Reviewing 'single-use' games like Mosquito can sometimes be tricky. By their very nature, you only get one opportunity to experience the mechanics, follow the twists and turns of the storyline, and uncover any flaws in the gameplay. There's no going back for a second attempt, no opportunity to see whether a frustrating moment was simply a misunderstanding of the rules or a genuine flaw in the design. You have to get it right first time. So, let's find out whether Mosquito is a case of first-time's-the-charm!
How to Play
Mosquito describes itself as "an immersive story-based crime game. A group of 1 to 6 players works together to make decisions, tackle puzzles, and gather crucial evidence", and it's difficult to summarise it any better. Players are presented with a series of clues, characters and locations as they attempt to uncover the murderer of Professor Brown, making decisions about how to approach different scenarios along the way. These choices can either reward you with Stars or cost you precious Time, both of which contribute towards how successfully you complete the game. Players are also rewarded with additional clues in the form of envelopes, often containing puzzles to solve or further information to help with the investigation.
But that's only half the story – quite literally! As anyone who has read the box can deduce, the game is split into two parts. Part A is all about solving the murder, whilst Part B takes you to the other side of the world to track down lost treasure, all whilst racing against the mysterious 'Mosquito' organisation.
Tech Support
One thing that sets Mosquito apart from other games in this genre that I've played is the inclusion of an online element. At various intervals, players are encouraged to visit the website and enter the answers to puzzles they've solved, helping to ensure that you never stray too far from the right path.
There's also some nice use of multimedia throughout, with certain clues asking you to do your own research, explore specific websites and even listen to voicemails to gather further information. The Mosquito website also provides plenty of hints, tips and solutions for each and every puzzle and card, with two graduated hints before revealing the answer for those who are completely stumped.
Whilst the inclusion of these digital elements won't appeal to everyone, I thought they worked really well. They kept things fresh throughout the game, reduced the need for additional physical components (although there was still plenty of paper to sift through!), and, most importantly, ensured that players never felt completely stuck or abandoned. It's a nice touch that makes the whole experience feel a little more accessible, without taking away from the satisfaction of solving things for yourself.
Story & Narrative
Without spoiling things too much, the overarching story is that you're a treasure hunter who has been contacted by Professor Brown with an offer to sell you an artefact. You arrange to meet Professor Brown, only to find him murdered, with Part A of the story then seeing you attempt to track down his killer, whilst also uncovering clues about the artefact and the treasure itself.
Quite why a treasure hunter would spend their time playing detective, I'm not quite sure! But once you've solved the murder, Part B sees you heading off on an expedition to track down the treasure.
Overall, the narrative is really nicely pieced together, with a variety of characters who never feel cheesy or clichéd. The scenarios have a good level of description, and the clues and items are brilliantly put together, with in-depth newspaper articles, maps, emails and plenty of other materials to comb through along the way.
It was also a nice addition to have a small element of 'choose your own adventure', with different options presented at various intervals to shape the story slightly. Sometimes, games like this can leave you feeling as though you're simply being carried along by the narrative, so it was great to feel that you could have some impact on the outcome, even if only a little.
If I had one criticism, though, it's that Part B felt much more like an epilogue to Part A than a fully-fledged second act. It took us around three hours to uncover the murderer in Part A, before we whizzed through the expedition in Part B in roughly an hour. Whilst four hours of gameplay in total felt like a perfectly reasonable amount of time, the imbalance between the two sections was quite noticeable.
Personally, I've played quite a few murder mystery games in this genre, but very few treasure-hunting expeditions, so I was particularly looking forward to exploring this side of the story in the same level of depth as the investigation. Unfortunately, it just felt a little flatter and more linear in comparison to the sprawling web of lies we had to unpick at the beginning. After such a strong opening act, I was left wanting a little more from the second half.
Every Day I'm Puzzling
The puzzles and activities within Mosquito really bring the game to life, immersing you in the action just as promised. They were pitched at just the right level – not so easy that you didn't feel a sense of satisfaction when solving them, but not so difficult that you felt like you were constantly reaching for the hints. The pacing was also spot on, giving you just enough to keep you wanting to play on, with the variety of physical and online elements helping to keep things fresh throughout.
From a production perspective, the game really impressed. The clues, puzzles and physical components were all superbly presented, with a level of quality that left very little to be desired. The presentation of the materials in individual envelopes almost gave me the feeling of playing one of the bigger box legacy games, albeit on a smaller scale, without ever feeling gimmicky or unnecessary.
It's a lovely way of presenting the experience, adding to that sense of discovery as you work your way through the story and uncover the next piece of the puzzle.
Any negatives?
The negatives are few and far between, and some are perhaps more criticisms of the genre itself than of Mosquito specifically.
Firstly, this is very much a 'one-and-done' experience. The story doesn't really vary enough to warrant another playthrough, so once you've solved the mystery and uncovered the treasure, that's pretty much it. However, the little decisions you make along the way did leave us wondering what might have happened had we taken a different route. Even if the alternative outcomes only offered a little extra flavour to the story, it would have been nice to see what we'd missed. Not ideal if you're a completionist!
The other consideration is player count. Although the box suggests that Mosquito accommodates up to six players, I think that's perhaps a little optimistic. With so many physical clues and documents to examine, I suspect that larger groups might struggle to keep everyone equally involved. Practically speaking, you'd also struggle to make sure everyone had a good view of all the materials. We played with two players, which felt ideal, and I'd be inclined to recommend a smaller group for the best experience.
Would you recommend?
I would 100% recommend Mosquito to anyone who enjoys this type of game. It's ideal for a couples' game night or a small dinner party, and feels like a step up from many others in the genre. It strikes a really nice balance between supportive and challenging, puzzle-focused and story-driven, whilst offering impressive production values at a fairly reasonable price.
For those looking for a smaller, more affordable alternative to some of the larger legacy-style games, Mosquito really scratches that itch. Yes, it's a one-and-done experience, and Part B could perhaps have benefited from a little more depth, but those are relatively minor complaints in what is otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Sometimes you only get one shot at getting things right. Thankfully, Mosquito makes a pretty good first impression
