Witchery Spell

DarkPark Games

Age: 12+ recommended

Players: 1-4

Play Time: 1.5-4 hours

Difficulty: Medium

Awards: Best Overall Table-Top Game of the Year - Bullseye Award (2020), Gold - Player's Choice - Table-Top Games - Bullseyes Award (2020)

During our Brisbane /Gold Coast trip, we managed to catch up with our buddy the Escape Room Explorer and he was kind enough to lend us some of his tabletop escape games — all of which I had really wanted to buy online but held off because of the exorbitant postage costs! And so, after a day of in-person escape rooms and an early dinner, the kids and I started our tabletop fun back at the hotel, starting with Witchery Spell.

Witchery Spell is a premium escape game produced by DarkPark, the TERPECA-winning escape room company in the Netherlands best known for games like Stay in the Dark and The End, so we knew we were in for a quality experience. Still, having played tabletop escape games at both ends of the spectrum, we were curious as to where Witchery Spell would fall.

Well, Witchery Spell definitely belongs at the top end. You can see the high production value as soon as you open the box, which is filled with well-made items and objects that feel and look authentic.

I like that Witchery Spell has a compelling story about a friend who disappeared, and you have to piece together a mystery using the various materials available in the box. I would say the puzzles are of medium difficulty, with a smooth flow thanks to excellent guidance on what to focus on next. The game does require network connectivity and a fair bit of online interaction, though this is done in a fairly realistic way with custom-built websites that keep the immersion intact.

The game felt very different to most other franchise tabletop escape games we've played to date, like the EXIT and ThinkFun games, and even BoxOne and BoxTwo. The quality of the props and storytelling is simply on a different level.

How much you get out of Witchery Spell ultimately depends on how invested you are in the story and witchcraft elements. Without giving too much away, the game does have props you have to use to perform “spells”. While these are cool and can be fun to do, they aren’t necessary for you to solve any puzzles or complete the game, so it doesn’t make a difference if you skip them.

With limited time, we did a bit of a “speed run” through Witchery Spell, which was probably not conducive to the best experience. I would suggest that this game be played with a small group of friends or family — preferably at night and seated in a circle in dim light — to maximise the immersion and enjoyment.

Rank: A

PS: There are single-used consumables in Witchery Park, meaning that you cannot fully reset the game for it to be played again unless you purchase a refill pack online.