Duell der Ganoven [Clash of the Crooks]

Originally, the plan was to play the game together with my grandparents, both over 80 years old. However, we overlooked an important note in the description: to play without competition, we would have had to book the same mission twice. This was not clear to us beforehand, as we did not read the information carefully enough. As a result, we ended up competing against another team. This team consisted of young, experienced players, which created a significant imbalance. My grandparents were hardly able to participate and were mostly just spectators. Regardless of this, the pricing remains questionable. Even for a single game, the price seems high, although this is common for escape rooms. The required double booking for a relaxed experience would have increased the costs significantly. We played as the group “Backyard Rats.” From a practical perspective, the puzzles are suitable for a maximum of three players. With six players, there is clearly not enough space. Meaningful participation for everyone is hardly possible. We were often in each other’s way and could not work on tasks simultaneously. The situation worsened significantly in the final part of the game. Both teams were in the same room at the same time. In total, twelve people were crowded into approximately 12 m². Under these conditions, focused teamwork was nearly impossible. Another point of criticism concerns the game progression. Our group reached the final area much later because we needed more time for the earlier puzzles. By that point, the other team had already solved most of the tasks. Shortly after, the game ended due to their success, even though we still had time remaining. For us, this resulted in an abrupt ending, without the opportunity to experience and solve the final section ourselves. In summary: The game can be enjoyable under the right conditions. However, this requires balanced teams and a significantly smaller group size. In its current form, the price of around €340 for six people and two times slots is not justified by the experience provided.