Birth MachineMad MachinesEscape roomIRLI can see why it got all the accolades. Funny, unique, intense, with incredible immersion straight from the start. So many of the puzzles were cleverly devised and presented. The use of all senses are required! But the design of the room was truly where the game shone. It had the most incredible sets I have had the pleasure to solve puzzles in.
The Reading WitchDeadlocked Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThe Reading Witch team has hands down crafted one of the best experiences in the industry. Balancing puzzles with live elements to create a perfect flow that ranged from on-edge, to genuinely terrifying. Honestly, deconstructing it a day later just reveals how everything was such a hit. From the second that front door opened to the second it closed 2 hours later, we were immersed. The setup is brilliant in the way they weave the standard escape room rules into the experience so you don't really feel like you are getting a brief for an escape room but are being prepped for a genuine experience. And that experience had some absolutely stunning moments. The puzzles are quite varied so everyone on our team had several moments to shine, plenty of eureka moments, and a range of difficulties to control the flow of the game. A must play for anyone who is seeking the best the industry has to offer. --- MILD SPOILERS BELOW From a game design perspective the space they have, has been so well utilised you can imagine the time and effort that went into the writing stages, but the execution from their performances makes the whole thing seamless. Moving between rooms relatively often keeps things fresh and returning to a previous room always offers up a fresh dose of anxiety. As a horror game it forgoes the glut of cheap jumpscares in favour of playing on legitimate fears, or building dread that sometimes descends into a deafening silence to an immediate crescendo of absolute terror. That terror comes from the interactions with the Reading Witch herself. But I find the most impressive though is that on two occasions they break the traditional tropes of these kinds of experiences which really deepened the immersion in a way that keeps you on edge until you physically are outside the premises. I want to talk about those two things, but will do so vaguely in the next section. If you have not played the game. Stop reading here. Go play it, and only then return. --- SPOILERS AHEAD The first trope they destroyed was literally breaking down a barrier. Things in escape rooms are meant to be used again and again. So the destruction of a physical object comes as a real shock. A barrier is, usually, to keep you separate from something. So when that literal barrier was broken, the dread deepened massively because now, nothing is sacred and you feel like you can be pursued on a whole new level. The second was the ending, in the sense it doesn't end the way, you expect. I won't say how, but because of that play on expectations, you don't really know if it really is over until you are out of the building. Even your final interaction with the team is still very much tied to the game giving you this sense that you are always still "in" the experience and can't trust anything. The team have made a very bold choice with The Reading Witch, and I can only hope the love it receives from players like myself can translate into financial success. In a market growing with cash-grabbing chains, these are the kind of games we absolutely need to champion.
The LocktopusKnockout Escape RoomsEscape roomIRL74 puzzles. 8 puzzle trails. 60 minutes. 1 BEAUTIFUL set. Just bursting with creativity, fun, and passion for building something different. Definitely NOT for beginners because it is so overwhelming, and although there are constant dopamine hits from solving puzzles, you really have to come to terms with the reality that you won't solve everything. The game simply isn't meant to be played that way. But man oh man, the set is beautiful, the tech is incredibly impressive, but the depth of the room in terms of puzzles is what made me seriously consider this as one of my top 2. Almost everything has multiple uses (like 4 puzzles in some cases) which in Escape Room terms is not a common thing. So I found a lot of joy in the idea of breaking my ingrained strategies for playing an escape room. I know so many times you say "I wish I could play that again" but this is actually a case where I genuinely could play that again because I missed so much. I'll absolutely take a cameo appearance on their leaderboard. P.S. loved the achievements, they were an excellent touch!
The Village - HorrorUnderground Escape Room MilanoEscape roomIRL"The Village" had some very scary moments, and some very cool moments. Traversing the game was physically incredible and there were moments of progression that were so beautifully constructed I'll be thinking about them for a long time!
The AnatomistEscape The PastEscape roomIRLThe Anatomist has been on my wishlist for years now. It did not disappoint. The rooms are beautiful, the puzzles are excellent and all thematically relevant, there were reveals and secrets and "aha" moments abound! It's a classic escape room but has aged incredibly well. I was disappointed we escaped in 34 minutes because I wanted more time in it's immaculate setting.
The BunkerEscape Stirling - ArcadeEscape roomIRLBeing Escape Stirling's room built by the roster of talented GM's there, it was always going to be on my 'must-play' list. First off, you can tell a lot of care and craft went I to this game. They really strived to create unique interactions and it paid off. Every puzzle was a joy to solve. The immersion was also top notch, from the elevator that takes you down to the depths, to the silly Easter eggs, and lest I forget the occasional chance to roleplay and make a fool of myself, it was all excellent. In terms of difficulty there were a few times another member of the team had to come to the rescue with a different perspective on how to solve a puzzle, but that's part of the joy of a well constructed room. Nothing felt unfair or beyond comprehension. There were no leaps of logic or "guesswork", everything made sense. Overall it was an excellent room from every angle
The Deacon's CabinetEscape The PastEscape roomIRLA few people I'd spoken to in the lead up to my "Escape the Past" double feature suggested Deacon's Cabinet was the weaker game compared to the anatomist. But I am here to set the record straight. They are wrong. It is a spectacular game. Our GM set the scene that was theatrical and engrossing. The room itself was incredibly themed. But the Cabinet. My god the cabinet. As someone who designs and builds escape rooms the cabinet is a marvel. Practical, artisanal, and above all, fun. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD: Thrill seekers may see a single room as a downside. But that room kept me and 5 others busy constantly for 55 or so minutes. A lot of the focus is on the cabinet, but the room is more layered than you initially expect. We got stuck a few times, and each time we overcame it with a collective effort. A gripe could be made with one or two puzzles having a touch of subjectivity, but on this occasion it did not detail our flow. And there was a moment that made me actually yell with joy. It has shot straight into my top 10.
School Of MagicLocked In GlasgowEscape roomIRLNot being a fan of the theme, this was the last game to play here at locked in. But you know what? I really enjoyed it! There were a lot of puzzles, but they all made sense, the game flowed well, and the decor was at the usual impeccable standard I've come to expect. It is one of their oldest games and in some places you could see that, but it has been maintained really well, so much so that 95% of players would not notice it and would believe the room was only a year or two old. Fans of Harry Potter will love this and it had all the trademark wins of a "Locked In Glasgow" room. And a special shout out to Chris out GM who was amazing before, during, and after the game!
Escape the Seven Seas: McRaven's RevengeEscape Stirling - ArcadeEscape roomIRLA well paced room with good decor. Nice mix of puzzles, and quite a few puzzles required you finding things around the room so don't be afraid to explore!
Operation OdysseyCan You Escape?Escape roomIRL𓆜𓋘𓄁 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 𓅟𓂿This review contains spoilers.Unscramble𓀗
