Mother of Frankenstein: Volume One

About this board game

Mother of Frankenstein: Volume One is a collaborative narrative puzzle game for 1–6 players, with a listed play time of 900 minutes. Inspired by the life of Mary Shelley, it combines historical storytelling, ingenious riddles, and hands-on construction in an expansive experience.

In Volume One, players follow Mary’s education in poetry, music, and astronomy while tracking her courtship with Percy Shelley. As the story unfolds, you will construct a series of elaborate spinning rings and use them to solve a collection of carefully designed puzzles.

The game is divided into three acts, each filled with documents and puzzles that are ostensibly designed by Mary Shelley herself. Together, these materials reveal a great secret she left for her only surviving child and challenge players to learn the truth behind Frankenstein’s infamous monster.

• Collaborative gameplay for 1–6 players
• A 10–15 hour Volume One experience within a three-volume, 12–18 hour game
• Narrative puzzles centered on Mary Shelley’s life and education
• A 500-piece 2D puzzle and a 350-piece 3D puzzle
• A lasting recreation of Frankenstein’s castle

Alongside its challenging puzzles, Mother of Frankenstein features a rich, emotional narrative composed by New York Times bestselling YA novelist Tommy Wallach. The experience is designed for serious puzzlers while also offering a story intended to make players and their loved ones “feel all the feelings.”

A bonus edition also includes a full copy of the 1818 edition of Frankenstein, with additional puzzles by Emerald Flame creator Rita Orlov of PostCurious. By the end of the game, the completed 2D and 3D constructions provide memorable keepsakes from this unusual journey into Mary Shelley’s world.