OVERALL PRODUCT RATING: 3 Keys
Can even MacGyver create a compelling home game out of some envelopes, a paper clip and a candy bar? The answer may surprise you.
We’re starting with the OVERALL section, which typically closes out each of our reviews in order to provide the big picture information about this product. From there, we’ll bounce to one general SCENIC section for the entire product – as all four games have equal quality materials and graphics used. Instead of the traditional STORY and PUZZLES sections, we will be replacing them with five mini-reviews – one for each included game.
Pressman has been producing home fun activities since 1922, although MacGyver – The Escape Room Game is their first endeavor into our industry. Basing a game series on one of television’s best known outside-the-box problem solvers really does make a lot of sense, despite some of this product’s puzzles, and to that degree, we actually found ourselves pretty excited to crack open this box set.
Progressing through the challenges in each of MacGyver – The Escape Room Game’s five missions will lead would-be-agents to either a number or word code, or an actual digital puzzle that needs to be interacted with. In all cases, steps – as well as hints – are managed through an online platform found at www.MacGyverGame.com.
To be clear, agents can only attempt to save the world with Mac if they have access to an internet connection. There is no companion app available for MacGyver – The Escape Room Game, although the provided website link is fairly versatile to screens ranging from desktop monitors down to iPads and smart phones. Despite relying on this web-based interface, there unfortunately is no officially provided background music track for any of Mac’s adventures.
Upon starting a mission, agents will be asked to choose their preferred level of difficulty. Three available options – Easy (not timed), Medium (75 minutes) or Hard (45 minutes) do their part to make this game approachable for most skill sets. We elected to officially set play to easy – specifically because we find time limit penalties for entering a wrong code annoying in home games. In each mission, we set a personal timer for 60 minutes to play these closer to the style of a traditional escape game.
The companion website offers hints for every puzzle, and solutions for many of them should agents become too stumped (or frustrated) by the bad guys. There are, however, some exceptions; A handful of puzzles – many of which are played digitally – need to be actively solved in order to proceed, with no solution option for them.
We appreciated that the look of the companion website changed to suit the theme of each mission – doing its small part to help with the immersion of this home game series. Unfortunately, the biggest problem we faced was its shoddy load speeds, at times, despite our fast internet connection at the EA HQ. In some instances, graphics wouldn’t load at all – making visual hints impossible to see. At times, even digital puzzles didn’t fully load, leaving us to guess what the broken image button’s symbol would have been. It should be noted that when we first played this game “for fun” a few months back – the website loaded without issue for all five missions, but upon revisiting it recently, we found the load times to be absolutely unbearable.
It’s important to note that these missions cannot be played out of order. Several require the use of objects collected from Mac’s earlier experiences to be brought back in his trusty carrying bag.
Although the MacGyver – The Escape Room Game box does indeed hold five unique stand alone games, we’ll be presenting them as one single review simply because they cannot be purchased separately. You’ll notice there is one “OVERALL PRODUCT RATING” – which we’ve combined together to give an average score. Each individual game within the box will also get its own rating below.
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 inside the box.
Each of MacGyver – The Escape Room Game’s challenges begins in a large square mission envelope. Within, agents will find several smaller envelopes to remain sealed until instructed otherwise and a thick cardstock dossier folder.
The folder acts as “the room” for each game – with multiple sections that are opened throughout the course of play giving a sense of progression. Some offer storyworld transitions, while many are also put to use in the game’s next puzzle.
A variety of different objects are sealed within the smaller envelops, including both paper and cardstock puzzle components, as well as a small number of physical objects that will likely be familiar to any true MacGyver fans.
Despite being distinctively different missions, each with its own unique setting, there is a graphical familiarity between the five sets that creates a sense of continuity given each star the same titular character. Let’s examine each one individually:
Mission 01: Underground lab
RATING: 4 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 5:00
There’s been an explosion at an underground research facility, and dangerous chemicals are seeping into the foundation. MacGyver has been called in to stop the contaminating leak before it causes further damage and spreads to the land’s water reservoirs. Help MacGyver navigate the damaged lab, plug the source of the leak and escape before it’s too late!
Story is an area where Pressman truly excels in this series. Each mission plays out like it’s own stand-alone MacGyver episode, full of dialogue and quips befitting the iconic character. In the Underground Lab, an acid leak threatens the world, and naturally only Mac can save the day, armed with little more than his own creativity and a candy bar.
Several puzzles within this mission felt “escape room-y” – which is sometimes difficult to achieve from a home game. Others may perhaps overstay their welcome, if just a bit. One particular puzzle involving rearranging furniture clearly states Mac must make use of every piece in order to gain the proper code, however, after much frustration, we were surprised to learn agents only actually use six of the seven pieces included in the envelope. Another puzzle, which is answered digitally, can be solved by simply clicking each image until the right one triggers – leaving agents to wonder why something like that might be just a single option code. Other challenges were far more straight-forward, and genuinely evoked the problem-solving spirit of MacGyver himself.
Mission 02: The Airplane
RATING: 3 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 18:33
MacGyver is on his way to Tashkent, Uzbekistan for some much needed R&R. After his departure is delayed an hour at take-off, he finally settles in to catch some zzz’s during what should be a typical, boring flight. His nap is rudely interrupted mid-flight when one of the propellers fails, causing the pilot to suffer a heart attack. Now it’s up to MacGyver to save the day – so much for vacation!
So, in an effort to keep things moving, we’ll make the choice to not even acknowledge Mac’s choice of vacation destination, or how easily the pilot almost dies. Beyond its initial narrative absurdities, The Airplane stays pretty solidly rooted within its storyworld, from the moment agents find a way to physically break free from their seats – yes, in a home game.
From there, Mac’s flight to, ahem, sunny Uzbekistan, has its fair share of turbulence at random moments throughout. While some challenges exist organically within the world, for example, breaking into the cockpit and regaining control of the plane, others feel confusing for the sake of being confusing, thanks to awkward red herrings which, in themselves, are difficult to read. One puzzle tasking agents to determine a fixed point on a straight line actually intends for them to find one that’s not even on that course at all – something that almost feels like a mistake.
Mission 03: The Factory
RATING: 2 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 26:07
MacGyver has learned through his contacts that this particular factory, claiming to be making harmless condiments, might actually be making explosives for a terrorist group. MacGyver must get into the factory undetected to figure out what’s really going on, and put a stop to it if he can!
Mac’s third mission begins with actually finding a way to break into The Factory, using a simple mechanic which actually proves fun in its execution. Once inside, however, he has to worry about much more than the difference between ketchup and catsup; back to haunt him are several rehashed puzzles from his first two missions, reskinned and likely tweaked but still largely the same. The problem, here, is these particular rehashed puzzles weren’t even particularly enjoyable the first time around.
A digital button puzzle is a fun diversion from the standard solutions seen throughout the mission. At least it would be, had the website worked as intended. Despite having the correct solution on our first try, we actually had to enter it four separate times, being told we’ve clicked the wrong images the first three of those attempts.
From there, another rehashed puzzle – this time of the one we had just solved within the same mission – seemed simple enough at first glance. That is, until we realized there were at least five factually correct solutions, only one of which is the accepted answer for the game. The Factory climaxes with a bomb defusing puzzle that has a fun mechanic – should you make a lucky guess as to where to start; guessing wrong – without any means of narrowing down your choices, mind you – could leave agents having to do the same task as many as nineteen different times before obtaining their exit code.
Mission 04: Missile Silo
RATING: 2 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 25:00
MacGyver has been called to a military complex to stop a missile from launching and causing a catastrophe! He was able to infiltrate the enemy base, but he needs to find his way to a computer to disarm the missile software before it’s too late. Can you help MacGyver break into the control room, deactivate the missile, and escape in time?
Mac’s mission in the Missile Silo starts off annoying and, well, pretty much stays there. From math homework to having to physically disassemble an object agents likely wouldn’t think they’re intended to destroy, to a drawing type puzzle where it’s so similar, it becomes excessively easy to lose track, there’s a lot of low points to be found in Mission 04.
One task requires agents memorize a series of symbols they’ve obtained in a digital puzzle. The only problem is there’s no mention of paying attention to them before they’re gone from the screen forever, creating a “we sure hope someone saw it, because if not, oh well” scenario. Another symbol-based puzzle is simple enough once receiving a hint to match like shapes – but not the most intuitive action agents might guess are expected of them without prodding.
Mission 05: Grand Finale
RATING: 2 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 33:58
In response to an urgent message, MacGyver is investigating an abandoned warehouse when someone slips from the shadows and hits him from behind. Before Mac passes out from the blow, he hears a familiar voice say “Hello MacGyver.” It’s Murdoc! MacGyver awakens trapped in a warehouse room. Can you help him get past Murdoc’s booby traps and escape the warehouse before the maniacl assassin returns?
In true cinematic fashion, the Grand Finale begins with MacGyver getting knocked out and captured by none other than his arch nemesis, Murdoc. Like all good super-villains, the only way to break free is solving a sudoku puzzle. (Luckily in this case, it’s actually smaller than usual and quite straight-forward, so as to pose no frustration beyond its clash with the immersion of the storyworld.)
Mission 05 is a mixed bag, although more bad than good. A puzzle involving physical objects made as little sense at first glance as it did after all hints – and taking the solution. The Grand Finale is not all negative, though, as a shoelace puzzle feels authentically MacGyver, immersing agents, albeit briefly.
Murdoc proved he is indeed the ultimate villain, by choosing to make the game’s final puzzle be an eye-roll-inducing trick answer sure to leave agents with a sour taste in their mouth. Too bad you wasted all of your chocolate in that acid earlier, eh?
We were excited to see how Pressman would transition one of the most renowned outside-the-box-thinkers into his own officially licensed escape game. MacGyver is just one of those characters who, whether or not you’ve even watched the TV show (we haven’t) – you’re likely quite familiar with the mystique about him. Frankly, the character is an iconic brand perfect for an escape game.
Pressman starts off strong, but quickly goes off the rails. It’s bizarre to look at our scores and think of them in the context of gameplay order. 4 Keys, 3 Keys, then crash and burn at 2 Keys and never recover. If one were able to purchase each mission separately, we’d have a much easier time with the recommendation to give it a chance. Even as a package deal, the fact remains that at such a low price-point for five escape games in one box, it wouldn’t be your worst choice of budgeting. Just know that even chewing gum and a paper clip can’t save MacGyver from logic leaps, guess work, and puzzles that at times have multiple viable solutions but only “one right answer.”
*Montu, Escape Authority’s VP, Dog Business™ and lead home game correspondent endorses the opinions found within this review.
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Venue: Pressman
Location: At Home Game
Number of Games: 5 (5 included in this box)
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: up to 75 minutes per game
Capacity: 1-4 people
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): $20.88 (Amazon.com)