20 CUTS in Manchester, UK: An Immersive Real-World Thriller Game

A walking thriller game through the streets around Piccadilly in Manchester, in which players follow a mobile app, solve puzzles and trace a killer's trail across the city centre.

This outing is a scavenger hunt played on foot, with a storyline built around a mastermind called Razor, who has taken the player's sister. To reach her, participants must help other strangers held in the killer's games. Guidance comes through the Questo mobile app, which leads through about 12 locations over roughly 2 miles (3 km) of walking around Piccadilly, starting from Piccadilly Gardens.

Along the route, players work through story-driven and psychological puzzles, follow clues to the killer's location and attempt to rescue victims before time runs out. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes, with a maximum of two hours. There is no dinner, boarding or table: the outing is a self-guided session on the streets, so comfortable footwear suits the walking distance.

It suits visitors who enjoy puzzles and want to explore Manchester's centre in a different way, and anyone prepared to follow a narrative across several street locations. The starting point is Piccadilly Gardens, the place where the session begins.