ESCAPUZZLED

Reviews

Reviews

Electric City

Electric City

The Escape Key

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 3 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Set Design - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5 Armageddon is now my second room at The Escape Key in Newcastle and as always the staff were incredibly friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Plus the set design is evidently phenomenal throughout the rooms, having spoken to the owner about the room on a previous podcast episode it was incredibly interesting to look at the room and appreciating the amount of work that had gone into it. The game itself is a multi room escape and all of the space is used incredibly well. The puzzles throughout the room flowed pretty well although at points we were a little stumped as to what to do next, once we got back on track the puzzles linked well and fit both the story and theme perfectly. Some unique puzzles in this room that utilise technology from the time period the room is themed on, with a heavy focus on technology puzzles. Although most of the puzzles were incredible enjoyable there were a fair few maths puzzles that slowed down the progression of the game. Overall an absolutely stunning room that gives me further reason to go back and play the rest!
The Ghost in The Attic

The Ghost in The Attic

The Mystery Agency

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 4 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 4.5 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5 Overall Score - 4 / 5 The Ghost in the Attic is both incredibly stunning and unique; the fact that the escape game doubles as a functioning board game is incredibly fun and impressive! Loading up the website printed on the inside of the box you are met with an interface of an old computer, a starting letter and a hints folder. As always the production value of this project is evident from the packaging to the contents and accompanying website; all incredible. I found the story told in Ghost in the Attic was more enjoyable and gripping than that of the previous MA games I've played with a few twists in the plot and a story developed through both props and puzzles this was an absolute joy from start to finish. I'd certainly say the puzzles in this game were about the same difficulty as the previous MA titles leaning more into intermediate / seasoned escape players. The puzzles in the game utilised everything within the box, in true Mystery Agency Style, hiding in plain sight unbeknownst to anyone with a keen eye this game could quite easily be mistaken for just a regular board game with a few oddities dotted around. Although we haven't gotten around to playing the board game it is something I'm thoroughly looking forward to, this aspect really adds to the life and longevity of the game! It's incredibly difficult to go into further details about what makes this game so great without giving any spoilers. I'd just advise trying to get your hands on it if you can. I can't wait to now solve the overarching meta puzzle hidden within the original 3 games!
The Vanishing Gambler

The Vanishing Gambler

The Mystery Agency

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 4 / 5 Theming - 3.5 / 5 Creativity - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5 Overall Score - 4 / 5 The vanishing gambler is yet another stunning escape game from the team over at the Mystery Agency, following the story of a con artist that has gone missing from his prison cell; you are tasked to figure out how he escaped and where he is now! Loading up the website printed on the inside of the box you are met with an interface of an old computer, a starting letter and a hints folder. As always the production value of this project is evident from the packaging to the contents and accompanying website; all incredible. The puzzles in the box help aid and develop the story perfectly, each individual puzzle and prop serves its purpose. The physical props in the game are aided by secret websites and videos that also add to the immersion of the game. The puzzles in this game range from decoding to some really unique puzzles I've yet to see elsewhere. I can never wrap my head around Mystery Agency's ability to hide information in plain sight while making it seemingly ignorable, its incredibly impressive. Coming from a magic background I found the use of playing cards in this game even more enjoyable than most would; the use of cards was incredibly unique and fun. It's incredibly difficult to go into further details about what makes this game so great without giving any spoilers. I'd just advise trying to get your hands on it if you can. I can't wait to do the other escape games from Mystery Agency.
The Secret Lab

The Secret Lab

Locked In Edinburgh

  • Escape room
  • IRL

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat

Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat

ThinkFun

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
Difficulty - 2 / 5 Puzzles - 3.5 / 5 Theming - 3.5 / 5 Creativity - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 5 / 5 Overall Score - 4 / 5 As mentioned in my previous ETR review the main similarity with these games and the EXIT games is the use of a decoder wheel but I personally prefer the way EXIT does it with the cards to check you are correct. The main issue with the ETR decoder is you have to line up the same two symbols on the wheel to know you are correct; in a way this gives you instant confirmation but it also makes it way easier to "brute force" an answer. If you manage to line up one symbol but are uncertain on the full answer this makes it too easy to just cycle until you find the answer. The puzzle flow of this game is incredible at no point was I uncertain where I was upto or where to go next making the game feel seamless. The instructions and guidance throughout are great and although we did not need it hints are available online via their website. The puzzles within ranged from jigsaw-esque puzzles to physical tactile puzzles. Although the tactile puzzles were fun it did slow the game down significantly and only allowed for one player of the group to work on progression of the game, whereas all of the other puzzles could allow multiple players to work on it simultaneously. When I initially opened the box I only saw 4 puzzle envelopes which was significantly less than the previous box but this game opens up to more than it first appears. I personally preferred the theming and the story of this box over stargazers manor as you got a lot more background information and development throughout. Overall I'd say this game is an absolutely fantastic box for both beginner and intermediate level puzzlers; although those with a lot of puzzle experience may find the puzzles a little on the easier side. The game is also fully resettable and you do not destroy any of the contents.
Ritual

Ritual

Escape Reality - Edinburgh

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Having had issues with other franchised companies in the past I was hesitant to book another franchise, but I am so glad I did! Escape Reality gave their games masters lead on the creation of RITUAL (their latest game at the Edinburgh site) and I’m so happy they did. From entering a very spacious and tidy waiting area to being greeted by 2 incredibly friendly and welcoming members of staff. Our gamesmaster DJ was incredibly enthusiastic and really helped to set the mood of the group before the game started, after a succinct but informative briefing we were released into the room. Without giving away any spoilers - upon entering the room, you are greeted by a very eerie looking cabin filled with artefacts and puzzles that fit the theme perfectly. With the aim of uncovering the mysteries of a cult, you and your team are tasked as paranormal investigators to infiltrate the cultist and stop the ritual from happening. The puzzles within the room were fairly linear in nature and flowed seamlessly between eachother, being one of their most difficult rooms there is a fair bit of puzzling and space to get through. Puzzles ranged from observation to exploration and deduction. Although the theming and initial darkness of the room insinuate a much scarier story this room is more on the spooky side than scary, having said this, there was still one moment that made our entire team jump which was very welcomed entertainment. This is a multi room attraction as are most of the games at Escape Reality but in this one the theming and lighting design was especially interesting, given that I am a huge horror fan I was especially looking forward to this room and I’m certainly glad we ended up booking it. Having taken three other players that had never done an escape room before there were still plenty of puzzles and variety that allowed each player to have their own part within the escape room game. Overall definitely my favourite room across all of the Escape Reality sites, I definitely think this may have been down to the input from the gamesmasters. I look forward to seeing what this site and others come up with the help of their staff in the future. Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 4 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Set Design - 4.25 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5
The Long Weekend

The Long Weekend

Cloak and Dagger Games - Online

  • Escape room
  • Virtual

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

Mystery at the Stargazer's Manor

Mystery at the Stargazer's Manor

ThinkFun

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

EXIT: The Game - The Pharaoh's Tomb

EXIT: The Game - The Pharaoh's Tomb

Thames & Kosmos

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
Whilst on a tour of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt you lose the rest of the tour group in the winding corridors of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Finding yourself in the burial chamber surrounded by puzzles you're only chance of escape is to solve the puzzles or be buried in stone forever. To start this review I just want to quickly comment on the difficulty rating for this game; on the box it is rated 4/5 for difficulty but we personally found this to be one of the easier boxes; with some of the 1 and 2 difficulty boxes being harder. This game also has significantly less "Strange Items" than other boxes which is a surprise for such strong thematic potential. One of the unique elements for this box especially is that the decoder wheel uses hieroglyphics instead of colours or numbers and for some puzzles you have to figure out the numerical value of each symbol in order to solve the puzzle and input the code. This adds an extra layer to the solving but is not as much of a pain as some other EXIT decoder wheels. The puzzles in the game range from observational to substitutions; all of which in our opinion were fairly straight forward without the need for any clues. The graphics as always with EXIT games are incredible and really help heighten the theming. Although this is rated at a high difficulty I'd say don't let that sway you as this is a great game overall! Difficulty - 2 / 5 Puzzles - 3.5 / 5 Theming - 3.5 / 5 Creativity - 3.5 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 5 / 5 Overall Score - 3.5 / 5
The Matter of the Hatter

The Matter of the Hatter

Northumberland Escape Rooms

  • Escape room
  • IRL
As a family run escape room you can really feel the passion and friendliness the minute you step through the door at Northumberland escape rooms and this is reflected in the rooms. Having played "The lost magic" in the past it was great to be back playing more games, with high hope off the back of their wizarding game our expectations were met! Alice in Wonderland is a theme that has certainly been well used in the escape industry and the team at Northumberland escape rooms absolutely smashed it. The set design in this game was perfect for the theme feeling both flamboyant and crazy! Every puzzle from start to finish fit perfectly with the theme, guiding you seamlessly through the story. With a nice gentle start and increasingly difficult puzzles the pacing felt great, NER do a great job of marking which puzzles unlock which locks which is incredibly helpful with such a large amount of puzzles. The game had a large array of puzzles with unique elements and great use of technology to help add to the magic of the room. This room is a perfect introduction for families into escape rooms with elements both kids and adults will thoroughly enjoy! Difficulty - 3 / 5 Puzzles - 4 / 5 Theming - 3.5 / 5 Set Design - 4.25 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5
Murder on the Morpeth Express

Murder on the Morpeth Express

Northumberland Escape Rooms

  • Escape room
  • IRL

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

Game III. Distress Call from Outer Space

Game III. Distress Call from Outer Space

Scarlet Envelope

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
Firstly I didn't have "prevent a galactic war" on my to-do list for 2024 but that's exactly the task set by scarlet envelope in game 3. Having intercepted a distress call from another spaceship you are tasked to uncover the truth and save the galaxy. The packaging for this game is simple yet elegant; a single scarlet red envelope with secrets and adventures locked inside. I was incredibly impressed by the scale of what was able to fit inside of this small envelope. The puzzles inside were just as impressive; you can tell immediately that this game is catered more towards enthusiasts and intermediate level puzzlers as there is very little "hand holding" in this game; you are left to explore all you have been given. Having said this should you be struggling there is a hints page to assist on your adventure. Throughout this game you are interacting both with tactile items such as large space maps / ID cards and online components; at one point even contacting an in game character. The immersion is incredible from the get go, hacking into command terminals and exploring audio files. The narrative is clear throughout and the puzzles assist in developing the storyline. And the little “Easter eggs” scattered through this game are absolutely hilarious! As stated previously this is a fantastic, highly immersive game aimed at enthusiasts with the perfect level of difficulty for more seasoned puzzles! Difficulty - 4 / 5 Puzzles - 4 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 4.5 / 5 Enjoyment - 4 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5 Overall Score - 4 / 5
Game X. Killer Wedding

Game X. Killer Wedding

Scarlet Envelope

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

Curse of the Dark

Curse of the Dark

Professor Puzzle

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
To begin this game is absolutely stunning; as you uncover more of the castle grounds and you see the layout expand both on a 2D and 3D plain you cant help but feel excited by everything you're looking at. In saying this some players may feel a little overwhelmed by the expansiveness of the game and how much is going on, but I absolutely loved it! The hints and solutions element of this game is one of the best I've seen in a tabletop game, everything just makes sense and is easy to follow for where you're up to. The hints and solutions are covered with a "scratch card like" grey paint which allows players to only see what they need without accidentally reading more than needed. This is the same for the answer symbols; should you get a correct answer you are rewarded with a green square of the cards and tiles you need next; if you receive a red dot you have the incorrect answer and must try again. The map and layout for the castle grounds is beautiful; everything looks incredible and well thought out. Hidden details lie around every corner and have you not only looking at the puzzle cards but also searching through each room of the castle. But as with all escape games communication is key, we missed a key section of the game for a while because someone had overlooked the contents of the room and missed that we should have received a new tile. But because of the streamlined game format we quickly realised this and figured out where we'd went wrong. There are so many creative puzzles and elements to this game that I unfortunately can't discuss due to the potential for spoilers. I will although discuss the elements that are used in the advertising such as the stained glass window and 3D elements that really help to bring this game to life and immerse the players in the game. All of these additional elements play their own role in some incredibly unique puzzles that take a twist on the usual uses for such elements. This made the game really stand out for me among the other games I've played. There is another element that uses an internet connected mobile device which is so much fun and really caught me off guard during the gameplay. There we're a few puzzles that were broader in interpretation but discussing this with the group we were able to figure out what to do and progress past these points. 3 hours is a long time to be working on puzzles and you may benefit from taking a break at the halfway point but for us games night was in full flow and so was the food and drink so the time flew over. Overall I'd say for the money this is an incredibly unique tabletop experience that I would highly recommend to those who have played a few tabletop escapes! Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 4 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 4.5 / 5 Enjoyment - 3.5 / 5 Value For Money - 4 / 5 Overall Score - 4.25 / 5
The Leopold Trilogy: Episode 2 - White Sleep

The Leopold Trilogy: Episode 2 - White Sleep

50 Clues

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
50 clues is a very unique escape game that comprises of 54 tarot sized cards each with a different number and illustration. Upon watching the introductory video you are shown how to operate the different elements built into the game cards. The elements allowed you to search items or combine items to progress the storyline via an online webpage. The game structure is easy to follow and use. 50 Clues is definitely on the darker side of the escape room world and it says so explicitly on the packaging, although players may find some actions conducted in the game disturbing. For me personally this unease added to the immersion and storyline. As mentioned in the previous review of part one the beauty of this game lies in it's simplicity; 54 cards and a website; that's it. The card design is very aesthetically pleasing and ads to the dark and grungy nature of the game. The storyline continues directly from that in part one and each card helps to progress that story. I enjoyed the puzzles in this game more so than that of the first one, although we found one puzzle in particular difficult as you had to imagine putting pieces of a broken map back together to get the full map and figure out where to go. Overall the story is intriguing and tense, the puzzles are great and the overall gameplay is incredibly unique. Looking forward to playing the final part of the series. Difficulty - 3 / 5 Puzzles - 3.5 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 3.5 / 5 Value For Money - 4.5 / 5 Overall Score - 3.75 / 5
The Leopold Trilogy: Episode 1 - The Pendulum of the Dead

The Leopold Trilogy: Episode 1 - The Pendulum of the Dead

50 Clues

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
50 clues is a very unique escape game that comprises of 54 tarot sized cards each with a different number and illustration. Upon watching the introductory video you are shown how to operate the different elements built into the game cards. The elements allowed you to search items or combine items to progress the storyline via an online webpage. The game structure is easy to follow and use. 50 Clues is definitely on the darker side of the escape room world and it says so explicitly on the packaging, although players may find some actions conducted in the game disturbing. For me personally this unease added to the immersion and storyline. The beauty of this game lies in it's simplicity; 54 cards and a website; that's it. No need to fill a table or chop up items. Just a solid storyline and a multitude of puzzles. The puzzles in this game vary from decoding to logic. Some of the logic puzzles for me were a little difficult to bridge exactly what we needed to do and thus several hints were used to help. I definitely think this escape game is targeted more towards experienced puzzle solvers as it offers very little instruction without hints. The hints although helpful did not offer much advise between the second hint and the solution and merely told you the answer and not how you get there. This meant for one puzzle we're still unsure how the answer was what it was. Overall the story is intriguing and creepy, the puzzles are fairly solid and the overall gameplay is incredibly unique. Looking forward to playing the other 2 parts of the series. Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 3.5 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 3 / 5 Value For Money - 5 / 5 Overall Score - 3.75 / 5
The Leopold Trilogy: Episode 3 - The Fate of Leopold

The Leopold Trilogy: Episode 3 - The Fate of Leopold

50 Clues

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
50 clues is a very unique escape game that comprises of 54 tarot sized cards each with a different number and illustration. Upon watching the introductory video you are shown how to operate the different elements built into the game cards. The elements allowed you to search items or combine items to progress the storyline via an online webpage. The game structure is easy to follow and use. 50 Clues is definitely on the darker side of the escape room world and it says so explicitly on the packaging, although players may find some actions conducted in the game disturbing. For me personally this unease added to the immersion and storyline. The story in this final part brings together everything that has happened in the first two parts. As we progressed through each of these games within the 50 clues world we've come to better understand the puzzles and thus did not have to take a hint during this game. The puzzles in this part were incredibly fun and offered a large variety ranging from spot the difference to ciphers. One of the unique elements really utilised in this part is the timer that comes up on the screen in certain puzzles; this really adds a pressure to the decision you're making or puzzle you're solving. Overall this game really tests your puzzle solving skills and your decision making abilities, often under pressure. Although the game series is very dark I personally think its interesting to see controversial topics in an escape experience and it really adds to the intensity of the game. Difficulty - 2.5 / 5 Puzzles - 3.5 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 4 / 5 Enjoyment - 3.5 / 5 Value For Money - 4.5 / 5 Overall Score - 3.75 / 5
Escape from the Mall

Escape from the Mall

Professor Puzzle

  • Escape room
  • Tabletop
Escape from the Mall has you sneaking round a mall after hours desperately looking for an exit and the only way out is to solve puzzles and find the clues! This is yet another great game to start your at home escape puzzle journey. There are 4 main puzzles in this game and they are non linear in structure so your team work together to solve each puzzle or branch of to solve an individual puzzle each. The puzzles inside range from jigsaw-esque puzzles to logic and trivia. As mentioned at the start this is beginner friendly but I'd certainly say the puzzles are similar difficulty to those in the other professor puzzle boxes. Should you need a clue while playing the game a small hint envelope is enclosed in each of the puzzles. I found 2 of the puzzles in this box especially difficult due to the logical thinking needed behind them and it took me a long time and several clues to get me past those puzzles. Although I don't think everyone would necessarily struggle with these puzzles. One of the other puzzles had previously featured in Escape From Hallow Hall which is disappointing as it was just a reskin of the previous puzzle with the same answer. This isn't an issue if you are playing the game standalone, but if you're looking to play more professor puzzle games it may be a problem. Each puzzle has you solving or decoding a message that clues as to where the exit is. You need the answer to all 4 of the puzzles to find the correct door, once solved there is an exit booklet with multiple doors, opening this will reveal whether you escaped or failed. Although you can only play this game once you can reset the game to then give to others to play. This box has a solid mix of puzzles ranging from tactile in hand puzzles and brainteasers. Although playtime may only be 30-45 minutes as this is part of the quick fire escape series. As mentioned earlier - great box for beginners! Difficulty - 3.5 / 5 Puzzles - 2.5 / 5 Theming - 4 / 5 Creativity - 3.5 / 5 Enjoyment - 3 / 5 Value For Money - 3.5 / 5 Overall Score - 3.25 / 5
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