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."
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (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 #7 Review
The "What's Inside" guide says 'Chapter 6', but this is the seventh and final box in the On the Run series. I think they count the first box as an introduction rather than a chapter.
These checklists become more important as the mystery goes on, because you need to refer back to earlier boxes, and it's easy to get the contents muddled if you don't check the list.
Even though chocolates were shown on the outside of the box, I wasn't expecting actual chocolate to be included, so this was a pleasant surprise! I don't think Battig is a real chocolate brand, but it even has the logo molded into the chocolate. And it was delicious! Also, it did have the expiration date and ingredients listed, so I felt safe eating it even though the brand is a mystery.
These articles, both found within the last two weeks, give the latest news on the strange deaths connected with the Van Kress family. Not only was Victoria Van Kress murdered on her wedding night, but mysterious car accidents claimed the lives of two other family members – or was it three?
I love this poster for Slam Poetry Night with Olivia Carmichael. The poster mentions her Instagram account, which links to her poetry website, which contains a secret message.
This letter turned out to be the most important clue in the box. It doesn't answer every question, but it's a strong clue about the identity of Victoria's murderer.
This is a ski pass that's also used as a luggage claim ticket. Looks like we've lost our bag...
The QR code on the ticket links to a website where you can find the bag – as long as you know the last coordinates. (Hint: don't throw away anything in the box!)
There's also this receipt from Camenzind Bank.
The back of the receipt has a little rhyme about Switzerland.
The Camenzind Bank website actually looks a bit nicer than the one for my actual bank.
The last item in the box was this envelope from the Bailey Detective Co.
It contains a letter written to Victoria shortly before the wedding.
There's also an interesting journal page regarding the disappearance of Gideon Thurston.
After going through all the clues, I was pretty confident that I knew the identity of Victoria's murderer, but I decided to ask the Baily Detective Co. for some help, just to be sure.
As always, I received a prompt response. This time, I'm covering up part of the reply because I don't want to give anything away. Let's just say I was on the right track!
Verdict: I enjoyed this final installment of On the Run – the story was resolved with a satisfying conclusion. Since this was my first experience with this type of subscription, I also want to share some thoughts about it now that this particular story is wrapped up:
- The puzzles were harder than I expected, but I didn't need to complete every puzzle to solve the mystery. Don't be discouraged if you can't figure everything out!
- I spent many hours working out the clues in these boxes. There's definitely a lot of entertainment value here!
- The quality of the materials is wonderful – there are so many little details to discover. The items have a tactile quality that's hard to convey in an online review. The outside of the boxes are custom printed, so they stand out in the mailbox, and opening them is a lot of fun.
- This is a murder mystery, and some clues relate to the body of the deceased. There are faux crime reports that detail the victim's marks, bruising, etc. However, I wouldn't say that it's a particularly gruesome story, and there is no sexual aspect to the crimes. It's a classic mystery story that doesn't cross over into horror or psychological thriller territory.
- I completed the boxes alone, but it would be fun to share with a friend, perhaps splitting the cost of the subscription. However, I wouldn't recommend it as a party game or for a large group.
- This subscription is most appropriate for adults and older teens. It's definitely not for young children, due to the subject matter and the complexity of some of the puzzles.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? This is the seventh and final box in the On the Run series. Although everyone receives a new box each month, subscribers will receive different boxes depending on where they are in the story. New subscribers will receive box #1, but will eventually receive this box.
There is a new and completely different story waiting for you when On the Run ends, so your subscription will stay active even after the conclusion to On the Run.
Coupon - Use code dispatchsignup10 to save $10 off your first box!
Value Breakdown: Each box contains material related to the mystery. The value is in the story and entertainment value of solving the puzzles. I know some MSA readers might have ideas for reusing the ephemera after the story is over, but I wouldn't say the items have lasting value. At first, I thought it would be possible to pass the stack of boxes along to someone else when I was finished. However, that's not really possible, since you need to use some of the items as you go along. Also, the slow month-by-month reveal builds anticipation and is part of the fun.
If you add up the cost of all the boxes in this series, it comes to $174.93 for seven months. If you have some spare cash and love a good mystery, I do think this subscription is worth the money.
Check out all of our Dispatch reviews and 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!
What do you think of the seventh and final installment of Dispatch?
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