Dark Lullaby

Any great room needs a roller coaster of puzzles and that is what I felt was given to us here. Almost every step of the gameplay unveiled a deeper and darker piece of the story as we drifted further into the nightmare. I loved taking part in creative tasks with children’s toys that look twisted. Countless items and puzzles gave an almost “Awww-AHH” reaction and that’s the best way to describe it. Lots of great detail in the darkness and twisted puzzle concepts that drew inspiration from childhood figures and fears that we enjoyed picking up on. A great thing to note is that for players that say they don’t want to be scared when trying to solve puzzles: that was never the case here. The scares were timed beautifully with the story as a result of actions and never served as a disruption. When it was time to solve, you felt the eerie tones in a way that didn’t take away from the puzzle.

Through lighting and sound design, room transitions and slight elevational changes, Dark Lullaby convinces you that the nightmare realm is overtaking you. What I loved about the space was that the world existed as if we were fully transported into deep sleep - where the scenery/rooms feel loose and not concrete. Defying the natural world and laws of physics through REALLY UNIQUE DESIGN! Down to the custom wallpaper.. everything always felt a bit “off”. This really executes the concept of a dream-world perfectly.

As always, we appreciate how truly incredible Escape Artist Greenville is! Will and Kim are some of the best designers that really know how to execute a theme!

Such a great twist with darker elements.

Every layer of the story transitioned flawlessly through use of intelligent character and puzzle placement. Lots of great, theatrical moments that help you “experience” the story over traditionally “unlocking” the next piece of it. Two interactions in particular felt dramatic and executed so well.

A few good challenges, but overall a great blend of easy wins with fun, physical tasks.

Great use of tech, with a great blend of lock where it made sense in the environment.

There’s a great mix of jump scares and intense moments. The sound design and inclusion of intricate characters that play a role how scary this game can be. For our group of 5, I felt the heat at some moments, but with any great design - it was a rollercoaster. When you felt the shift in the game and knew it was coming, the scares were intense, but when the intensity dissipated, it felt safe to play and solve while just being eerie and atmospheric.

Hearing impaired could be negatively affected