The Escaporium: Operation Moonshine

By | March 20, 2019

by The Escaporium (website)

Ground Floor, Berwick St Mills, 23 Square Rd, HX1 1QG

Halifax

2-6 players

60 minutes

🐶
Da’ Boss needs you to steal something from Scarface himself! Don’t let him down, or you’ll be sleeping with the fishes!
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Overall rating

Rated between 4 and 4.5 out of 5

based on ratings from 32 users
combined with 4 pro reviews

Your review

Player reviews

Mrs G expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
TeamDOT rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 19 Nov 2022 Team size: 4 Time taken: 47.00 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulcleverfamily friendly

Superb game - Lots to do and the theming was fun too! 

🦡cipherdelic virtuoso rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Anonymous rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 2020 Outcome: Successful escape!
Mark Greenhalgh expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 03/09/17
Anonymous experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
great hosting
🤘The Pick of Destiny expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
originalimmersivegreat hosting
flyingoctopus expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverimmersivegreat hosting

We really enjoy visiting the Escaporium. The owners are very welcoming and friendly. The games are a challenge with some good wow moments and puzzles you won't have seen before. 

Sabrina (The Overthinkers) expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 16 Apr 2022 Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
Simon (The Overthinkers) expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 16 Apr 2022 Team size: 3 Time taken: 49:53 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalgreat hosting
Jen Wells (Get Wells Soon) expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulimmersivegreat hosting

A beautiful room - just gorgeous. Lovely puzzles with a lot to do and a really satisfying wow moment.

matt_keds expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 16 May 2022 Team size: 2 Time taken: 54.40 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalimmersivenifty

#63

Unexpectedly great, the surprises just kept coming. The host was brilliant and the immersion never stopped. 

thehermit experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 29 May 2021 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalclever

 Genuinely really enjoyed this game, we played as a team of two, and it felt like there was an incredible amount to do for two people and the space was very large.

Really loved the twist on the unique theme and would definitely highly recommend this room.

Catherine K experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
clevergreat hosting

A great room with lovely hosts and puzzles we hadn’t seen before.

MerseyMarauders expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulclevergreat hosting
Jess_keds expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulimmersivegreat hosting
A Blacksmith expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 11 Feb 2024 Team size: 2 Time taken: 33:54 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivestory-drivengreat hosting
Our 2nd visit to The Escaporium and we were glad that we did. A really well themed rooms, puzzles were also very much on point/topic. A few tricky ones but we made it in record time! Would highly recommend!
Ladylusiphur rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 16 Apr 2023 Team size: 2 Time taken: 61 Outcome: Failed 🙁
beautifulimmersivestory-drivenvery difficult

I think my opinion of Operation Moonshine would have been slightly different had we been a bigger team. There is a good reason that the game has a difficulty warning for teams of 2 on the website, although as usual we ignored that and booked regardless! 

The puzzles are a mix of difficulty, with some fairly obvious finding items, some more physical puzzles, and many logic based. The biggest problem is the sheer number of them. We took a bit too long in the first area on some admittedly easier puzzles due to not paying enough attention, which meant that as the game progressed we were given a lot more clues than we've normally required, I suspect just to shift us along or we'd never have got to the end. It became a little frustrating as on one hand we want time to be able to consider and find solutions ourselves, however if the gamesmaster hadn't done that we'd have been nowehere near finishing. A couple also seemed to have been made a little more frustrating than really necessary, but I don't think that it would have been as much of an issue with more pairs of eyes searching. 

The setting is gorgeous, and a massive room which makes it feel like a real environment, rather than dressed up warehouse space. I think anyone might believe they're really in the 30's. (Although one plastic prop could do with being replaced with something more authentic looking, even if it's just a wooden/painted prop one rather than anything real)

The gamesmaster was very friendly and because we were almost at the conclusion we were allowed to finish the game about a minute or two over the time limit. Definitely one for very experienced teams if you're short on numbers.  We did a room in Beverley recently that offered medium and hard options, I think something like that would benefit this room. Maybe just skip a couple of padlocks for smaller teams to speed things up. 

Would definitely return here. 

TheEscapeBoomers expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalclevergreat hosting

Amazing room - Hosts were wonderful, the puzzles were engaging and the space look incredible. 

Speedy Sloth expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
beautifuloriginalimmersive
simsi747 experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 1 Oct 2023 Team size: 4 Time taken: 48.10
originalclevergreat hosting

After waiting to get a extra 2 team members we've given this room a go. I've got to say it was a good decision to do it as a 4. I think we'd have struggled as our usual 2. The room is non-linear so there's plenty to do. It flowed very well and I really enjoyed the theme. I can't wait to go back and do the other rooms. If you're in the area it's a deffo must to do 

d.green26 expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 23 Oct 2023 Team size: 2 Time taken: 58 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulimmersivefamily friendly

Another good room at The Escaporium with lots to do that will keep even a large team busy I would think. A good mix of searching and puzzles and although their first room stands up good to how things have moved on with escape rooms and still recommend for a fun hour. Well built set and good hosting again from their team.

puzzlepalooza experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5

Area 51 1/2 was booked so we did this instead, and was very pleasantly surprised as hadn't heard much buzz about it. Lots to do over quite a big space. We came out sweating! Very friendly staff.

Anonymous rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivepoor hosting
Adam Bravery expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 12 Nov 2023 Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverimmersive

Not as good as their newest game but easy to see why it has a great reputation. This is a neat prohibition themed room with a cool set and solid puzzles throughout. A couple of observation / searching ones caught us out and could've done with more signposting but others were satisfying to solve and the room is excellent overall. 

arandzom experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
beautifulstory-driven
leighton_87 rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 30 Nov 2023 Team size: 3 Time taken: 59 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverstory-drivengreat hostingquite difficult

Not sure I have ever been in a room with so many puzzles. Observation skills are key.

To be honest there was too much to do as a team of 2 but the host was brilliant and dragged us through to the end. Throwing the hints at us that were the perfect level to get us through but not ruin the aha moments.

Would loved to have spent more time in there, would have happily paid a bit more for an extra 15 (or maybe even 30) minutes

Chris Metcalfe experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 27 Dec 2023 Team size: 3 Time taken: 59 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivestory-drivengreat hosting

We loved the this room. Lots to do and some lovely original puzzles. We managed to escape with seconds to spare. Lovely venue with great hosting. Highly recommended if you are in the area. 

MaliceInWonderland rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
story-drivengreat hostinggreat theming
The theming, story and puzzles in this room were all fantastic! Loved it! 
Jordan Brown experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 13 Jan 2024 Team size: 2 Time taken: 54:34 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalcleverimmersive
Great theming and good use of props. Some puzzles I’ve not seen before which is hard for enthusiasts! Brush up your observations skills for this - loved every minute of this! 
🔐SpontaneousIllusion expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Tom experienced rated this:Rated between 30 and 30 out of 5
Played: August 2019 Team size: 5 Time taken: 44.17 Outcome: Successful escape!

My favourite room of all time! The theme of the room is so clever and really suits the idea of escaping. Excellent props and the puzzles are absolutely fantastic! So much to do in this room so really needed the large group here. I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners but once you have a few under your belt then this is one of the very best!!

Reviews by escape room review sites

Although driving to Halifax and back took out precious time from a packed schedule of escape games in and around Leeds, I'd heard enough recommendations for The Escaporium that I was keen to squeeze them in; and the owners were kind enough to let us play at a non-standard start time to make everything fit. (When visiting, note that their two games are in different locations, though the distance between is not far.)

Operation Moonshine is set in the Prohibition; your team are gangsters, breaking...

An engaging Prohibition-themed room, with beautiful decorations, a magnificent centrepiece and puzzles that held my interest right till the end of the game.
A wonderfully themed historic game, packed with puzzles and surprises that keep you engrossed throughout. An absolutely brilliant game.

Lists

This game is part of the following user-created game lists:
  • Best UK escape rooms 2022 by Escape the Review virtuoso
    These are the 100 highest rated escape rooms in the UK, as of 31st Dec 2022, based on combined ratings from enthusiasts, bloggers and experts - every game here comes highly recommended. 
  • Best UK escape rooms 2021 by Escape the Review virtuoso
    These are the 100 highest rated escape rooms (out of 1600) in the UK, as of 31st Dec 2021, based on combined ratings from enthusiasts, bloggers and experts - every game here comes highly recommended. 

See also