We all have different schedules, different motivations and different ambitions, sure. But if you're reading this, I'm willing to bet we have certain things in common. It's that time during the week when our thoughts start drifting toward distant horizons. Dreams of "What if..." and "Maybe I should..." occupy thoughts as we start to tune out the current issues and responsibilities pressing in, demanding importance. There's no need to shamefully admit to feeling a little lazy—take a break. Enjoy it. And if anyone complains, send them the Google results to this phrase: "taking a break increases productivity". Because, it's true. It really does. Ergo, here are three escape games that are suitably break-proportioned to aid in your escape from the weekday...
Guest House Escape - So, your friend invites you over to stay in her guest house but rather than greeting you with coffee or libations as a good host should, you wind up trapped inside the guest house? Hrmph! Anyhow, this too quick escape game earns its rank as one of Neat Escape's better offerings in a number of ways—snappy music sets the tone so that toe-tapping is a near certainty and, though somewhat "off" in an ineffable way, the graphics are polished and invite exploration. Although the cursor is non-changing, finding requisite items and clues should be fairly effortless, especially if you can employ your inventive ingenuity toward solving the puzzles. There's a ways to go before comparisons to Tesshi-e, but with this entry Neat Escape is getting closer.
Escape from the Star Picture Room 2 - Everything about this game—from the somewhat kitschy, somewhat retro appeal of the room's design, to the classic code-breaking puzzle style—is all what you'd call typical Yomino Kagura. That's not a bad thing at all. Yomino Kagura, if nothing else, can be relied on for these neatly-presented and logically-shaped escape-the-room classics, even if we're left a little bit less than full of satisfaction at the end. Less reliance on maths as puzzles, less predictability, an expanded architecture and, just for kicks, complete destruction of that blue-n-white checked box would take Yomino Kagura games to the next level. In the meantime, with changing cursor, clear graphics, and an abbreviated length, Escape from the Star Picture Room 2 fits well on your break-time platter of fun.
Tsuregemu 5.1 - Here's something a little different from Paradise Kung Fu, a designer new to the JayIsGames escape crowd. Rather than getting out of a room, you want to get into a box. As you explore its multiple surfaces, you'll need to infuse your puzzle-solving skills with both logic and inference to unlock the box's secret. There is a subtle essence of Dismantlement in Tsuregemu's format that is certain to appeal to fans of that series while something about the design speaks of an unReal influence. Or maybe it's just me? Well, regardless. I think you'll really enjoy this one!
We love escape games, and our readers love talking about them and sharing hints! How about you? Let us know what you think, ask for clues, or help out other players in the comments below.
Walkthrough Guide
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Walkthrough Guest House Escape
Items to find (not requiring puzzle solving)
1. Yellow remote
Examine the books underneath the TV
2. Battery 1
Underneath the pillow on the bed
3. Pincers
Seat in front of the table
4. Clothes hanger
Top right corner of the wardrobe (to the left of the TV)
5. Clipboard
In the wardrobe behind the boxes
Battery 2
6. Place the clipboard underneath the desk lamp and turn the desk lamp on
7. Open the desk with the code from the clipboard and pick up the screw driver
418
8. Unscrew the bottom of the desk lamp and take battery 2
Six black boxes (main puzzle)
9. Put the batteries into the yellow remote
10. Use the yellow remote on the orange receiver to the right of the window
11. Use the pincers to reshape the clothes hanger
12. Use the reshaped clothes hanger to open the lock of the upper drawer (below the TV) and pick up the TV remote
13. Put batteries into the TV remote (it's magic, just click the empty TV remote and they appear out of nowhere)
14. Turn the TV on with the TV remote
15. Combine the code on the window, with the code on the TV to open the bottom drawer
Right arrow, down arrow, up arrow
Left arrow, up arrow, right arrow
16. Use the blue key from the bottom drawer to escape from the main door and enjoy the sushi.
The game had nice graphics, but the puzzles (the few there actually were) were very generic. There are too many games that:
have you track down a screwdriver and some batteries for a remote. Not to mention the item below a pillow routine.
The game was also too easy. I even accidentally solved the game without using all the items.
You don't necessarily need the clue on the TV
I'm looking forward to a more extensive game by this developer though.
Posted by: Crouch | January 14, 2015 5:24 AM
Walkthrough Star Picture Room 2
Middle (music) closet
1. Examine the coloured pattern of music notes on the middle shelf
2. Replicate the pattern (only of the matching music notes)
Blue, red, yellow, red, yellow, blue
3. Take pointer from the closet
4. Use the pointer underneath the bed to get the blue square
Clock puzzle
5. Examine the table underneath the clock
6. Examine the clock
7. Enter the code on the table underneath the clock
G = green
Mentally rotate the clock, so that the green sphere is at the bottom (6) position
5 9 1
8. Take the red card from the drawer
Grey box on top shelf
9. Examine the stars above the bed
10. Examine the red card (step 8)
11. Insert the red card into the grey box
12. Enter the code
The stars on the card correspond with the stars above the bed
S U N
13. Take the red circle from the grey box
Left (RCL) closet
14. Examine the red circle (step 13) and blue square (step 4)
15. Examine the hint on the left closet
16. Enter the code on the left closet
R = right, C = centre, L = left
Use the digits on the back of the red circle and blue square
1 7 9
17. Take the yellow triangle from the closet
Escape
18. Insert the three wooden shapes into the blue-white chequered box on the bottom shelf
19. Take the key from the box and use it to exit the room
I had a strong feeling of deja-vu with this game.
Especially with the clock-puzzle. Wasn't the same puzzle already used in a previous game?
Posted by: Crouch | January 14, 2015 5:48 AM
@Paul: I wasn't actually planning it (as it is really short), but since you're requesting ;)
Walkthrough Tsuregemu 5.1
1. In the view with the down-pointing arrow, click at the bottom and pick up the paper
2. Click on the upper left corner opposite the small grey hole (as indicated by the paper)
3. Take the white rod from the top of the box
4. Insert the rod into the grey hole on the bottom right
5. Remove the rod which has turned into a screwdriver
6. Use the screwdriver to remove the side-plate (the one with 4 screws)
7. Examine the screwdriver to get a philips-head screwdriver
8. Use the philips-head to remove the screw in the tic-tac-toe view
9. Enter the code behind the side-plate
The signs represent the tic-tac-toe grid
5 7 6 4
Posted by: Crouch | January 14, 2015 2:40 PM