Deep Space: Divinity

One of the best escape rooms i’ve ever done. The entire concept was novel and very well executed. Props, set design and tech were all amazing. The room required a high level of cooperation and teamwork.

Honestly coming from the other space-related escape rooms around Melbourne and The Crumbling Prince series, the introduction to the Deep Space series leaves us wanting a bit more. Unfortunately, it felt more like the AI was a guide, directing us to specific actions, rather than a being to interact with to understand more lore of the story. So it didn’t feel like we had much opportunity to interact with the lil guy, but perhaps that’s because there was only two of us. Outside of that, the puzzles were unique but simple and minimal. The overall experience felt a bit short, and we didn’t come out of it with a full appreciation for the story as we had hoped. As two people, the recommended minimum group number of four seemed quite a lot given the small space and puzzle amount. But maybe the larger group numbers allow for better interaction with the AI. That being said, the set design and the overarching story is intriguing. It is a good introduction to the series, and to story-based escape rooms for those who are less experienced. Although, as a standalone experience, we would like to see more.

I’m escaping to the one place that hasn’t been corrupted by capitalism… SPACE! It’s been many years since Ukiyo and I crossed paths and I have to say it was good to be back. Having last visited in the peak of Covid, I can confidently say their lobby, layout, service and briefings have all vastly improved. Deep Space is one of those rare rooms that carries a great aesthetic, an immersive atmosphere and a well-thought out storyline; everything implemented was by design and served a purpose. I loved that the stakes created were meaningful and informed all of our choices, it really helped us stay on track with our overall objective. Big ups. I think if you go into any Ukiyo experience more focused on enjoying the journey as opposed to straight puzzling, you’re gonna get a lot out of it. While the room itself was beautiful, technologically impressive and one I’ll be recommending to others, I’m still not massive on playing both parts in the same space. It’s not the end of the world but in my opinion this removes the greater sense of exploration I look for when playing escape rooms; and at a premium price point, it becomes a much harder sell. Great experience overall, rest in peace, DooDoo 🐾

Could not recommend more - the best escape room ever !

From the outset, Ukiyo makes it clear - this isn’t just an escape room; it’s an experience. Think “choose your own adventure”, with rich storytelling, meaningful choices, plenty of dialogue, and a light scattering of puzzles. We were on holiday with limited time, so we took on a marathon session and completed The Crumbling Prince (Parts 1 & 2) and Deep Space (Parts 1 & 2) all in one day. Of the two, Deep Space was definitely my favourite. The stakes felt higher, the atmosphere more intense- and if you're a fan of films like Alien, Life, or any spaceship survival story, you'll love the immersive nods to those kinds of scenarios. It really captured that tension and sense of urgency in a way that stuck with me after.

I was a bit tentative about returning to Ukiyo after completing The Crumbling Prince pt 1+2 and not really gelling with the experience style. Gratefully, I much preferred this experience and had an absolute ball. I think what really sets this apart from their other room is the faster response time from the NPCs which felt like it had a much better ability to communicate with us through its dialogue options. While chatting with the Prince felt a bit tedious and bothersome, Enkidu (Big Dog) felt snappy and immediate, a stark contrast and something I much preferred. The gameplay again has minimal puzzling but if you've done your research you should know to expect this as a different kind of experience to an escape room. The puzzles that were incorporated felt enjoyable and were really well necessitated by the storyline. A moral quandary is teased beforehand and awaits at the close of the game, something you will have far more of a personal stake in if you buy into the experience and enjoy it for what it is. Set design was absolutely gorgeous and all of the tech worked without a hitch. Joe was a joy to have as our GM, his allowance of our incessant need to run bits was greatly appreciated. Keen to check out part 2 soon.

I had really high hopes for this after playing The Crumbling Prince and I can with 100% certainty say that Deep Space: Divinity is absolutely in my top escape rooms. Enkidu, who as a group we lovingly called "Big Dawg" (a nickname he surprisingly caught onto), is a character that you can interact with. He was quick to answer us and play along with our antics, Matching-Our-Freak if you will... The route we seemed to have taken really connected us with him as he'd would single each player out and ask questions. The tasks given gave opportunities for everyone to participate. Unlike Crumbling Prince, where it seemed some roles were more important than others spilt between chapter 1 and 2. Big Dawg also gave us a unique interaction and asked us to sing Happy Birthday after learning that my birthday had just passed. So it's a ride or die kind of situation for this pixelated dog.

This escape room is part 1 of a 2-part escape room. The pair is my ABSOLUTE favourite escape rooms I’ve ever done. This particular part left me on a heap on the floor emotionally broken and wrecked. The mechanics, the story, the interaction. Ukiyo is innovation at its finest.

Incredibly cool room that is deeply immersive! Even the hint mechanism is built into the set and feels like a part of the story that you’re in. Overall, I think this should be at the top of the list alongside curium, and what’s more is that the puzzles here are creative, though there is a lot of information to sift through.