Here’s my humble opinion of what separates good from great to incredible escape rooms: FLOW. Good ones are thematic and challenging. Great ones are intuitive from A to B to C with blending into the theme. Incredible rooms put you in the EXACT plotline and order the room wants you to go, enhancing the plot, which nudgestt you in the right solution direction without needing a clue. This falls between good and great. All the puzzles were thematic and difficult, all the mechanisms and tech were seamless, but it wasn’t clear where to begin or go next. Each of the 4 orbs seemingly were isolated from each other (probably for groups to work separately) but it wasn’t clear what order you needed to solve the leftover lockboxes and mech. The last orb box order wasn’t intuitive, until the game master gave clues, which was frustrating to need that so close to the end because there were three areas where design impeded the escapist and burned unnecessary time. The artifact map, the fire box and the swords. I’d HIGHLY recommend this room for novice groups of 2-4, but a solo player has to be very fast, very experienced and guess-right-the-first-time-lucky to finish the room in time. While that seems negative, the props, plot, design, character, theme, and mech were incredible. I’d play it again with first timers. Loved it.
Flow wasn’t easily apparent thanks to multiple written guide/clues at the beginning. Revealing them in order would improve flow, but this was clearly a decision to give larger teams divided responsibilities.
Game Master was the best I’ve met in over 20 game rooms.
Game Master was the best I’ve met in over 20 game rooms.