Mantis
52 escape rooms
Enjoyed this one! The challenge, the design, the gameplay - made for a thrilling escape room! It's their most difficult room yet and is better suited for experienced players. In the beginning, your team will be split into 2 (not a spoiler). The first part of the game requires good communication between the 2 groups. Ideally, you want an adept player and a good communicator in each group as you won't be able to see each other when you need to coordinate. We loved the design! The prison cells felt authentic and the lighting brought it all to life. The props made sense and their use felt natural. Good immersion overall. The gameplay is partially non-linear at times. The puzzles are a good mix of logic, observation, and exploration. Some of them were quite clever! There are several small, crucial set pieces in the game required to progress which can get easily overlooked. A particular section can get chaotic - communication and awareness becomes even more essential here to not miss anything. The challenge is ideally suited for an experienced group of 4. 5 is fine. 6 is when things can get chaotic, confusing or claustrophobic. See, if you're someone who likes being involved or at least fully aware of what's going on at any given moment, then you'd want a group of 4. Out gamemaster Josh was excellent, enthusiastic, and attentive. His helpful nudges were much appreciated and we felt he was invested in our progress. Apparently, teams request an average of 34 clues in this game! We needed far fewer, but quickly learned that if you’re stuck, it’s best to ask for help - the design doesn’t forgive lost time.
Gameplay
Excellent gameplay. Initially, you are split into 2 groups in 2 cells. There is non-linearity there as both cells try to solve their immediate puzzles + coordinate with each other. While the overall governing structure has a linearity to it, you can partially attempt or gather set pieces for more than one puzzle at a time which lends some non-linearity to it. It was a fun experience and the flow made sense. Side note: There was a nice forgiving design to the cells that works on an honor system. If you accidentally drop something beyond reach, you can easily retrieve it. You are expected to set yourself back in the same locked position to progress as intended.
Atmosphere
An immersive design! Cells felt authentic. Lighting was well done. It wasn't dark but certain sections had low light. Flashlights came handy.
Customer service
Josh was an excellent GM! He was enthusiastic throughout, invested in our progress and monitored it closely, and provided helpful hints/nudges when we needed them.
Particularly interesting or different
Yes
While there are other escape rooms out there where you are split in the beginning, this one does it very well in a setting that makes sense. The immersion and use of props were memorable.
Story
The story does not "develop" over the course of your escape. But you know your objective in the beginning and set design takes it forward.
Difficulty
Expert
It's not just advertised as their hardest game (9/10 difficulty rating) but actually requires you to be "switched on" throughout. The experience is better suited for adept or enthusiastic players. When you are split into the 2 groups, you'd want at least one strong player on each team. If you're communication is not coordinated and accurate, it will make things quite challenging. Be sure to explore thoroughly and account for any set pieces you come across.
Game tech
Mechanical
Ideal number of players
4
A group of 4 enthusiasts makes it ideal in terms of challenge and not feeling cramped or confused during the game. 5 is okay if you have inexperienced players in your group. 6 and more is when things can get claustrophobic and you may miss out on some details of the experience. It's also when crucial information may get forgotten or overlooked.
Scary
Not scary
Was anything broken?
No
Live actors
No
Physically active
Somewhat
You will need to move around a bit. A couple of people may need to reach out to grab something.
Easy to find location
Yes
Navigation takes you straight to the location. But account 5-10 mins for finding parking.
Parking
Medium
There is street parking along the shops but finding out immediately in the vicinity is less probable. You may need to drive around or locate a spot. I think little further along, you can get a parking garage. Take this into account for your time of arrival.
Safety
Yes
