Agatha Christie’s The Mystery at Hunter’s Lodge

Got this to do as an activity for my boyfriend's birthday so there were two of us working together. We started sometime between 3 and 5 and finished a little after 10pm, taking at least an hour break around 6:30 to eat and clear our heads, so I don't really know how long it took. The time seemed to just fly by as it was so engaging. We were also pretty drunk which probably makes the kind of complex thinking this type of game requires take much longer.The game didn't seem too easy or too hard, though I wasn't the one to solve the cryptography codes--I felt utterly lost on those. I was the one who had to decipher the documents with the the scrambled code words which was just the right level of challenge and very rewarding. The game definitely requires very close attention to detail but not the leaps of logic some other reviews suggest. We felt pretty much everything was clearly spelled out if you know where to look. We were able to fully solve it without using the hints at all, minus still being unclear on the purpose of one or two minor items included. There was very little guessing involved. For example, the safe code, described by some as "pure chance" we narrowed down to maybe five options to try, and, no, it won't open on any three random numbers because we did try and fail to open it before we got the right code. It definitely provides rewarding ah-ha moments that make you feel super smart. We cheered and high-fived when we got the safe code right and I was completely elated when I found the tiny casually mentioned in passing detail buried in a long document that is the linchpin of the whole thing.A couple of notes on the difficulty level--he and I cooperatively play video games together all the time, including mystery/puzzle games like the Myst series so we have lots of practice working as a team, scoping for details, and piecing together clues so your mileage may vary depending on who you play with and what you normally do for fun. Also, the break in the middle was absolutely key. We were feeling really overwhelmed before we took the break and would soon have lost all ability to make progress. I highly recommend doing an initial read through the majority of the (available) documents first, then getting away from it all for a while and coming back with a clear head as this made all the difference in the world.The only negative thing I would say about this game is that people who complain the solution isn't detailed enough are totally right. Although the documents reveal the identity of the killer and the motive, there is little information on HOW the crime was committed. While we worked out a solid description of what happened that is confirmed in the broad strokes by the solution documents, we were hoping for a really detailed break down of who was where when, like the ending of the Clue movie and nothing even remotely like that is provided.

My hubby and I got this as a game night and we dove right in. It was so much fun working together and putting clues together to solve the puzzle. We will absolutely be getting a few more!!!!

Super fun, I have played a few other boxes from them so fun to try a longer mystery than the others I have done. Would recommend, I think it’s better with a smaller group though, 2 to 3, versus the 6 we played with. So maybe keep it to a couples or small friend group? Probably just my family though lol

Our favorite brand for these games, but this one was not our favorite. Much of the cost is because the props are high quality. This one had magnetic closure instead of being sealed but nothing was missing. The gameplay on this particular game was not as good as others from them that we have played, too many distractions that did not contribute to the solution. But we will continue to buy this brand they are great fun. Even this one :) We have 4 of us that play them a lot. We keep the game as pristine as possible and pass it on to friends for them to enjoy. Makes it not just one time play. If you don't have anyone to pass it on to you could also resell. Not a waste.

No spoilers here: My partner and I loved solving this. We struggled with getting the lock open but used the clues available online once you have purchased this box. The explanation of the playfair code was confusing- but I was able to figure it out. Would recommend! Items were high quality too.

I really enjoyed this box! Wasn’t too hard, but a whole lot of fun

We enjoyed the hunt. A lot of people have reviewed these and give them two and three stars due to price and one time use. But if you have some people coming over, or just you and a loved one, and want a fun night, this fits the bill. And if you think about it how much would you spend going out. Just sayin :)

I absolutely adore Hunt a Killer. This was an immersive, exciting experience. You are given very realistic game pieces, news articles, coroners reports, etc. and must discover who the killer was. Sooooo much fun