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Review: Darkwave ESP Kit (Adam Cooper)

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Review: Darkwave ESP Kit (Adam Cooper)
« on: August 12, 2020, 09:35:27 AM »
 

EndersGame

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Darkwave ESP Kit (Adam Cooper)

I've always been interested in ESP effects, so Adam Cooper's Darkwave ESP Kit from Big Blind Media immediately had my interest.  This is a 30 card ESP deck but with a number of interesting twists, that really ramp up its potential. 

To begin with, each card has one of the traditional  Zenner symbols commonly found in ESP decks.  But then to strengthen the possibilities, each card also has a word and accompanying image, with the overall colour theme either in red or black.  And to top it off, there's a clever secret marking system that reveals the symbol and colour of the card, and there's also a system you can use to figure out the word and the image.  The deck also comes with a few extra gaff cards, and the box is cleverly used as a prop to help you as a convenient reference tool. 

To help put all this potential within easy reach, you get a small booklet and access to over an hour of video instructions online, which include teaching four strong routines.



It's obvious that this deck is packed with an impressive range of features, and there's an enormous amount that you can do with this.  But it's definitely not for everybody.  One thing I'm personally not keen on is how thematically "dark" it is.  For example, the cards include things like Exorcist, Satanic, Devil, Ouija, Crucifix, and Horsemen.  Many of them have apocalyptic and even religious overtones that I'm entirely uncomfortable with.  When combined with sinister artwork featuring vampires and undead, it borders on the disturbing and inappropriate. 

There may be contexts in which this will work, and it helps that this is presented as testing cards from the British Institute of Paranormal Research.  But even so it's definitely on the creepy side, and I think that this dark focus limits its practicality. I may be in the minority, but unfortunately this is definitely not for me.  For another perspective, I highly recommend the very detailed review from Alex Hui which you'll find: here.  He includes photographs of the cards, so you can decide for yourself whether or not this is for you.



Fortunately Big Blind Media has also recognized the need for a companion product, and they subsequently released Lightwave ESP Kit.  This has all the same clever features as the original Darkwave ESP Kit, but without the thematically dark tone of the artwork, making it effectively the same product but simply with a new coat of paint.  To learn more about the more innocuous looking Lightwave ESP Kit, see my separate detailed review

Both products fall into the "easier" side of the difficulty spectrum, and don't require any sleight of hand or memorization, just as the ad copy promises.  Figuring out the card's colour and Zener symbol is a cinch by looking at the card back.  Ddetermining the word and accompanying image requires some on the fly `cold reading' by asking your spectator just a couple of questions about a specific letter in their word, but typically that's how you'll present this anyway.   Adam has come up with a clever system for this, and you use the help of a crib on the back of the box, which can be left openly displayed since your spectators will be oblivious to how it works.

The Darkwave ESP Kit and the Lightwave ESP Kit are powerful tools for mentalism or magic in the right hands, and give fun presentational possibilities.  Dark or Light, take your pick!



Want to learn more?
Product links: Darkwave ESP Kit, Lightwave ESP Kit
This product is also available from your favorite Murphy's Magic retailer .

« Last Edit: May 19, 2021, 06:20:04 PM by EndersGame »
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