Cube Escape: The Mill

 

Following in the footsteps of Case 23, Cube Escape: The Mill does a fantastic job of developing the Rusty Lake universe by fleshing out a recurring character and connecting itself to events from previous titles. Like each game in the series, you walk through an eerie supernatural world by way of puzzle solving. Unlike the previous titles, the protagonist is someone who fully understands Rusty Lake, so instead of trying to solve a mystery, they are just doing their job. This was interesting, as it provides the unique opportunity to learn about the world naturally.

I found the puzzles in The Mill to be more streamlined than some of the previous games, which I thought made the progression feel even more natural. It felt more believable that I was living a day in the life of Mr. Crow, rather than being an omniscient puzzle-solving onlooker. This made the story more exciting, and helped me to better recognize the connections to the parts of Rusty Lake that I already understood. 

Building off of the excitement that Case 23 worked up in me, The Mill develops the world of Rusty Lake with a fantastic story, aided by well-designed puzzles. I wouldn't consider it more groundbreaking than it's predecessor, but it did more than enough to excite me for whatever the series has in store for me next.

The game can be played online here (as of 10/1/20): http://www.rustylake.com/room-escape-games/cube-escape-the-mill.html
The game is available for iOS here (as of 10/1/20): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cube-escape-the-mill/id1022292932

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