Dead Air (pré-joué) (EN)

The games in the L'As des jeux Bazar are pre-played games. They have been inspected by one of our game experts and are certified "Complete." You may find some minor imperfections, such as light wear on the box or on certain game components.

A pirate radio station has started broadcasting somewhere in Valley Falls, and it's not music coming through the speakers. Night after night, a voice calling itself The DJ airs strange, rambling rants, and for the last three days, it's been the exact same broadcast on a loop. In Dead Air, you step into the shoes of a Will Street detective more used to tailing a cheating spouse or tracking down a stolen item than to a case like this one, but this time, the mystery goes far beyond business as usual.

The game drops you into a real physical investigation: every clue that comes out of the box, letters, newspaper clippings, an audio cassette, coded drawings, brings you a little closer to the truth. Once you crack a clue, you use a password-protected QR code mechanic to unlock the next part of the story online, as if you were pulling up the case's confidential file. Playable solo or as a cooperative mystery game with up to four detectives, Dead Air ends once the group has cracked the mystery of the broadcast and found out who is behind the DJ's voice.

Dead Air is for you if you love immersive investigations where you handle real paper clues instead of solving everything on a screen, and you like the idea of mixing puzzles, close reading and a light digital layer to move the story forward. It's also a great pick for a night with friends or family who want a complete case that doesn't require chasing down expansions: the box plays start to finish on its own.

Dead Air was the Deadbolt Mystery Society's monthly mystery for August 2024, rated a 5 out of 10 difficulty by its own creators, making it an accessible entry point into the genre without being too easy.

According to the Deadbolt Mystery Society's official blog, the case and its companion activities were created by Adam Preston and Derek Harris, both writers and game designers for the publisher, a small team specialized in monthly mystery boxes to solve at home.

An internet connection, on a smartphone or computer, is needed to scan the QR codes and unlock the digital clues as the investigation unfolds.

BOX CONTENTS
Beginning Brief
Collector's Card
Sticker
Read Me First Note
Collage Letter Note
News Article with Map
Crossword Puzzle
Tree-Shaped Air Freshener
Missing Poster Jose Perez
Missing Poster Barry Vance
Four Tarot Cards (The Chariot, The Lovers, The Empress and The Hermit)
Wing It Chicken Sandwich Wrapper
Radio
6 Cards With Wiring
Shape Template
Yes/No Coin
Magnifying Glass
Where Do the Broadcasts Lead Note
Envelope - DO NOT OPEN UNTIL INSTRUCTED
Symbols & Letter Paper
Cassette Tape "Recording of Conversation"
Roman Numeral Sticky Note
Door Scan To Investigate Card
Solution - DO NOT OPEN UNTIL INSTRUCTED

Number of players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 120 to 180 minutes
Age: 13+