Rating: 5/5 - The ultimate, real-life Tomb Raider adventure. THIS is what all tomb rooms should strive to be.
Pros:
➕This set is incredibly high quality and fully immersive, floor to ceiling, every inch is decorated. Not a single item in the room that takes away from the immersion (no timer screens or out of place tech). They spent 4 years building this and I'm not surprised it took that long. Once you're in the tomb, everything feels real, the wood is actually wood, there's real metal, all the stone feels like stone.
➕The set feels huge with multiple sections and rooms. They put so much effort into this, you will want time just enjoying the vibes.
➕The puzzle style is unique in that everything you do make sense in the universe of the story, it's fully mimetic. I love that there is no escape room logic, it feels more like a Tomb Raider game. There are a couple of traditional escape room type puzzles but they make sense in a tomb. The also provide a unique bypass for one which makes sense in the universe and requires communication instead of puzzle solving. Everything else feels more like a realistic challenge or task.
➕Interesting use of items.
➕VERY physical, as someone who enjoys crawling and climbing, I LOVED this. The difficulty is not too bad, it's approachable for most people who are fit. But make sure you have at least one person who is agile. One physical challenge had a hint of danger to it which made it more exciting, but only one person needs to do it.
➕So much tech, tactile, and physical interactions. Not a single combo lock or key to be found.
➕Gearing up (helmet, elbow/knee pads, gloves, and smart watches) for a room builds excitement. I'd recommend gloves with good grip. The helmet felt sanitary since they provided hair nets.
➕The "time loop" aspect was weird at first, but it gave a narrative reason for why we were getting messages (which was how they provided gameplay and environmental info) and I later bought into the concept.
➕Lots of communication and teamwork required.
➕Tomb is appropriately dark but the helmets had headlamps.
➕This was my 300th escape room and instantly became my #1 favorite.
➕GM was friendly and helpful when needed (though we didn't need any hints in this room).
Minor nitpicks:
➖The room is a bit more guided than the other two rooms with less space for alternative solutions. This isn't necessarily a negative if you like guided gameplay.
➖Weaker narrative compared to the other two rooms.
➖Ending was cool but maybe not quite as climactic or exciting as I had hoped.
We finished as a team of 3 enthusiasts with 22 min left and no hints. I'd recommend sticking to 3 players, maybe 4 if everyone is not up for all the physicality.
My ranking of the 3 rooms here starting with my favorite:
1. The Tomb (by far the coolest room here)
2. The Lab
3. The Bunker
Particularly interesting or different
Yes
No other company I've played is this dedicated to mimetic puzzles
Lots of tech, it is all seamless and hidden
Everyone will need to crawl, some climbing and agility required