Stamp Rally Escape 1
Stamp Rally Escape is part 1 of an epic, three part struggle, in which you, the player, must face incredible odds, climb unscalable heights, fight unbeatable foes... okay, so not so much of that, actually. Cogito Ergo Sum's latest release might not have any of the above, but it is the first in a three part series of room escape games.
Wan and Nyan, the jumping dog and punching cat, are back for this epic journey to collect stamps. Okay, that does sound rather lame, but if they collect enough stamps — or so they are told by a mysterious post card — they will get a really cool present. Seriously, that's the setup. They get a piece of mail from a mysterious organization that has created several room escapes just for them to get out of, and at the end are the promised presents.
As with all of Cogito Ergo Sum's escapes this one is on the light and frivolous side, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, these room escapes featuring the aforementioned animals (see A Cold Escape, and A Hot Escape) are actually quite fun and charming. A nice combination of using found objects and puzzle solving is incorporated as well as the cute conceit of needing to use the powers of these incredible pets to solve your way out.
Navigation is simple as there are arrows at the sides (and sometimes top and bottom) of the screen to show you where you can turn. Click on an item to pick it up, and double click on inventory items to see them in close up. You will begin with a card from your mysterious benefactors that has ten spaces for stamps, rather like one of those cards you get in restaurants and other stores where you fill up the spaces and get a free meal or whatever. In this case, along with finding objects to help you solve puzzles you will be looking for nine rubber stamps that, when found, will automatically stamp your card for you. Yes, nine stamps, as the nice folks who set up this scenario have kindly started you off with the first stamp.
The puzzles are a nice mix in Stamp Rally Escape 1, including a nice twist on the classic old "click on the corners of this picture until it falls down" puzzle. There is, unfortunately though, a bit of pixel hunting involved due to no changing cursor. On the upside, there's a mute button and a save button, not that this amusing little puzzle should take long enough for you to need to use them. And the backgrounds are the usual pastel cartoony style that Cogito Ergo Sum does so well.
Not rocket science, and certainly not in the league of, say, Neutral, Stamp Rally Escape 1 is still amusing and entertaining casual gameplay. And, of course, although at the end all you get is a special gold stamp (you will need three to get the promised cool present), you also have the promise of more to come. So join Wan and Nyan on their quest for consumer goods of an undetermined variety. Do it for the challenge. Do it for pride. Heck, do it for the funny-bone tickling "Engrish". And do it for the cool presents!
Walkthrough Guide
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My first attempt at a proper walkthrough!
WALKTHROUGH
How wonderful! We've been invited to play a game. Collect ten stamps for a prize!
We start out facing a couch.
As good escape-game adventurers we know that the first rule of couches is to check under the pillows. Clicking the small pillow reveals out first little green stamp. One down!
Next, as good adventurers, we must check under the couch. Behind the leg of the couch on the right-hand side is another stamp.
The frame
The picture frame above the couch moves from side to side. It must be a code. The tic-tac-toe on the painting has the cardinal directions on it … wait, no, not quite. How odd, instead of W for West, there's a V. In addition, there's a 7 in the center.
Maybe they're not cardinal directions, but letters for spelling something. What can be spelled with N, E, S, and V?
How about the number in the center?
Click S, E, V, E, N.
The painting moves, revealing a little alcove with … a book? That's disappointing. Still, let's read it. Oh, Wan has learned to JUMP!
Turn to the right, to the fireplace scene.
There's a nice pretty glass case on the mantle. Let's take it. We can't open it, but we might be able to later.
On the left side of the mantle we can zoom in on some writing. Oh look! Another stamp!
There's a balloon hovering on the ceiling on the left side. We might not be able to reach it ourselves but …
Wan can JUMP! And now we have ourselves a ladle.
Turn to the right, to the duck scene.
There's a piece of paper above the fishtank. It's blank, but there's a little symbol in the corner … is that a drop of water?
Use the ladle on the fishtank to scoop up some water …
And throw it on the paper. And now we have words!
YESTERDAY ??? TOMORROW. What could it mean? Besides the Beatles song, of course.
It's a sequence, so the missing word is TODAY.
Put the word in by clicking on the appropriate yellow ducks in order.
What in Jay's name was that? Whatever it was, it opened the cabinet for us, so let's look inside.
Another stamp! Wonderful! Also a penlight. That'll be useful.
Remember that fire in the fireplace? Let's fill the ladle up with water again.
Turn back left, to the fireplace scene.
Let's put that fire out with the water from the ladle.
Ooh, a red button! What does it do? Only one way to find out!
Now there's a red box above the fireplace, and it needs a five-letter code.
Fortunately we don't have to look far, just to the writing on the wall to the left of the box.
The arrow gives us a clue as to how it should be read: imagine rotating the image until the arrow points left-to-right.
Starting to see letters? Try covering up half the words with your hand.
The code is EXILE.
Another book! This one's red, and Nyan learns PUNCH!
First let's break open that glass container. Examine it and then PUNCH it open to reveal a stamp.
There's still one place left to explore! Turn left or right twice to get to the postbox scene.
We can open all but one of the drawers. The lower right one contains another stamp!
The upper left drawer contains a scroll of paper. We can unroll it for the clue to the blue box, which has a three-letter code.
The color-coded words tell us that the password is "see" "you" "tea." But we need three letters …
Try saying it out loud.
The password is C U T.
Opening the blue box nabs us a pair of scissors. Now we can cut loose that tantalizing key to open the last drawer, and get another stamp.
Look, it's the postbox that brought us here. It's on a spring, like a punching dummy. It might be fun to PUNCH!
And another stamp!
Turn right, back to the couch scene.
Under the couch is a little black patch that we can't read …
Except now we have a penlight! What on earth is that?
Mirrors are once again the key, except this is the reverse of the other code.
Imagine holding a mirror along the bottom of the symbols, reflecting them vertically.
The code is BOXHIDECK.
The letters on the ducks have changed! We can put in this new password.
Here comes that funny little creature again, and he's bearing a gift! It's the last stamp!
End
Now we can click on the postbox, and tell it to take us home.
We have to do this twice more?!? Ah well, onto the next challenge!
Posted by: The Logical Ghost
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December 15, 2010 2:01 AM
Stamp Rally Part 1
How to Find Each Stamp
#1
No need to look for this one; it's given at the beginning.
.
#2
Under the sofa, on the right side (click at the bottom right corner).
.
#3
Behind the pillow on the left side of the sofa.
.
#4
Above the fireplace ("stove") on the left side of the mantel.
.
#5
Must first learn a couple new skills to access Stamp #5:
Look at the picture above the sofa.
Everything you need to know about how to reach what's behind it is in the picture...
Hint: 7...
spell "Seven" by clicking each letter in the proper order.
... Get the green skill book and learn "High Jump."
Now, what was up high that you could not reach?
Jump up to get the ladle above the fireplace.
(Select the dog picture then click on the ladle).
What do you usually do with a ladle?
Get water from the water tank.
Now, where to pour the water?
Use water to put out the fire in the fireplace/stove.
A red button is revealed.
Push the red button to access the pink box.
The box needs a 5 letter code. The clue is nearby...
Look on the left side of the mantel.
EXILE
Open the box to get The Pink Skill Book.
Learn "Cat Punch"
Use your new skill to open the plexiglass box, found on the right side of the fireplace mantel.
.
#6
Check out the paper that's taped above the water tank.
It appears to be blank... but is it?
Get water from the tank with your ladle
(Directions for getting the ladle are in #5).
Use the ladle on the paper. Solve the clue:
TODAY
Take your clue and look around nearby...
Spell out "today" on the ducks.
A robot comes and opens the doors under the tank for you.
...get Stamp #6.
Also get the Penlight.
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#7
Once you have the penlight (see #6), you're ready to find stamp #7
Use the penlight under the sofa....
Strange code... looks partly like letters...
... half of the letters actually...
B - O - X - H - I - D - E- C - K
Next, take your new information back to the only place you can enter those particular figures...
Enter those letters on the ducks next to the water tank.
A robot will deliver Stamp #7 to you.
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#8
The path to this stamp starts in the left bureau drawer.
A scroll reads:
"Hi
I like tea.
See you.
pass = (red) (blue) (green)
Not only does that give you a 3-letter code...
C - U - T
... it hints at what you can get with that code.
Where can you use a 3 - letter code?
Use the code on the blue box in the bureau.
Get the scissors.
Now you can reach something that was previously too "strong" to reach...
Use the scissors on the rope, get the key.
Use the key to...
open the left side of the bureau...
...get Stamp #8
.
#9
It's in a door on the right side of the bureau.
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#10
Once you have the cat's skill...
Punch the red post box.
.
.
EXIT
Give your completed stamp card to the Red Post Box.
"Let's Go Home!"
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Posted by: elle
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December 15, 2010 2:13 AM