Loving being a detective taking my sleuthing skills to another level I entered the eye of the storm and took myself to the Swamp Motel portal to help solve the case of the Kindling Hour. Question is are you brave enough?
Courtesy of Swamp Motel I and my friends we sleuthed our way through the mystery of the Kindling hour.
Swamp Motel
Founders Ollie and Clem have collaborated artistically for over 10 years and now they bring to our homes via our laptops Swamp Motel. This multi-award-winning theatre and experience makers, creates entertainment that blurs boundaries between theatre, film and gaming. They let their audiences become the pivotal role within their stories. .
Their new immersive theatrical thriller, made for the internet combine the artistry of immersive theatre with the thrill of an escape room. Unravel and lead to the outcomes of the show from the smallest of tasks.
There are three online stories to take on:
Plymouth Point – Can you find Ivy?
Ivy has gone missing. The residents of Plymouth Point are concerned. Gather your team, and get your ticket to join the Residents watch emergency meeting.
The Mermaid Tongue – Discover it… before they do
Your help is needed to track down an ancient lost artefact. Thrown into a murky underworld, you’ll have to hack into CCTV, outbid a high-end art dealer, and decipher messages from beyond the grave.
The Kindling Hour – ignite the rebellion
Beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing. You and your team must use all your skill and guile to evade capture, infiltrate the dark heart of a powerful organisation, and bring it down from the inside.
However each can be played as a stand alone story no need to do all three or in order.
Sleuthing skills in action
Swamp Motel brings an immersive theatrical thriller to our homes virtually via our laptops. Connecting through Zoom, I and my friends (can have up to five other friends) we transported into a world of conspiracy, cults and corporate deceit as we took on the mystery of The Kindling Hour.

The Kindling Hour is the third and final instalment of a continuous storyline, but it does not matter if you don’t play the other two previous stories. Think murder mystery, escape room, and immersive theatre all rolled into one.
With a short brief intro of the story so far, it was on with on with our super sleuthing skills to evade capture, infiltrate the dark heart of a powerful organisation, and bring it down from the inside..
This game had me and my friends hooked on our seat from beginning to end. There was much sleuthing to be had, with in-house video conferencing, screen sharing, researching, text messages and even phone calls which made this a unique mix up and constantly entertaining.
My friend’s said
“The Kindling Hour is a clever, fun, clue solving game that works really well in the virtual platform. The story was cohesive and flowed well, plus the technology really adds to the interactive experience of the game. The evidence sends you hunting all over the internet and helps the players become absorbed in the immersive nature of the mystery. The visuals look authentic and high quality, which builds the story to another level. A very enjoyable evening’s entertainment”
by Fiona
Verdict
I highly recommend this game if you are looking for an immersive mix of murder mystery and escape room challenges. The puzzles provided for a good mix of challenges and the story had many twists and turns. Even though the cut scenes / videos were not performed live it felt live and kept us entertained and hooked throughout with the great acting making it seem all very real in what was taking place. There was also a small cameo played out by the famous Dominic Monaghan who is well known for his character in Lord of the Rings.
The only one thing I would say though even though you don’t necessarily have to play the other two stories beforehand I feel certain parts through The Kindling Hour might of made more sense if I had seen the other two. However all in all The Kindling Hour kept me and my friends entertained and excited, working out the challenges and discovering the secrets and twists of the story as they started to unravel.
With so many twists, turns and tension the question is are you brave enough?
Swamp Motel become part of the Secret Organisation
Live, social and thrilling stories taking you on a journey from your desk to an unexpected venue. Book your ticket now.
The Plymouth Point
The Mermaids Tongue
The Kindling Hour
Thanks to Swamp Motel for taking us on a journey of danger and mystery. All views are my own honest opinion.