Puzzlescape has been a fixture of the local mass escape room scene for a while, with a large number of games and an emphasis on puzzling and ongoing characters. Unfortunately, while they are typically great, this game was a massive misstep. The game design is consistently frustrating, often requiring too many convoluted steps that are blandly written out. While they occasionally make use of thematic props, they tend to feel extremely out of place in the game world. The set is bland and unexciting, with little in the way of immersion. Ultimately, Scam Sham felt like a bad escape room bloated to 90 minutes by frustrating, nonsense process puzzles. Puzzlescape has done better and I’m sure they will either improve this game or continue to build experiences on par with their past games. For now, this game should be avoided in favor of Something Wicked or Legend of Pepe.
Some fun puzzles, but mostly frustrating process puzzles with no logical purpose.
Very bland, with minimal decor.
Our gamemaster was a highlight of a negative experience with his attentiveness and patience.
You’re going to want at least four, although more may be helpful.
