no replayability, it's less expensive than a night out, and you get to keep a few souvenirs.Notes:1) Hunt a Killer's website offers several clues if you get stuck. Also, I especially appreciate how they've included an accessibility section in case you have trouble reading the hand-written notes or require captioning for audio.2) The box is very flimsy. Also, it's not always possible to keep everything in "pristine" condition e.g. you may need to scratch something off to reveal what's underneath, etc. You should consider the game to be "consumable."

This is my first experience with these type of games. For those not familiar, it more a boxed puzzle than a board game. There are a bunch of papers, themed of course, some trinkets with clues, and a small sheet of instructions. You put all of it together and solve who the killer is.Key details:- you need to start by setting up an account on companies website and logging in to the right game homepage. A big part is “hacking” the camp computer so this is why you need an account and an online device. We used a laptop. Also, setting up the account was a bit finicky - had to log out before I could get to the main page.- A number of puzzles were alphabet decoding style, which were aided by the laptop.- Paper and trinkets were of good quality.- Interesting story.In summary, if this sounds like a fun experience it’s definitely worth trying. Is it a good example of this genre of puzzles? Can’t say as , again, this was my first experience but it was fun and got me interested in trying more of these types of games.

First, this is not a quick or simple game. If you’re planning a fun and easy activity for a party this is not it. It’s challenging and takes a nice chunk of time.I played this with my partner, who isn’t as into this type of game as I am, so it was a little more difficult than it should have been perhaps. I think we spent a total of 4+ hours solving this. You want to have a decent area allotted so you can spread out and organize all of the items.For engagement, I’d rate it 10/10, it made you analyze a lot of clues and think outside the box a bit. The web browser lets you cheat a little bit at a point, you could chain guess suspects until you have an answer at a few spots. So if you’re playing with an impatient person keep them away from the computer.Overall I had a blast playing this, I’ll definitely look to purchase other versions of their games. In the future, I’ll make sure it’s a group event, as the price point is a little more than I’d like for just 2 people for one evening. Especially since it’s not replayable.

As others have stated, this mystery game plays a bit like an escape room with an online component. The design, setup, and thought put into this game is fantastic. It's definitely a good "event" game to play, but it definitely isn't the kind you bust out just for funsies. It will require an investment of time (3-5 hrs) and players that are all-in to make it fun. I can't speak to replay-ability, although if it's only used on occasion and with different players, it could still work. Essentially, after the first shot, you probably just end up playing host to games like this (or just start a game share club!).I have mixed feelings about the online component because I could easily see this one being used as a camp game but needing the internet kind of anchors you a bit. It's still cheaper than an escape room (just once), so while the price is a bit high for your standard board game, this one is far more interactive and complex. It definitely requires some lateral thinking and deductive reasoning and will likely require hints if any libations are consumed during gameplay.My final thoughts are that it is a super fun game with some impressive game structure and components. For anyone looking for more than a standard board game or willing to invest a bit for a group game event, this is well worth it!