Author Archives: escapethereview

Room Lockdown: Prison Break

London, Sep 2017

Next up at Room Lockdown was Prison Break, which naturally involves you breaking out of gaol. Expect a split team start and some impressively authentic restraints.

As with their Doll game, this was a game that I enjoyed playing despite what sometime… (more)

It’s taken me a long time to get out to the cluster of games at Room Lockdown in Hornchurch, partly because it’s a longer journey than some venues outside London, and partly because I had low expectations for the games. The company has five different… (more)

Escape The Crate: Chapter 4: The Trials of Houdini

Room-in-a-box, Sep 2017

With episode 3, I had worried that the slight decrease in quality from the first couple of episodes would be permanent; Trials of Houdini reassures that that’s not the case.

This episode is set in early 20th century Coney Island, where you must navi… (more)

Escape The Crate: Chapter 3: Escape The Colosseum

Room-in-a-box, Sep 2017

Episode 3 was actually the first of the Escape The Crate series I played, due to the order the boxes were delivered in (and a certain lack of patience on my part). I’m quite glad of that, since it’s a step down from the first two episodes, particular… (more)

Escape The Crate: Chapter 2: Escape the Queen Anne’s Revenge

Room-in-a-box, Sep 2017

The second Escape The Crate episode places you on Blackbeard’s pirate ship, searching for an anomalous object that risks overturning the course of history, also advancing the larger story introduced in the first episode.

With many subscription-base… (more)

Escape The Crate: Chapter 1: Escape the Confederate Spymistress

Room-in-a-box, Sep 2017

With the ever-increasing number of play-at-home escape games coming onto the market, I guess it was a matter of time until someone tried a subscription-based version – and that’s exactly what Escape The Crate have done. You sign up in advance to a tw… (more)

Escape The Crate: Chapter 0: The Midnight Express

Room-in-a-box, Sep 2017

The subscription series of play at home games from Escape The Crate includes an online-only game. This is free to play without purchase… up to the halfway point, beyond which you can’t progress without a cipher key from episode 1. If you own episod… (more)

Escape Time: Sam’s Saloon

Birmingham, Sep 2017

The second game we played at Escape Time is also the second one created by the venue (at time of writing, they’ve just announced their upcoming third game), and has a Wild West theme. That’s a style of game that seems curiously neglected by escape ro… (more)

Escape Time: Bank Heist

Birmingham, Sep 2017

Escape Time is in Sutton Coldfield on the outskirts of Birmingham, a quick drive or a long bus journey out from the centre of the city. It’s an enthusiast-run venue which currently has two games, with a third under construction. We played both games … (more)

Can You Escape: Operation H.E.R.O.

York, Sep 2017

This is the second room I’ve tackled from the excellent Can You Escape team, the first being the spaceship themed Operation Odyssey in Edinburgh.

There’s some similarity between their two locations, both hosted upstairs in generic over-shop office … (more)