The Escape LodgeOvernight Escapes - CornwallEscape roomOther Nestled in the beautiful countryside just outside of Bodmin, Cornwall, is a small holiday park surrounded by lakes and fields. 99% of the park comprises ordinary bungalows and villas to rent. Hidden among these is a seemingly normal bungalow that has been converted into a puzzler's dream. I understand why the team decided to call it The Escape Lodge. 'Escape room' is still the most recognisable label for a time-limited experience that requires you to solve puzzles to progress. The difference here is that the aim isn't to escape, but instead to recover $1m worth of stolen jewellery that has been locked away within your accommodation. Instead of 60 minutes, you'll have until checkout to uncover as many hidden items as you can. For some, the term Overnight Escapes conjures up nightmarish scenarios where live actors jump out from under your bed, or shutters slam down, and you cannot step foot outside until you solve the puzzles. Experiences like this may exist, but in this case, it couldn't be further from the truth. The lodge is a cosy holiday home that just happens to contain lots of padlocked boxes and clues hidden in plain sight. You can leave and enter whenever you want, and you can put as much or as little time into puzzle solving as you desire. We had an amazing stay! Nothing beats being surrounded by beautiful countryside for me, and with both coasts so easily accessible, it’s the perfect base to explore Cornwall. If puzzling through a lodge full of creative puzzles sounds like your cup of tea, make sure you check it out. Just remember to get some sleep, because once the puzzles get into your head, it’s hard to put them down. Read the full, detailed review here: https://escapepuzzler.com/the-escape-lodge-overnight-escapes-review/
Deep CoverCase Closed EdinburghEscape roomOther Deep Cover is the first of two 'brief cases' that Case Closed offers. These experiences are shorter alternatives to the 90-minute escape rooms, with the built-in flexibility to allow for expansion with future cases. The room is set up like a detective's office and furnished with the sorts of items you'd expect to find, such as a computer, pinboard and briefcase. The intention is for players to feel as if they are stepping into a real office space they'll feel at home in, and return to for future cases. An interesting approach is that the room is used for both cases on offer, so some items you encounter during one case may only be relevant for another. Housing more than just what's needed for your current mission makes the office space feel more lived-in and realistic. Ronan (our AMAZING GM and founder of Case Closed) briefed us on our mission and handed out security clearance passes and a locked metal briefcase. It was then down to us to crack the case by piecing together evidence and answering questions on the computer. The interface was straightforward to use and allowed for structured gameplay, where it was always clear what we had to work on next. The office was so immersive that we really felt like actual detectives. Along the way, we got to use some fun special agent devices, which I won't spoil! You definitely won't just be sitting at the desk the whole time. There was one particular laugh-out-loud moment involving the computer that showcased some of Case Closed's unique brand of humour. We really enjoyed the mix of tasks in the room, which included some fun puzzles, as well as more traditional detective work. It was also a great warm-up for the rest of the rooms we would play. We sadly didn't have time to play Case 2: Director's Cut during our flying visit; however, we will definitely be back in future. A full review of the games on offer at this venue can be found here: https://escapepuzzler.com/case-closed-edinburgh-uk-feature/
