Levenswater [Water of Life]

I liked the vibe of this game, though it's hard to put my finger on why. On one hand, the set is rather boxy - decor is good, but it's still clearly just a decorated room, and I've played a bunch of games that do better at making the space feel more organic. On the other hand, the lighting and light fog and space did a great job of creating a magical effect. Puzzles were good - they made sense and were smooth, though it looked like there were some ghost puzzles (i.e. ones that previously existed but got removed). We were surprised to hear that we nearly set the record (I'd consider us good but not great, and we weren't trying hard) and that a lot of teams had trouble finishing - perhaps locals are not very puzzle oriented.

We recently played Water of Life at Emmelocked and were impressed by the environment, which felt straight out of a Dungeons & Dragons or Lord of the Rings adventure. The use of wood, lighting, sound effects, and detailed props created a wonderfully immersive atmosphere. The puzzles were enjoyable, though the linear design meant that at times, some team members had little to do but observe. With four players, this became noticeable. A disappointing aspect was the intro. While the host was friendly and dressed up for the theme, he did not make an effort to be in character, which broke the immersion, especially given the strong thematic elements like the setting (looked like an old tavern) and the themed capes provided at the start. After playing The Rotary from Escape Zwolle, our expectations for hosting were quite high, which made this aspect stand out more. Despite that, this room is still highly recommended for players, especially for groups of four or fewer to get the most out of the experience.