看门狗 [Guard Dog]

Guard Dog is a cyberpunk escape game with an ambitious number of technological gimmicks contained within its sizeable collection of rooms. Whirring with complex machinery, theme park–inspired transportation, and a robotic bartender, the experience is sure to wow seasoned escape room fans. We moved across a number of spaceship-like, angular metallic rooms as we completed missions before the narrative built towards a climactic showdown with a rival gang. The story was centred on uncovering new information about an emerging population of mutants in a dystopian future, and players are paired with a duo from an organisation aiming to thwart evil in this dark world. The actor interactions seemed fun and engaging, as a non-Mandarin speaker watching on. While the narrative was interesting, the sets were spectacular, and the actors were giving it their all, the experience was let down by the tangential—or entirely unlinked—nature of the puzzles. It felt as if some puzzles were included simply to ensure the experience still felt like an escape room, and it would elevate the game if the puzzles were integrated, or integral, to the narrative. Some props were tired, malfunctioning, or not in use to avoid wear and tear, which seemed like a shame. All in all, the spectacle and awe of Guard Dog are worth experiencing. Some of the technology in the game is phenomenal, and I believe it is unlikely to be seen anywhere else outside of China—or, at the very least, not anytime soon.