RATING: 6 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 8:00
♫ Can you tell me how to get, how to get back to the Human World? ♫ BECAUSE THESE PUPPETS ARE CRAZY!
Ah, Appleseed Avenue. That beautiful place where humans and puppets coexist. You’ve always wanted to visit, but never quite had the time. And then you see the job posting: Appleseed Avenue detectives and medical examiners wanted, humans or puppets apply. Are you a detective? No. Do you have medical experience? Well, it doesn’t really matter because these are puppets and not humans. You apply, and to your surprise, you get the job.
It turns out that the day you are scheduled to work is Election Day. You don’t really follow puppet politics, but you know this one’s a biggie. Five candidates are still in the running for the mayor of Puppet Town in an increasingly tense race. Either way, it probably won’t affect your time on Appleseed Avenue. Right?
♫ Sunny day, sweepin’ the clouds away, on my way to where the air is sweet ♫ – or at least, we were until we took a wrong turn and ended up on Appleseed Avenue just in time to uncover a PUPPET MURDER! [We’ll pause here for your loud gasps.]
.
.
.
Today should have been a day of celebration up and down Appleseed Avenue. It’s Election Day, and a critically important mayoral race has every puppet in town on edge. Incumbent Mayor Lee DePuppet is currently in the lead, but, like most politicians he’s not without his scandals, even if he did win Sexiest Puppet, 2012. His biggest projected challenger, Alby Dunfer, promises positive change that will benefit the citizens of Appleseed Avenue. Polls show that following them are Sienna Techek in third, Aimee Abel (who has asked us to stress that she is, in fact, neither “lame” nor a “dork”) and Flip McKick who really just wants to make a skate park, and requested that we stress, “bro.”
To say that Appleseed Avenue is overflowing with colorful characters would be an understatement. Red, yellow, green, blue, pink and orange, in fact – though it’s probably not appropriate to define a puppet by the color of its felt. But not all of them want what’s best for the neighborhood; there’s a whole seedy, fluffy criminal underbelly of gangs and institutions of evil led by nefarious criminals still on the run, like Robin Banks, Granth F. Toddo, serial killer Phil Graves and, of course you’re no doubt already well aware of Speve.
These characters aren’t just creative little easter eggs to add fun to the story; many of them are here, live and in person err, in puppet, ready to interact, intervene and interfere with the unfolding Election.
Clearly the citizens of Appleseed Avenue need all the help they can get, and thankfully some hope is on the way. Each Election Day brings more than just a change of leadership administration; today is also the first day of training for the newest class of Detectives and Medical Examiners who’ve sworn the oath to keep the Puppet World safe. It’s a good thing, too, there’s a whole lot of puppet murder on these streets! (What a day for detective Trent J’acote and medical examiner Dr. Kat Davers to take time off!)
Of course you know that the Puppet World exists within its own reality separate from that of the Human World. And being that we’re humans (well, most of us, probably) that could pose a small problem at the border crossing. Thankfully, an official inter-world agency has been established to help: Puppet and Human Association of Recreation and Transportation, or PHART for short. (Oh grow up; it’s obviously pronounced “P-Heart!”) Local PHART Providers will be happy to hear that you’re ready to pass like the wind straight into the Puppet World to help on such an important day.
And ‘Puppet World’ isn’t just some clever marketing slogan for Mayor Lee to put on his campaign posters; Appleseed Avenue is a sprawling city with various side alleys to explore, businesses to visit and neighbors to meet. Its census boundary lines are huge, allowing for a instant sense of free-roaming exploration that brings the storyworld to life in the most tangible of ways. Billboards, advertisements and graffiti line the exterior brick walls around the neighborhood, while freshly fallen leaves crunch upon its asphalt streets.
With new trainees arriving today, dedicated offices have also been established for Detectives as well as the Medical Examiner’s team. Sleuthy investigators will report to the Puppet Bureau of Justice (PBJ) where an office has been prepared for them. Its warm tones, dark wood finishes and subtle decor instantly evoke visions of an old-timey film noire police drama. It’s here that Detectives will work directly with Chief Bailey Wick, head of the PBJ. Medical Examiners, on the other hand, will be assigned to an even larger Clinic. It’s cold walls of white and grey are a stark reminder of the no-nonsense scientific approach, further reinforced by all of the latest high-tech Puppet World equipment like the Autopsy X41 and the Encorpsulator. Chief Medical Examiner, Sir Ebral, PMD S.P.A.M., will personally oversee the training of new recruits assigned here.
Appleseed Avenue is, in a sense, two different games simultaneously playing out at the same time, all leading toward a shared climax. Prior to being transported into the Puppet World, Humans will be asked to choose which new occupation they’d like to apply for: Detective or Medical Examiner. This is not just a split start, but an almost entirely split game from start to finish, with each side offering very different experiences.
Being everyone’s first day at a new job (and in a new World), of course each team will report immediately for training. Think of it as the tutorial level of a video game, wherein players learn all of the various control mechanics needed to progress through future levels, but with one very different twist: this time it’s fun. Appleseed Avenue puts so much heart and personality into this training activity that it could stand on its own as a dedicated game. To create stakes, Detectives and Medical Examiners are pitted against each other to see who is, in effect, the smartest learners from this new class. The prize? Why a little good old-fashion hazing of course! (And trust us, you don’t want to end up with the ‘sexy fruit!’)
Once graduated to full-fledged members of their respective departments, Detectives and Medical Examiners will have to work separately, but together during key moments to solve a real life PUPPET MURDER! Like all good careers, each will be fulfilling, but lead down completely different paths. Detectives will search the crime scene for evidence, decipher clues left behind, interview witnesses and report back to the PBJ with the identifying traits of their prime suspect. Medical Examiners, on the other hand, will need to retrieve the corpse and carry out an actual puppet autopsy to determine cause of death, any preexisting conditions of note and possible allergies that could help narrow down motives and murder weapons. Each department must communicate key findings with each other via the PBJ’s trusty intercom system. After all, despite being separated with their own key skill sets, they’re all one unified Puppet Bureau of Justice working to protect Appleseed Avenue.
Puppet Murder Files: Election Day is an absolute, overwhelming delight from start to finish, providing a 100 minute non-stop smile. No disrespect to the recently deceased, of course.
Election Day is full of laughs, surprises, unexpected plot-twists and some of the most compelling immersive storytelling to ever be found in an escape game. In truth, calling it an escape game almost diminishes the epic amounts of worldbuilding that have been achieved within – because this is so much more than just a game; Appleseed Avenue a full-fledged cinematic, immersive experience.
It goes without saying that Appleseed Avenue is pretty clearly inspired by another fairly well-know seed-based subdivision, Sesame Street. The team here clearly ‘understood the assignment,’ drawing that inspiration without ever crossing the line of IP infringement found so often in our industry. Each character encountered here is unique and hand-made, evoking a sense of familiarity while always standing unmistakably on their own. Simply put, Appleseed Avenue is among the best examples of “inspired by” done right. And despite drawing influence from a most popular kids show, this game is anything but childish; while we’d suggest it’s much more family-friendly than not, there is the whole PUPPET MURDER theme that hangs heavy at all times, so consider your own younger teammates’ comfort levels before bringing them along. The venue brands Election Day as PG-13.
It’s probably impossible to not cross over to the Puppet World and return back to the Human World with a massive smile, but just the same it is key to remember that Election Day really, truly is two almost completely separated games playing out in the same space. This unique approach is an absolute breath of fresh air that makes it feel instantly different from almost anything else out there – but, at the same time, might create some challenges if the teammates you choose are not of somewhat balanced levels of experience. To maximize your time at the PBJ, we’d recommend ensuring teams of Detectives and Medical Examiners each have at least one member comfortable with outside-the-box problem solving, and avoid having all of the stronger players working together in the same role. In the Puppet World, just as it is back home in the Human World, balance is key. For similar reasons, Election Day might be less ideal for, say, a family reunion outing where everyone hopes to spend all of their time together.
That being said, Appleseed Avenue’s Election Day is a game like no other, in all of the most compelling of ways. Its story is among the very best, and all of its puzzles play to enforce that narrative, building towards a hilariously satisfying climax while the twists and turns that derail it along the way add surprise, delight. Combined, it creates genuine sense of urgency the likes of which one probably would have never expected to feel for a puppet.
In Escape Authority’s almost ten years, we’ve been fortunate enough to visit a lot of really cool games. As a rule, we don’t ever like to pick a favorite because our feeling is there’s no reason to limit things to just one – a sentiment we continue to standby. In some alternate universe though, where an EA without that mantra exists, Appleseed Avenue’s Puppet Murder Files: Election Day would easily be high in that conversation. So, ♫ come and play, everything’s A-ok (except, you know, for the PUPPET MURDER) and that’s where we’ll meet, on Appleseed Avenue! ♫
Escape Authority officially endorses Alby Dunfer for Mayor of Appleseed Avenue. What could go wrong?
Show your support for Escape Authority and get social with us:
Venue: Appleseed Avenue
Location: Newhall, California
Number of Games: 1
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 100 minutes
Capacity: 8 people (minimum 4)
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: $58 – $79 per person depending on total party size and date selected.
We thank Appleseed Avenue for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.
