An experience of this caliber should be focused on the “fun” factor and player dynamic and it, unfortunately, didn’t deliver in those ways. An escape room [as mentioned countless times here before] it is not. This is a walkthrough story-experience with few tasks implemented to assist with driving the story.
There are puzzly tasks that will regenerate once completed successfully to make use of the allotted time frame in each room. While in some cases we appreciated the opportunity to redo a rewarding action, more often those redone attempts became tedious as we were ready to progress. This experience is designed as a “people mover”. Which is used to get a number of guests through the experience in timed blocks in order for each group to progress together regardless of puzzle success.
My biggest upset would be the final “puzzle” where we were only given [what felt like] 2 minutes to complete before being progressed forward. The final “puzzle” felt unintuitive and then we proceeded to move into additional rooms with no puzzles. So our team spent the remainder of the walkthrough pondering what that puzzle meant as we were just ushered through more environments with story purpose, but no interactive elements to add to the finale. This felt odd and left us unsatisfied - not ideal for an end of “escape room” experience.
If you go for a story-focused walkthrough, the effects are relatively cool and the environments are standard and clean. At this price point, it is nothing worth running to. We were told we would be in the experience for a full 60 minutes, but we’re out in under 50, including introduction briefing outside the room.
Gameplay
If I could, I would give the game play a thumb to the right. This experience had a few solid puzzles concepts that were enjoyable and blended creative elemental theming with the underlying sense of plot-urgency. My issue exists with the over-delivered audio/video storytelling that, in my opinion, took away the “fun” factor that this game did possess at its core. Some rooms required audio instruction to cue your starting place, which became frustrating when you knew what to do, but simply didn’t know there was a correct order to listen for. This was a common frustrating element of the GAME. I wanted to just go an have fun. Not stop and start at each room.
Spaces were themed fine and clean. Lots of monitors and screens with barricaded details that felt indicative of a museum more than an escape room. One room near the middle felt separated from the previous square rooms with concrete walls. This helped breakup the spaces and made the transition to this environment fresh and interesting. Many rooms to explore.
The greeter was friendly and inviting. The rule briefing team members were courteous while following scripted guidelines. The host at our games conclusion was helpful in answering our questions.
Overall everyone was kind while working at 10:30-11:30pm at a theme park.
Particularly interesting or different
No
An excess amount of story was this experiences downfall, in my opinion. While a story is needed for great room, puzzle and narrative progression, listening to countless instruction at the beginning and end of each room became a very daunting task. At times, it was overwhelming.
Scary
There is one startling element to this experience. Some may consider it a jump scare. There are also moments of darkness and suspense/thrill.
Physically active
Not at all
