Abandon Ship saw us dropped in by helicopter to investigate why a ship had become stranded in the Celtic Sea. Our task was simple: to start the engine and bring it back to shore. Given the title of the room, I’m sure you’ve worked out that this task is not as straightforward as it sounds…
Ben was our GM for this game and was on hand to offer any assistance, including some very amusing, snarky comments. These were delivered to us via the ship’s computer, which took us by surprise. It wasn’t the only element of personalisation in the room, as I also found myself mentioned in a newspaper article. These personal touches really elevate the experience.
All of the rooms at Puzzled Escapes are driven by technology, but also include more traditional mechanical puzzles and locks. Abandon Ship is the closest to a traditional escape room experience, with multiple spaces to explore. These were nicely themed, with plenty of space to move around. It is worth noting that at one point, a team member will need to be comfortable crawling through a confined space.
The range of puzzle types was great, with a mix of thinky puzzles, screen-based tasks and tactile challenges. One minute you’ll be hunting for a physical key, the next frantically flicking through a manual to deal with a crisis. There were several points where the team split off into smaller groups to tackle different puzzles. As the game reached its climax, we all came back together to defeat the hidden enemy and save the day. It was a lot of fun!