Stories
to explore
Our narrative mystery games are tiny worlds to get lost in.
Intricately detailed pieces of art, each telling a story through a series of unique puzzles.
Explore The Vandermist Dossier, a treasure trove of touch-real clues and documents, untouched since the 1970’s. Will you follow the leads and figure out what happened to 19-year-old amateur sleuth Abigail Vandermist?
Hints
The hint system is broken up into small steps, to make sure you never get more information than you were looking for.
Use as many hints as you need to have fun!
Solve
Think you cracked the case?
Go here to check your solution.
There is an epilogue to every chapter.
The Vandermist Dossier is a tabletop puzzle game for 1 to 5 players. The average play time varies between groups, but it’s roughly 2-3 hours. After solving the mystery, you can reset the box and pass it on to other players!
During play, you’ll uncover the story of a small Dutch town, a missing girl, and Cold War family secrets.
[…]
My name is Helena Vandermist. My sister Abigail went missing in August of 1979. Everyone around me drew the obvious conclusion years ago, but I was never able to.
With this letter you will have received a dossier. Shortly before her disappearance, Abigail made certain it would come into my possession. In it, she speaks in cryptic terms, but I get the impression she left willingly, and I believe it was related to another missing persons case she was investigating.
[…]
This is the 1st chapter of a trilogy, but it’s perfectly playable as a standalone experience.
The first sequel is planned for May of 2023.
The project started as the English translation of our most popular Dutch game, but has expanded to something much more ambitious. Every element was completely redesigned, 2 new puzzles were added, and the story was rewritten and edited with the help of the amazing Manda Whitney (of Room Escape Divas fame).
The full trilogy once complete will feature a new, hidden bonus puzzle track with extra difficult puzzles, unrelated to the story.
The Diorama Monthly
Subscribe to The Diorama Monthly! A beautiful newsletter, filled to the brim with free puzzles, designer journals, game recommendations and behind-the-scenes stuff! We promise to make it worth your while.
Note: your email may be used for marketing. Please read our Privacy Policy to see how we protect your data.
Frequently asked questions
For Dutch players
Yes! Kickstarter backers unlocked the stretch goal that allows us to create ‘Het Vandermist Dossier’. The Dutch version will be finished as soon as possible after fulfilment of the English games is done.
Yes, we will, in our newsletter and all social accounts. Also, when this website is finished, you’ll be able to select your language of choice.
About gameplay
Yes – after you’ve solved every puzzle and explored every easter egg, you won’t be able to replay it. However, the game is fully resettable so you can pass it on to other players!
This varies greatly per player group. Usually, it’s about 120-180 mins, but that largely depends on your familiarity with these kinds of puzzles, your interest in the narrative, and your willingness to use hints.
The game is designed for 1 to 5 players, and really shines at 2 to 4.
We’ve heard many different opinions about this from our players. If this is your first game of this type, it could be quite challenging – most players need one or more hints. On the other hand, experienced players and reviewers consistently describe the difficulty as ‘moderate’.
Don’t worry, the game comes with a comprehensive hint system. You can find help for every puzzle, delivered in small steps to nudge you along. And if something just isn’t clicking, the solution is always there if you want it.
The game was designed with adults in mind, but there are no heavy themes. It isn’t easy though, and it requires some patience and reading. If you believe your 10-year-old would be into that, you’re probably right!
The only online aspects are the hint system and the solution form.
Other than that, everything you need is right there in the box. You could (try and) put away your phone for the whole night, if you wanted to.
Other
A set of 5 postcards was released as an exclusive add-on to the Vandermist Dossier Kickstarter.
Each postcard contains a puzzle. You can find hints and check your solutions here.
If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask them at info@diorama.games, or send a DM on Instagram.
