The Morrison Game Factory is a narrative puzzle adventure based in a board game factory full of mystery. On the outside, the factory is busily churning out games for the whole family to enjoy. On the inside, hidden messages and untold stories await. Solve riddles, crack codes, and unravel the secrets of the Morrison Game Company...all while falling in love with the characters of this sweet and funny puzzletale.
The Morrison Game Factory can be played solo or cooperatively, and is best suited for 1-4 players. While designed for ages 14+, younger sleuths can join in the fun with some adult guidance. The total gameplay time averages about 2-4 hours depending on the group size and experience level.
Contents:
- Introduction letter
- Maintenance log
- Game board
- Tuck box with cards
- Morrison Game Company catalog
- Dice, meeples, and other miscellaneous game components
- A locked pouch containing even more secrets!
-description from designer
- weighty core narrative
- clever and surprising puzzle design
- strong balance between story and mechanics
- bespoke, tactile components
- moments of genuine humor that land well
- lacks the lavish knockout components of some prior Post-curious releases
- some lengthy narrative blocks can impact pacing
- unclear accessibility for first-time players due to experience-based pacing
- mystery, subversion of expectations, puzzle-driven storytelling
- Urban exploration within an abandoned Morrison Factory, with discovered materials hinting at a larger mystery
- largely linear with an in-universe computer interface, on-demand hints, and periodic narrative blocks
- Lacrimosa
- The Light and the Mist
- Adrift
- The Emerald Flame
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- in-universe computer interface — players input responses to advance, receive hints, and unlock narrative progress
- kit-driven presentation — bespoke tokens, boards, and instructions that feel integral to the story
- narrative blocks — periodic narrative installments that punctuate the puzzle flow
- Narrative choice — periodic narrative installments that punctuate the puzzle flow
- on-demand hints — the interface delivers hints to keep players oriented and moving
- physical puzzle solving with bespoke components — uses tokens, colors, numbers, symbols, and other components to assemble and deduce solutions
- Storytelling — bespoke tokens, boards, and instructions that feel integral to the story
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Morrison game Factory is a brilliant debut by Lauren Bellow and a worthwhile experience for fans of puzzle Tales and Escape rooms and just the puzzle curious alike
- the puzzles well that's where the game feels most like a return to form
- the game's beautiful balance of narrative and mechanical originality more than makes up for
- we finished in about four hours in a team of two
- beautifully illustrated as this box is
- defying expectations of what a puzzle tail looks sounds and feels like the Morrison game Factory is a brilliant debut