Frequently Asked Questions

Just me. Cosmic Realm Games is a one-person game studio tucked into the hills of East Tennessee. I'm a single parent, and most of these games were dreamed up at the kitchen table after homework was done and the house finally went quiet. I've always loved a good whodunnit: the slow build of suspicion, the clue you almost missed, the moment everything clicks. I started this company to share that feeling with other people who love it too.

Every mystery I publish is written, plotted, and designed by me. I create the characters, hide the clues, set the red herrings, and then test every puzzle to make sure the solution is fair. If you solve one of my cases, you beat me fair and square. If you don't, I hope you smack your forehead when you read the answer.

Because a great mystery gets people talking. My favorite moments are when a table full of players starts arguing over a timeline or accusing each other of missing the obvious. These games are built for that kind of fun, whether you're playing with family, friends, or a group that just likes a challenge.

Fair question, and I want to be straight with you. The stories, characters, clues, and solutions in every game are mine. AI does not write my mysteries, and it does not design my puzzles.

I do use AI the way a small business owner might use any helpful tool. It helps me with things like checking a draft for typos, double-checking that a timeline holds together, brainstorming names, or organizing my notes. Think of it as a very patient assistant, not the author.

I also use AI tools to help create some of the graphics in my games, such as character portraits, scene illustrations, and background art. I'm a puzzle maker, not an illustrator, and hiring an artist for every image isn't possible for a one-person studio right now. I decide what each image needs to show, guide the tool until it fits the story, and edit or reject anything that doesn't work. When a picture holds a clue, I make sure that clue is placed there on purpose and checked by me.

Every word, every image, and every clue that reaches you has been chosen, reviewed, and approved by me. As a solo creator and parent, these tools give me back time I can spend making better games (and making it to the school pickup line). I'll always be honest about how I use them.

I use artificial intelligence primarily to help create my free online and social media puzzles, including puzzle ideas, graphics, illustrations, and other creative elements. These short puzzles are a fun way to introduce people to Cosmic Realm Games. My paid One-Box and Season Adventures are different: I personally write, design, develop, and test their stories, mysteries, clues, and gameplay. AI may assist with artwork and supporting materials for those adventures, but I make the creative decisions and review the finished work. I want players to know how these tools are used and what goes into the games they play.

Yes, and when you do, you'll hear from me, not a player service department or an AI bot. Reach me at Admin@CosmicRealmGames.com.

A One-Box Adventure is a complete standalone mystery purchased once with no subscription. A Season Adventure tells one larger story across 12 boxes. A season installment is not a standalone game.

Not yet. Titles, play times, difficulty, contents, and release dates will be announced on our One-Box Adventures page before ordering opens.

Cosmic Realm Games creates One-Box Adventures—complete standalone mysteries—and Season Adventures, each telling one story across 12 connected deliveries. Examine evidence, solve puzzles, and explore online clues.

Explore Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Legal mysteries: investigate mysterious signals, uncover ancient secrets and magical creatures, or examine evidence in a criminal or civil case.

Our mysteries are designed for solo or cooperative play. We recommend 1–4 players, and one purchased copy is all your group needs.

Season installments generally take 60–120 minutes each. Each standalone game’s product page will list the estimated time for the complete adventure before ordering opens. Playing time varies with the game, your group, and how much help you use.

Recommended for ages 14 and up. Younger players may enjoy playing with an adult. Check each mystery’s description for age recommendations and content guidance.

Yes. Our Legal mysteries give you practice applying legal rules to facts instead of simply memorizing them. Depending on the game, you’ll identify evidentiary issues, evaluate objections, weigh competing arguments, and decide how admissible evidence affects a case. It’s an engaging way to reinforce classroom learning, sharpen issue spotting, and discuss your reasoning with classmates. Check each mystery’s description for the subjects and rules it covers. The games supplement your coursework; they do not replace your assigned readings or your professor’s guidance.

No legal training is required. Bring curiosity, attention to detail, and a willingness to examine the evidence.

You’ll need an internet-connected smartphone, tablet, or computer to access online game content and hints. A pen and paper are useful for taking notes. Each mystery’s description will identify any additional requirements.

Once you know the solution, the game will no longer offer the same mystery-solving experience. Online access and hint points are nontransferable, and separate online access is not available for secondhand copies. Passing along the physical materials does not give another person access to the complete game.

One Season Adventure is an entire mystery of 12 connected installments. Each delivery adds evidence, puzzles, and discoveries to the same unfolding story.

No. All 12 installments belong to one larger mystery. For example, the 12 case files in Means, Motive, and Mini Golf all belong to the same case.

Yes. Start with the first installment and continue in sequence. Later installments build on earlier evidence and discoveries.

Yes. Keep all materials from every installment until you complete the entire mystery. Earlier evidence, clues, and discoveries remain part of the investigation and may be essential to solving later installments and reaching the final solution.

All One-Box Adventures are $44.95 each with free shipping and handling within the continental United States, plus applicable tax. One payment covers a complete standalone game and 20 hint points; there are no recurring charges. See One-Box Adventures for details. For seasons, visit the pricing page for your chosen genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Legal.

Prepaid Season Adventures ship in installments on their regular release schedule, rather than all together. A One-Box Adventure is a separate, complete standalone game delivered in one box; it is not a season packaged together.

Yes. You can purchase a mystery for someone else and have it shipped directly to them. Gift purchases do not renew automatically unless you expressly select that option.

Science Fiction dispatches and Fantasy chapters ship monthly. Legal case files ship weekly. Each Season Adventure contains 12 installments; One-Box Adventures contain a complete standalone story in one box.

For available games, your standalone game or first season installment ships within 3–5 business days of ordering. Preorders will show an expected shipping date on the mystery’s page.

We currently ship within the contiguous United States, including Washington, D.C. Standard shipping is included. Shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, and international destinations is not currently available.

Contact us through the Contact Us page with your order number and a description of the problem. We’ll replace missing or damaged game materials at no additional charge. When available, we may provide a digital copy so you can continue playing while your replacement arrives.

One-Box Adventures are one-time purchases with no recurring charge or subscription. For Season Adventures, recurring subscriptions renew automatically until canceled or the mystery is complete. Prepaid packages end after the purchased installments unless you expressly choose automatic renewal. Completing a mystery will not automatically enroll you in another game.

You may cancel before your next billing date or pause future billing and shipments. Canceling a prepaid package stops automatic renewal; installments already paid for will continue on schedule unless you pause delivery.

Unopened games may be returned within 30 days of delivery. This applies to both standalone games and season boxes. Players pay return shipping except for our error or where applicable law requires otherwise. Opened games are nonreturnable for a change of mind; missing or damaged materials will be replaced at no charge, and statutory rights remain unaffected. For prepaid season packages, installments that have not yet shipped may be refunded, with any prepaid discount adjusted to reflect the installments already received. Use the Contact Us page to request a return or refund.

Yes. Physical game materials are complemented by online content and hints. Keep the access instructions included with your game.

Visit Player Access and choose the hints for your standalone game or season installment. Three levels let you choose how much help you receive, from a gentle nudge to more direct guidance.

Start with the lightest hint to preserve as much of the challenge as possible. Stronger hints provide increasingly specific help and may reveal significant parts of a puzzle.

Each purchased Season Adventure includes 50 hint points for the entire 12-installment season. Each One-Box Adventure includes 20 hint points across 12 numbered hints, each offering A Nudge (1 point), A Lead (2 points), and A Breakthrough (3 points). Each level unlocks separately and stays free to reopen. Those points are shared by everyone playing that copy.

Hints cost points according to how much help they provide, and the cost appears before you select a hint. Additional points will be available for purchase.

Hint points are charged only the first time you unlock a hint. Once unlocked, that hint remains available to revisit without spending additional points.

Hint points stay with the mystery for which they were issued or purchased and do not transfer to another mystery. Unused points remain available for as long as that mystery’s online content is accessible. Each new Season Adventure includes 50 points; each new One-Box Adventure includes 20 points.

Online game content and unlocked hints will remain available for at least two years after your standalone game ships or your final season installment ships. If we later retire that content, we’ll provide at least 90 days’ notice.

Please email me at Admin@CosmicRealmGames.com. I built this website myself, so I’m the one who will need to fix it! Tell me which page you were on, what you were trying to do, and what went wrong. If you can, include a screenshot and the device or browser you were using. That will help me track down the problem and get you back to your mystery.

Use the Contact Us page for questions about games, orders, or the website. For order questions, include your order number so we can help more efficiently.