漆黒の悟り [Shadow Zen]Studio Escape Daikoku-choEscape roomIRLI guess we’ll clean up your mess Nakamura Bonta! After having missed this room last trip due to it being flooded I was stoked to finally get the opportunity to experience it and Shadow Zen did not disappoint. The set was absolutely stunning, really transporting us into an ancient Japanese market alley and temple. The puzzles were so intentional and well set into the theme, something that is surprisingly hard to capture. Nothing felt too difficult or too easy, it’s clear that player enjoyment is at the forefront of all Studio Escape rooms. Time travel is always an exciting concept within an escape room and Studio Escape uses it to such great effect creating full immersion from start to finish. Doing my best to limit spoilers this was a genuine joy to play. So much love poured into a super unique theme, it’s no wonder this made the TERPECA finalist list a couple years back. A room steeped in mystery and whimsy combined with the craft and attention to detail I’ve come to expect from Studio Escape creations. A genuine masterpiece.
Sweethearts Ice Cream ParlourThe Cool SpaceEscape roomIRLWith Mr Sweetheart keeping his secret recipe close to his chest and giving us the cold shoulder when we tried to extract information from him, there was only one appropriate course of action. A HEIST. Finally, we made our long awaited return to The Cool Space and ended up doing what we know best, kicking ice and looking cool doing it. From the get go set design is super funky, really leaning into the old school Ice-Cream Parlour vibe that the narrative is placed in. I am especially fond of a space with story-driven dynamic lighting. I think it’s a super under-utilised element within escape rooms and The Cool Space use it extremely well. This experience has some super unique puzzles and I think that’s one of the best features of both the games here. Everything feels tailored specifically to the room from the actual working fridges to the straw dispenser. Just another banger from Josh and Daniel. They’ve built it so full of heart and this really shows. We’ll be back for the next room, probably a couple weeks after its opening as seems to be our tradition.
Mr Pepper’s Toy ShopThe Cipher Room St PetersEscape roomIRLThe Cipher Room continues to pump out absolute bangers and Mr Pepper’s is no exception. With challenging puzzles and an amazing amazing amazing set design we were fully immersed from the beginning. One of the craziest and also most satisfying ends I’ve seen in any escape room, we left absolutely awestruck. Our Game Master Frank was a joy and allowed us to replay the ending after one of our team members was too scared and missed it which was very kind. A MUST if you’re playing rooms in Sydney.
La RébellionThe Cipher Room St PetersEscape roomIRLHoly moly. What an incredible room. After having this room recommended over and over and seeing all the awards I must admit I went in with high expectations. These were exceeded immensely. Potentially my favourite room to date with insanely high immersion and a theme I’ve never encountered before. The puzzles were challenging but never felt impossible, there was so much content and it all fit perfectly within the theme. The set design is second to none, and I cannot wait for their new room. Our Game Master Ace was great and chatting to the owner Marise beforehand was a joy. We also loved the pins we collected along the way for completing all of the rooms. Vive la résistance ✊🏻
The WarrensUltimate RoomscapeEscape roomIRLThis room is what a challenging room should look like. The puzzles flowed into one another seamlessly with the occasional call-back to a prop or item from a prior room that kept us engaging with every aspect from start to finish. The scares were well done and had me standing as far from every new door as I could. The storyline was a spook in itself as was the opening briefing given to us by the staff that left us already a bit uneasy before our time even began. Truly one of WA's best rooms that I've experienced and a recommendation to all my friends who visit.
女王と国のために [For Queen & Country]Studio Escape NipponbashiEscape roomIRLI do say, our second room back to back at Studio Escape and another certified BANGER. Another stunning room, the set was truly incredible. The puzzles all related well and made sense within the space although we did have a little bit more trouble with some of the tech stuff in this one. The storyline was funny and well crafted, packed with sinister reveals, evil laughs and even a personalised message from the Queen. What more could you want? I love what Studio Escape are doing and can’t wait to come back for Shadow Zen which was unfortunately out of commission whilst I was on holidays.
ExtractionThe Curium ExperienceEscape roomIRLWow. What an experience. The highest immersion I’ve ever felt in an escape room, traversing various levels and transitional spaces it felt like it would never end. It’s interactive in every way and has a clever mix of traditional mechanical, skill based, and tech forward puzzles. The storyline is engaging and makes you feel like you’re in your own movie keeping the sense of urgency heightened at all times. The owners are clearly passionate about challenging what an escape room can be and have set the bar extremely high. A must do for any enthusiast, a room you won’t soon forget.
SeanceThe Cool SpaceEscape roomIRLAfter hearing about the unique seated nature of this room my friends and I decided we had to try it, even just to see if it would even work. And work it does. From start to finish this room was a blast, though you’re confined to your seat you never feel the need to get up as there is plenty of puzzles to keep you busy. It’s one of the most collaborative, linear rooms I’ve played where each new puzzles requires a lot of teamwork and communication. The puzzles were unique and fit the theme, upping the immersion with each new solve. Some very cool tech with a great scare factor, Seance blew me away. The owners Josh and Daniel were fantastic, they are clearly very passionate about the industry and were more than happy to chat with us, answering any and all questions we had. A few touch ups are still to come and I think they will help smooth out some minor issues but these are easily forgivable given upon our playing of this room it had only been open a total of 9 days. A truly impressive debut from The Cool Space you have to check out.
Mayhem ManorContainaphobiaEscape roomIRLWhat a great experience that is clearly designed by someone who loves escape rooms. The location is insane on a property on the outskirts of Geelong you’re immediately thrown into it with a scare just to get inside. It is highly highly immersive in a large space that feels eerie at every turn. A super challenging room with a lot of content to get through and a final room to die for. Only slight thing for me is it felt a bit hide and seeky at times which felt a little monotonous. We did the room during the day but I imagine it would be even more immersive and scary when completed at night as recommended. Overall a must do experience, the owner was more than happy to chat with us about everything and is obviously passionate about what he does.
IntrudersMission Escape George StEscape roomIRLAfter playing sacrifice and not loving it I’ll admit I came into this game a wee bit apprehensive. Thankfully I was absolutely blown away by this game. The set design is obviously the biggest selling point. It’s massive, immersive, creepy, everything you want in an experience like this. The live actors were actually sick, our guide Mario was a legend and the gentleman in the striped pyjamas a Boone-esque superstar. Generally I’ve founded a dislike for the live actor experience as they can be under-utilised or over relied on. Intruders struck a very sweet middle ground that was akin to playing a video game with NPCs but in a really good way. Probably not ideal for the more puzzle-loving members of the community. We knew going in however, that there were limited puzzles meaning it’s far more of an “experience” than an escape room and we didn’t mind. A saga of epic scale and enjoyment that is one of the best in Sydney; *probably* not an “escape room”, but still amazing.
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![女王と国のために [For Queen & Country]](https://res.cloudinary.com/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/2face699-6501-406a-b2e1-65e4b9987381.jpeg)
