"Apocalypse": FAQ
Escape Boxes are games based on the same concept as Escape Rooms: a group of people get locked in a room and has to solve puzzles in order to find keys and codes that will get them out of the room. An Escape Box differs from Escape Rooms in that it enables players to have the same immersive experience in their own home: you don't have to escape, but to solve a series of puzzles.
The game was created for all Escape Game aficionados, and for anyone who enjoys investigating or solving enigmas. It is also destined to anyone looking for a great night of highly entertaining game-playing, and who likes to have a good time collaborating with their friends and loved ones. “Apocalypse” can also be adapted to a corporate team-building context or for the enjoyment of club-members. Great communication skills and team-spirit will be key to unlocking riddles!
First, you will be the recipient of a mysterious box containing miscellaneous documents and items (letters, padlocks, notepads…). It will be up to you to use them wisely in order to solve riddles that the killer left behind intentionally. Keen observation skills, a practical mindset when it comes to the handling of objects, and shrewd detection techniques will be your guides in solving the final mystery.
“Apocalypse” is an alternate reality game (also called ARG) which requires players to navigate between the real world and virtual reality, thereby generating a feeling of suspense and immersion in the game’s progression very similar to the one experienced in an Escape Room. However, this time, it is fiction which infiltrates reality and not the other way around… We won’t tell you more so as not to spoil your experience. As is the case with ARGs, “Apocalypse” is based on an elaborate script, and uses an assortment of media.
Finally, all our boxes are assembled manually. Indeed, we take pride in the “semi-realistic” dimension of their content, so that players may feel like they are the real-life investigators of a crime scene involving genuine clues.
“Apocalypse” is an alternate reality game (also called ARG) which requires players to navigate between the real world and virtual reality, thereby generating a feeling of suspense and immersion in the game’s progression very similar to the one experienced in an Escape Room. However, this time, it is fiction which infiltrates reality and not the other way around… We won’t tell you more so as not to spoil your experience. As is the case with ARGs, “Apocalypse” is based on an elaborate script, and uses an assortment of media.
Finally, all our boxes are assembled manually. Indeed, we take pride in the “semi-realistic” dimension of their content, so that players may feel like they are the real-life investigators of a crime scene involving genuine clues.
"Apocalypse: Sign of the Cross" looks like a mysterious cardboard box whose dimensions are approximately 30x20x10 cm. Inside, you'll find around twenty objects and documents left by the killer: a letter, newspaper clips, a picture-puzzle, the book of Revelation, an illustrated diary, maps of Paris and its surroundings, a weird list, a blue LED flashlight, a pencil, locks...
While you can make a solo game out of a long and dreary November night, you may prefer inviting a selected group of guests to form a team. And while you may be extremely well-mannered and ready to share the experience with more than five players, keeping your team under that number will avoid frustrating some of the players. We therefore make it a point to remind you that a cooperative game is a game in which ALL the players will win as a team. Ideally, we recommend forming a team of 2 to 4 players, so that you may all participate in the mental tribulations involved in solving each riddle, and make the best use of each player’s unique set of skills and talents.
We strongly recommend that you use paper and a pen to take notes during your investigation. You will also need an internet connection. Your experience will be best enhanced on a tablet or a computer, but a smartphone will also do.
Yes. You may begin your quest whenever and wherever it pleases you to do so. To start the game and have access to all the instructions, you will need to go to the "Apocalypse" website. Concerning the space required to play, all you we recommend is that you gather around a table where you can place the various items contained in the box.
Some of the contents in the game’s basic storyline may be shocking to young players. “Apocalypse” was created for an NC16-rated audience. In other words, it is designed for adults over 16.
Unlike traditional Escape Games, “Apocalypse” is not meant to be time-constricted. A timer will start when you connect to the game’s website, but the length of a game depends on your experience as a player and on the number of hints and helping clues you decide to consult via the website. While experts may solve all the riddles within two hours of game-playing, more meticulous players will play up to 4 hours, especially if they decide not to use the hints provided on the website.
As is common practice in Escape Rooms, the website provides a list of hints and clues to accompany your investigation. Unless you are a hardcore game-player, do not hesitate to consult these helping clues, since the game comprises high-quality riddles which involve a high level of difficulty.
No forum yet, but a Discord server.
Again, as is the case with Escape Rooms, “Apocalypse” is a one-time-only deal, a unique experience whose core attraction is the real-life feel of solving a genuine riddle. Playing it more than once would not be very interesting, unless players suffer from amnesia… However, for further enjoyment, our website will provide free PDF download of the document(s) that might be required to rebuild the box as you first opened it, and if you feel so inclined, you can play the part of the game-master and be the one to deliver the extra hints and clues to your selected players. You will also be able to pass the game down to other friends who might want to play.
Argyx Games has made it a point to guarantee the maintenance of the various websites used for the game for at least 3 years after its release.
With “Pocket Investigations” you will receive an envelope containing smaller items and a riddle to solve in its reduced version from the "Apocalypse" series, although the riddle will be imagined much in the same vein as for the box (with puzzles, ARG, storytelling…). “Pocket Investigations” are a mini-version of the Escape Box, but the enigmas presented are based on entirely different storylines, riddles and deductive techniques. They are therefore a liter version of the box both literally and metaphorically so. Read more info on Pocket Investigations
