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.)
About Dispatch: On The Run by Breakout Games
The Subscription Box: Dispatch
The Cost: $24.99 a month + free shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $10 off your first box!
CODE: dispatchsignup10
The Products: Physical clues to help solve a mystery.
Ships to: USA
Dispatch: On The Run by Breakout Games #5 Review
Every box includes a 'what's inside' checklist, which is very useful. It helps you determine what the different clues are and is a good reference list for keeping track of which items came in what box. To solve the mystery, you will need to refer to past boxes, so don't throw them out! A sticker was also included.
Dispatch has the nicest shipping box! Each one is totally different and themed around a different country, representing the travels of James as he searches the world for clues relating to the murder of his wife, Victoria. This box is made to look like a guide to Tanzania!
The first item I saw was this postcard from Tanzania. The border looks kind of interesting, don't you think?
Next up is this security access card, which has a shortcode and a numerical code. These types of codes turn up often in this box, and some are easier to figure out than others.
Hmm – why would James send a page from a guestbook? Are any of these names important?
Here's a note James wrote on the back:
I went to the TWAIK NXFB JA EK...
Yes, another puzzle.
This plain white envelope from White Mining was intriguing, since several clues from past boxes revolved around mysterious mining accidents.
The envelope contained several letters, including a dire warning for Randolph White, owner of the White Mining operation:
Randolph, Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and you won't live to do it a third time.
Who could've sent a message like that?
The letters reveal that Randolph White had a shady business partner.
I know what happened to the Ambassador.
Sounds sinister, doesn't it?
Using a blacklight from an earlier box revealed secret messages from James:
I think I know where I have to go next.
This envelope came with a post-it note:
I found these. It appears RW was communicating with someone. The oldest one looks to be a couple years old. I don't know who was sending these or what they mean.
The RW must stand for Randal White... let's see what's inside!
It looks like lots of touristy stuff from Tanzania. As an aside, I love how well-printed the items are. The ticket looks like a real ticket, the sticker is actually a sticker, etc.
Each of these items has a circled number. Maybe that indicates the order of something?
Here's another On the Run staple: fill-in-the-blank film titles. Here's what I think this one says:
Glad you are being reasonable. Tell me what you know.
The most interesting item this month was this mancala set. You can't really play a full game of mancala with it because it only has enough stones to solve the puzzle, but it's a really need 3d clue. I love the attention to detail – the glass stones arrived in a little burlap pouch.
The mancala board has a URL printed on it: letsplaymancala.com, which is a real website. It gives instructions for playing the game. A suspiciously named user called 'JOntheRun' left a puzzle in the comments. The contact link goes to this page, which asks for a username and password, which will be revealed when you solve the mancala puzzle.
I wasn't able to figure out the puzzle, so I contacted the Bailey Detective Agency for help. This is always my favorite part of Dispatch – you can write to an in-character detective for help when you get stuck!
This is a great answer because I would not have figured that out on my own!
Verdict: Dispatch is always a fun box to receive. The clues range from simple puzzles to harder ones that I needed help figuring out. I do feel that by now we're starting to see a little bit of repetition. The fill-in-the-blank film titles were fun the first time, but I'm getting a little bored of them. At the same time, I love reusing items from earlier boxes, like the decoder coin or blacklight. The story and its characters remain compelling, and I'm starting to feel like I'm moving towards solving the mystery.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? I believe all new subscribers receive the first box so that the boxes can be opened in sequence, You will not receive this exact box if you order now, but you will get it eventually.
Coupon - Use code dispatchsignup10 to save $10 off your first box!
Value Breakdown: The items in this box have no value on their own since they are part of the larger mystery story. However, I think this box has a lot of entertainment value, which makes it worth the price.
Check out all of our Dispatch reviews and the Geek + Nerd Subscription Box Directory for more mystery and crime-themed boxes!
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What do you think of the fifth installment of Dispatch?
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