🐸 The Bloated Toad Is Almost Ready – Here’s What to Expect

Time is after us as we rush to open the doors to The Bloated Toad before the summer rush hits. This will be our first summer open at our new North Fresno location, and if our winter season with just two games is any indication, we’re in for a busy few months.

We’re nearing the end of construction, but due to time constraints, we’re making a small change to how the room launches. Instead of opening with 6 characters and 40+ puzzles, the game will begin with 4 characters and 20+ puzzles. But here’s the good news:
🧩 This game is designed to be replayable, meaning players can return as new content is added. Our goal is to build a game so rich in puzzles and detail that most groups can’t reasonably finish everything in a single hour. Given that we will soon double the puzzle total in the room, it should be near impossible to solve everything within one session.

🎭 Character-Driven Gameplay

The original plan included 6 unique characters for players to choose from at the start of the game. Each one has their own storyline and puzzleline. A group of 2 could reliably replay the game up to 3 times and see completely new content each time. Even a group of 6 might want to come back to try new roles, or aim for a better score.

At launch, you’ll be able to play as:

• Dwarf Cleric

• Halfling Rogue

• Ogre Paladin

• D’welle Alchemist Wizard

Missing (but coming soon) are the:

• Human Bard (features a working piano)

• Elf Ranger (uses an animist rune cabinet)

These two roles are delayed only due to their prop-heavy setup and awkward placement within the room layout. We’ll roll them out shortly after launch.

💰 Enter: The Toadiebank

This room introduces the Toadiebank, a magical score-tracking system. Every puzzle you solve earns you coins. Feed those coins into the Toadiebank and your score increases: unlocking in-game events at key milestones.

We’ll determine the target score for each group size during testing. It’s a unique feature we think players are going to love, and it will be fully active on day one.

🧠 What Kinds of Puzzles?

With 4 characters each offering 3–5 puzzles, plus a healthy number of non-character puzzles, we’re expecting 20–25 puzzles at launch—with a long-term goal of reaching 40+.

For reference:

• Caves of Caneen has ~14 puzzles

• Vampire Crypt has ~16 puzzles

• The Bloated Toad will eventually offer more than both—combined.

Puzzle types will include:

• Logic, placement, and deduction

• Math and pattern recognition

• Music interaction

• Slight dexterity challenges

As always, expect strong storytelling—in the room design, the notes and ledgers left behind, and the way character paths unfold.

🔧 Why Not Launch With Everything?

Great question. The Bard and Ranger puzzlelines rely on unique standalone props, and we’re still refining them. We’ve done earlier versions of these puzzles in past games (our take-home pirate’s chest and the finale of Clancey’s Lodge), so we’re confident in how they’ll perform once they’re in.

We’re also saving a few of our more complex electronic puzzles for post-launch. These take longer to build and implement, and while we’re using LLMs to assist with some aspects, we only have one developer on the team to handle those intricate builds. The plan is to introduce these in stages to keep the experience fresh.

Visual flair and good sound design is great and all, but if a game is all flash and no challenge, what’s the point?

🧪 Want to Help Us Test?

We’re currently accepting beta tester applications for The Bloated Toad. Testing is free, and Kiara and I will chat with you afterward to collect feedback. If you'd like to help us fine-tune one of our most ambitious games yet, we’d love to have you.

👉 Click here to apply to be a tester

Whether you’re new to escape rooms or a puzzle veteran, we think this game will be something special. It’s a great starter experience for first-timers, and for the puzzle-obsessed it’s a rare opportunity to play a room multiple times and keep discovering new things.

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you at the Toad!

This post was written by Calvin Kammer, edited using a LLM, and edited by Calvin Kammer.