Loom Custody is the latest escape game from uber-talented Japanese designer Place of Light. In it you wake to find yourself ensconced in a grimy, nearly-bare cell. The blue sky glimpsed through a high window grate is the sole spot of cheer in your bleak prison; with a bit of exploration, however, you will find that the room is far more intriguing and complex than it first appears. To have any chance of escape, you must discover clues, solve puzzles and use all of the limited resources at your disposal. A classic scenario, but one that Place of Light does very well.
Analysis: While I enjoyed playing Loom Custody, I was ultimately left feeling underwhelmed. While still very good, it does not entirely live up to the standards set by the rest of the developer's body of work.
However, Loom Custody is in no way mediocre. It contains all of the important elements of a high-quality escape game: the puzzles are thought-provoking yet refreshingly logical, the interface clean and professional, the graphics nicely evocative of your predicament. There are even a few fun surprises! It's just that after the releases of so many superlative games by Place of Light, Loom Custody does not quite live up to my expectations of what the developer is capable of. The game is simply too short and relatively easy to stand up next to the likes of the extraordinary Room Marine (my personal Place of Light favorite, and one of the best room escapes I've ever played). I also felt that while its puzzles are interesting, Loom Custody lacks the element of innovation that is present in the designer's other creations; there is nothing in the game that I haven't seen before in some shape or form. On the other hand, Place of Light produces games considerably more quickly than many other top-notch escape game developers. Maybe it's just an issue of quantity winning out over quality.
Even if Loom Custody is not Place of Light's magnum opus, it is arguably one of the better room escapes out there. While I hope that the developer's next release will be a return to longer, more difficult games, I can't deny this one is pretty darn good; well-crafted, good-looking and entertaining, it's more than worth your time. Have fun!
Walkthrough Guide
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Loom Custody Walkthrough
Door
There is a channel of water on the right of the door. Click on it where the channel meets the wall.
There is a small white object in a hole in the concrete. Take it (candle). Back up.
Click on the black object to the left of the door for a close up.
In close up you will see that the black object is a platform with a spike. Place the candle on the spike. Also note the letter M with a quarter moon symbol. Back up.
Below and to the left of the door is a small niche. Click on it for a close up.
Yummy, bread! Take the bread. Once you have the bread click on the plate and notice the letter F. Back up.
Turn left.
Table Wall
There is a low concrete table to the left and a light fixture overhead.
Click on the light fixture for a close up. Hmmm, writing on the ceiling. Back up.
Click on the table for a close up.
First click on the table top for a close up. Goody, a note! And a blank signature space. And an odd symbol that relates to the O. Put down the note.
Now click on the right side of the table for a close up. Okay, I = a six pointed star. Back up.
Now click underneath the table for a close up. Okay, a three digit code, and a plate with a lock and a cryptic message about the letter D. Back up.
Turn left.
Window Wall
Click on the wooden table to set it upright. Oh look, you can move it between the window and that mysterious panel on the upper left.
Put the table under the mysterious panel and then click on the panel. Okay, you obviously need a screwdriver, and here's another letter (R) associated with another symbol. Back up.
Put the table under the window and click on the window for a close-up.
Oh look, a feather. Maybe I could be like the Birdman of Alcatraz and get myself some feathered friends. Let's put the bread on the sill where the feather is and see what happens. Back up.
Turn left. Yuck, is that blood? Turn back to the right.
Click on the window again. Looky, a feathered friend, and he brought me a match! Take the match.
Back up and turn right.
Click on the light fixture for a close up and hold the match to the light fixture. A lit match! Back up and turn right.
Door
Click on the candle for a close up and light the candle with the match.
Okay, now the candle is lit and the base says "fire". I'm sure it all means something.
Back up and turn left.
Table Wall
Hey, my match is burnt out. I wonder what I can use it for?
Click on the table for a close up and then click on the note.
Place the burnt out match into the mysterious blank signature area in the lower right of the note (between the brackets).
Yippee! A three digit code appears (608). Where have I seen something that can use a three digit code...
Put down the note and click underneath the table for a close up.
Enter the code 6 0 8 into the lock. Gee, I wondered when a screwdriver would show up. Take the screwdriver.
Back up and turn left.
Window Wall
Move the table underneath the mysterious plate on the upper left by the pipes.
Click on the plate for a close up.
Use the screwdriver on the plate and take the plate.
Click on the exposed cubby for a close up. Oh happy day, a symbol code requiring four symbols.
Back up, move the table, and click on the channel where it hits the wall.
I see there are notches in the concrete that look just the right size for a metal plate. What a coincidence!
Put the metal plate in the notches.
Wow, a wet towel. I'm sure that will come in handy. And apparently E is a triangle.
Back up and turn left.
Blood Wall
Use the wet towel on the blood.
"Freedom"! An admirable concept.
Back up and turn right.
Window Wall
Move the table to the left and click on the cubby by the pipes for a close up.
Hmmmm, "fire" is a four letter word, and we know that F is a circle (the plate), I is a six pointed star (right of the concrete table), R is a funny club thing (above the pipe by the cubby), and E is a triangle (blocked channel). Why don't we try entering that code?
Why don't I enter that code, making sure I use the six pointed star for I. I heard a thump!
Back up and look at the pipe. A hammer! Take the hammer.
Maybe I can bash the door down.
Back up and turn left twice to the door.
Door
Okay, bashing the door with the hammer was a bad idea. I'm sure there's something around here I can break to ease my frustration.
In the meantime, is that a string hanging from the door?
Close up on the candle and click on the string.
Oh look, it's acting like a fuse. Boom! (make sure you do not back up from the door while the fuse is burning).
Okay, the door led to nowhere, just more mysterious code. I'm sure there's a relationship between the objects and the numbers.
Turn left.
Table Wall
I feel the need to break something. How about the light fixture?
Unfortunately, the light fixture is probably hot (it was hot enough to light a match). Do I have anything to protect my hands?
Click on the light fixture for a close up. Use the towel to remove the light fixture.
Back up and close up on the right side of the table. Let's smash something!
Use the hammer on the light fixture. Goody, a key! Where have I seen a lock...
Back up and click underneath the table.
Oh yes, there's a lock on the blue plate that implies D is D. Existential!
Use the key on the lock.
Great, now I have a seven digit code to discover. I need to think.
Back up.
End Game
Turn left, move the table under the window and click on the window.
Oh look, my friend left me a flower. This has absolutely nothing to do with the solution, but it's pretty.
Back up and turn around to the door.
If I look at the objects, I notice that the numbers correspond to the number of points (or corners) each object has.
Freedom is a seven letter word...
Get the final code by associating each symbol with the letters from freedom, and counting the points.
F is a circle, so 0. R is that club looking thing that has 5 points (1 outward and 4 inward). E is a triangle with 3 points. D is D, which has 2 points. O is a funky double square symbol that has 8 points. M is a crescent moon with 2 points.
That gives me a code of: 0 5 3 3 2 8 2. Let's try it!
Click under the table and enter the code 0 5 3 3 2 8 2. It spells Freedom!
Back up. A way out!
Bye birdie, I'll miss you!
The End.
Special thanks to Grinnyp for writing up this walkthrough! \o/
Posted by: Kero
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July 22, 2009 1:22 AM