Area 1: Nuclear EnrichmentProject Immersive Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLProject Immersive is not your average escape room, it very much lives up to its name. They have the perfect venue that lends itself to the world presented. The story starts from the moment you arrive and they have a very clever use of language to impart regular escape room information without breaking immersion in the world. Damian helped facilitate our visit, was very generous and lovely to chat to. For Nuclear Enrichment our game master August seamlessly took over from Tim (our gm for The Portal) after we solved our first "problem" at Area 1, they brought their own flair to the role and delightfully served us something a little more sinister. They facilitated the story with much aplomb and we loved that both scientist characters had a very distinct feeling from eachother. Nuclear Enrichment is still extremely story focused but felt a bit more like puzzle solving (which I loved) rather than the "doing science" feeling the puzzles in The Portal invoked. There was a stunning set and extremely authentic props and clutter but it was somehow still very intuitive to know what we actually needed to solve the puzzles and what was just theming, without breaking our immersion in the world. There was a stupendous use of tech, incredible sound design and a very beautiful finale. We loved, loved LOVED this room. I just wish they had more experiences for us to try! This is the best example of a truly immersive escape room experience.
Area 1: The PortalProject Immersive Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLProject Immersive is not your average escape room, it very much lives up to its name. They have the perfect venue that lends itself to the world presented. The story starts from the moment you arrive and they have a very clever use of language to impart regular escape room information without breaking immersion in the world. Damian helped facilitate our visit, was very generous and lovely to chat to. For The Portal, our game master Tim was superb, effortlessly maintaining character and was on the ball to ensure our game ran smoothly. He was our first point of contact when we arrived and convinced us of the world we were entering expertly with a wonderful dosing of humour. The most suitable words to describe The Portal are beyond cool and next level. It has a great use of space, fun tech and very neat puzzles that make you feel like a scientist. There is a heavy focus on story facilitated by great voice acting and stellar sound design. The set and props were excellent. I wouldn't call this room scary but it promotes an uneasy sense of what's coming with great theatricality. We loved, loved LOVED this room. I just wish they had more experiences for us to try! This is the best example of a truly immersive escape room experience.
Australia's Original Escape RoomEscape Room Melbourne - ERMEscape roomIRLA novel experience that feels like an interactive museum exhibit. This is Australia's first ever escape room and it shows. Very old-school and not only can you see the inspiration that it gave to all the rooms that followed but you can feel the love that went into crafting this game originally. Don't expect any fancy tech but it doesn't need it with the amount of fun and well thought out puzzles it has.
Blackwood ManorEclipse EscapeEscape roomIRLBlackwood Manor is a great traditional room with a lovely old school feel and fun puzzles. The spooky vibes and set pieces are great. I like that there's options for playstyles and vibes.
BuriedPadlock'd Escape roomIRLBuried (only designed for 2 players) is a great use of a small space with a very unique concept. Make sure to bring your best communication and puzzle solving skills as this one could prove to be quite tricky. The staff at Padlock'd were friendly and accommodating and our game master Matt took good care of us.
BurlesqueEscapeXperienceEscape roomIRLMichael was a stellar host who is clearly very knowledgable and passionate about the industry. He ran our game very attentively and with much aplomb. A game master will make or break your experience and he definitely made ours. Burlesque is an old school game with a really fun energy. A good variety of puzzles with some inventive twists. The room had a strong through line and coherent story. Fans of murder mysteries will enjoy this one.
Cabin 13Escape Manor BrisbaneEscape roomIRLCabin 13 is delightfully spooky with theatrical moments and scares courtesy of our dear friend "Chris". The scare actor in this game is essential to the experience. They are extremely interactive, involved in the gameplay and set the vibe for your experience with great flair. I would encourage your team to fully buy in to what the actor is selling to maximise your experience (though this isn't too hard due to their skill). There is a big focus on story and the puzzles are fun. The staff at Escape Manor were also friendly and welcoming.
CarnivorousContainaphobiaEscape roomIRLCome prepared to have one of the most unique experiences in the industry. I don't want to spoil anything about it but just know that this is designed for enthusiasts. We brought along 2 non-enthusiasts and they told us their minds were blown by seeing just how incredible an escape room could be. It is due to close by the end of the year and it's a damn shame it is. The question you should be asking yourself is not "should I do it?", it should be "do I want to miss out on what will surely become the stuff of legend in escape room lore?". If you want to know absolutely nothing, STOP READING But there are a few aspects I'd like to shout out. I was uncertain of the decision to make this incompletable in one attempt, but it is worth the money to return as there are plenty of puzzles provided. Expect to visit 2-3 times to complete it all and expect the unexpected. It is so incredibly ambitious and expansive. And the sets and props are so lovingly and masterfully created. To top it off, it has the most unforgettable and unexpected opening to a game I've ever seen. Make the effort to get your team together and get out to Geelong. You'll be sorry if you miss it.
Cottage CapersLost LocksEscape roomIRLCottage Capers was such a delightful room, I loved this one so much. A very traditional type of escape room with great theming, setting and story. It's very suitable for newbies or those unsure about escape rooms. A particularly great theming touch was utilised that immediately drew you in and fleshed out the game world, delicious! When we arrived at Lost Locks we were greeted very warmly by Ryan who was lovely to chat to. Our game master (whose name I cannot remember) was great. This business has really wonderful top tier games and we can't wait to come back and try some more. The atmosphere is fun, the vibes are excellent and we're very excited to see what games they release in the future.
Dark DungeonLost LocksEscape roomIRLDark Dungeon has straightforward tactile puzzles and tasks, with fun moments and some potential for big scares. A unique concept and best played by a group of enthusiastic scaredy cats. When we arrived at Lost Locks we were greeted very warmly by Ryan who was lovely to chat to. We felt very generously taken care of by our game master Sam, her intros really drew you in and set the scene and her enthusiastic debriefs were much appreciated. This business has really wonderful top tier games and we can't wait to come back and try some more. The atmosphere is fun, the vibes are excellent and we're very excited to see what games they release in the future.
