Dispatch: On The Run by Breakout Games Review + Coupon – September 2017

Dispatch is a monthly "subscription-based mystery" from Breakout Games that "tests your detective skills each month with a new delivery of clues."

This is a review of the first series called On The Run:

"Murder, romance, scandal—this story has it all. Once you open your delivery, you'll find yourself entangled in the strange disappearance of your closest childhood friend, who also happens to be suspected of killing his wife, a well-known heiress. With the aid of physical clues and details embedded online, you'll follow each thread to deduce what is fact, what is fiction—and finally the truth—in this new experience from the creators of Breakout escape rooms."

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Subscription Box: Dispatch

The Cost: $24.99 per month; shipping is free. 

ACTIVE DEAL: Save $10 off your first box!
CODE: dispatchsignup10

The Products: Physical clues to help solve a mystery. 

Ships to: USA

Check out all of the Geek + Nerd Subscription Box Directory for more mystery and crime-themed boxes!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

It looks like this box comes to us from Chile!

Here's the back of the box. I love the custom boxes they use – it feels more like retail packaging for a game than a box you'd get in the mail. 

Here's what the card has to say about the story so far: 

The mystery continues: The contents of this box pull you deeper into the strange disappearance of your closest childhood friend, who also happens to be the suspected killer of a well-known heiress. With the aid of physical clues and details embedded on the web, you'll follow each thread to deduce what is fact and what is fiction. This box has been sent from your missing friend James...

This checklist helps ensure that you have all the clues. 

The first thing I noticed was this newspaper cutting of a church, but it turns out this was just the back of another article. I wonder if it has any special meaning though? 

This second box is all about the explosion at the Copperhead mine. The mine is owned by the family of James's deceased wife, particularly led by her father, Martin Van Kress. 

Hmm, and a car crash too in the same area...

Looks like there were a couple of people who survived the mine explosion, but more remain missing – including the foreman. The cause of the cave-in is unknown. 

Here's a brief obituary for a security guard at the Copperhead mine. 

James sent this photocopied journal from the foreman, who writes about a sense of foreboding. 

And a pile of shredded paper! Could it be anything useful?

Hmm, looks like a safety inspection report – and it's bad news. 

I've been receiving help in the investigation from the Baily Detective Co. This sealed envelope looked promising. (I love the stamp that just says 'postage'.) 

Here's a letter from Simon Prentis, Private Investigator: 'Good luck with things on your end. Please let me know how you want me to proceed.' OK Simon, I'll do that!

The envelope also contained four documents. 

This homicide report gives some witness reports the night of the murder. 

Here's the autopsy report. 

I've received some items that have fingerprints on them – now I can check to see if they are really a match for James. 

Lastly, I received some notes from the investigator. It's written in the form of a logic puzzle! My mother always used to get books of these puzzles, so it was fun to try this. It uses information found in the letter as well as the other documents in the box. There is also a link to a website where you can log in for the final clue:

Doesn't it look official? I was given the login, but the password was 'the day you met Victora'. This required going back to the first box and rereading a diary that it contained. Finally, I logged in, read the information and solved the puzzle. 

The directions said to text the answer to a certain number. When I did that, I got a link to this:

I'm only showing the beginning since I don't want to give away the entire thing. It's a cryptogram! 

This decoder coin is definitely the coolest thing I've gotten from Dispatch so far. This is only one side – the rest of the alphabet is on the back. The decoded message is from James himself! 

One of the great things about Dispatch is that you can contact the Bailey Detective Co. to get help with the game. Here's what I sent them this month: 

The first time I contacted the detective agency, I wasn't expecting a response. But this time, I knew that help would come!

My response arrived the next day! Looks like my theory might be wrong, but I love getting a personalized response.

Verdict: This box was so much fun! I was thinking it might take 20 minutes to go through it, but it actually took me a long time. I enjoyed the way the puzzles were set up to lead from one to the next. There was a clear progression and I never felt lost. The pace feels right – I'm not sure how the mine fits in with Victoria's murder, but it gives a lot of context to the story and makes it clear that there are more crimes to uncover here. 

What do you think of the second installment of Dispatch?