Compendium Escape Rooms: UI-55

By | October 30, 2019

by Compendium Escape Rooms (website)

1a Crompton St, BL9 0AD

Bury

2-12 players

Languages: EN

60 minutes

60 minutes to salvage as much of Britain's wealth as possible.
Has your team got what it takes?
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Overall rating

Rated between 4 and 5 out of 5

based on ratings from 59 users
combined with 5 pro reviews

Your review

Player reviews

Mrs G expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 11 Mar 2024 Team size: 2
beautifulimmersivegreat hosting
Fantastic room, lots of puzzles, great set and brilliant hosting. Highly recommended
ā˜•Joe Brown expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 3 Apr 2022 Team size: 4
Crystal Maze meets Escape room with a tonne of puzzles to do across a big set, perfect for keen enthusiasts
TheSinger expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 11 Dec 2022 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
value for moneyimmersiveepicquite difficult

This room has just become my all time favourite! Right up there at no.1 (sorry Daylight Robbery). 

Iā€™ve heard of this room within enthusiast groups and boy did it deliver! And it deserves every bit of recognition that it is receiving! 

Completely non linear and crammed full of every type of puzzle from math to logic, search and find to physical. A great end game (I wonā€™t give too much away). 

The room is HUGE and certainly doesnā€™t have that feel of claustrophobia (unlike a real submarine). The build and set is stunningly ā€œsimpleā€ (if thatā€™s the right word) 

We escaped as a team of 2, collecting all loot bags within the hire, and didnā€™t stop for the entire time we were inside. 

I cannot praise the room highly enough! Itā€™s a must for enthusiasts and ā€œgeneral playersā€ alike! You wonā€™t regret it. 

roberts0502 experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 7 Dec 2022 Team size: 2 Time taken: 59:00 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalimmersiveactive
MerseyMarauders expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
clevergreat hostingintense
TheDreamTeam experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 14 May 2022 Team size: 2 Time taken: 60 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techcleverepic

Very original concept and such an exciting game to play. Tons of puzzles and great hosts.

PurpleB expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
šŸŒµJuliette B expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 19 Jun 2022 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalcleverintense

So many things to do - claim as much treasure as you can in one hour. We (understandably) did not do the whole lots playing as a two but we certainly had a great time! Absolutely worth a play. 

thehermit experienced rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 6 Nov 2021 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalcleverfamily friendly

As our first collection type game, we really enjoyed the different take on an escape room. 

However, we played as a team of two, and there was a certain aspect in the game which would make completing the game on unattainable. However this aspect was swapped out during our gameplay which made it a little easier.

After playing a few other collectible games in the UK, I would still recommend you UI 55 but you can now tell this was one of the first as other companies have built on different aspects.

Anonymous rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 29 Feb 2020 Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!

One of the best games I've ever played. So much to do, so well themed...absolutely brilliant room that I could recommend to everyone who has ever played an escape game.

Anonymous rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 14 May 2022 Team size: 4 Time taken: 60 Outcome: Successful escape!
value for moneyhi-techintensequite difficult

Unbelievable again from the guys at compendium, a very different type of game and I think I like it. The brief is in depth and explains the game nicely then you are left to it to try and complete as many puzzles as possible in the hour and what a mix of puzzles there are. Honestly a must play for anyone.

Anonymous rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 16 Apr 2021 Team size: 2 Time taken: 60.00 Outcome: Successful escape!
original

Our first ā€œcollection  gameā€ and itā€™s definitely a different experience. Lots to see and do, and you certainly get your moneys worth, but Iā€™m not sure if itā€™s my cup of tea. The space is fantastic, but felt a little chaotic at times for a group of two. I can imagine with a larger group it makes for a great atmosphere.

Laura McGill expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 16 Dec 2021 Team size: 2 Time taken: 59:00 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalimmersivequite difficult

Fantastic escape game - one of the best we've done by far - highly recommend.

lizratesrooms experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 14 May 2022 Team size: 4 Time taken: 50 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techintenseepic

AMAZING! so many puzzles and such a brilliant set. I'm in awe, this is the BEST room I've done. I would give it more stars if I could!!!

šŸ¤˜The Pick of Destiny expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 24 Mar 2022 Team size: 3 Time taken: 59m 38s Outcome: Successful escape!
value for moneyoriginalintensequite difficult

Not to be missed!! Its clear why this is a top rated game - an escape game with a twist!! Great hosting too! VISIT NOW!

Swimminglion238 rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: April 22 Team size: 4
beautifulcleverimmersive
Anonymous experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 5 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techimmersivegreat hostingquite difficult

Lovely host. Well designed room. We had loads of fun! There is a lot going on though. It's more about collecting loot than escaping so it isn't linear. Good for big groups.

Arjay Henshall expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalimmersivequite difficult
matt_keds expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 30 Jan 2022 Team size: 4 Time taken: 60 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techepicimpressive

#33

The only word for this experience is WOW. We played as a team of four, although you could get 10 people in here and not have it be cramped. The scale of this experience is incredible, and the aesthetic matches the quality of somewhere like Viking at Extremescape or Curiosity Shoppe at Escape Quest. 

There are SO many puzzles to look at here, it can feel overwhelming at first, but after 5 minutes you can really get into a great flow. A mixture of practical, logic, electronic and techy puzzles means thereā€™s something for everybody. 

You really get your moneyā€™s worth here too, plus the ending is so much fun, particularly as an observer (no spoilers)! Definitely head to Compendium for the day and try all of the rooms.

Escape Enthusiast expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
value for moneyhi-techintense
abooth expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalimmersive

One of the most unique games out there - absolutely full to the brim with puzzles. Unreal room.

Simon (The Overthinkers) expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 30 Aug 2020 Team size: 2 Time taken: 59:30 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techimmersiveintense
Ronnie Meade experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 4 Dec 2021 Team size: 2 Time taken: 59:53 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivegreat hostingintense

I don't think there are enough superlatives to explain the sheer enjoyment and challenge experienced with this room! The themeing and room design are impressive, with the puzzles sticking to this theme and ranging from logical, observational, skill, some teamwork and communication. This is not your normal escape room in terms of solving clues to gain an escape... The game is to solve puzzles to gain tokens and a chance to win keys to get as much of the loot as you can before finally escaping the submarine. The room is surprisingly huge and plenty to do without being linear to keep the whole party busy. And at Ā£39 for a team of 2,unbelievable value which Alex was passionate about keeping low to ensure it was accessible for many to enjoy. Alex was also an outstanding host and a pleasure to chat to. This room and company are an absolute must for everyone to visit! 

Anonymous rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techgreat hostingepicquite difficult

Wow wow wow! Not your normal escape room - you have to solve as many puzzles to get as much swag as you can and get out in time. It was so much fun! There are TONS of puzzles and games packed into this room of all types and difficulty levels, there's something for everyone.

The immersion and set was really outstanding, as was the use of technology. Despite the diversity in the puzzles, they all managed to keep to the theme and didn't break the immersion of being on a submarine. Our host/owner Alex was an absolute diamond, such a lovely bloke and has clearly put a lot of love into Compendium. 

We had an excellent time as a pair but this room is huge and almost completely non-linear, so I think it would be great for big groups too. I would recommend to anyone (especially fans of the crystal maze - no spoilers though!) šŸ˜‰ 

magicalbacons expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Team size: 7 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalimmersiveintensequite difficult
šŸ¦”cipherdelic virtuoso rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
originalcleverepic
šŸ”James Bloodworth expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 17/06/2021 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverfamily friendlyintense
You have boarded a submarine with lots of stolen treasure, how much can you claim in an hour?  Whilst technically an escape room (you have to escape at the end!) this room features an awful lot of puzzles packed into a large space, solve a puzzle, get treasure!  There are so many puzzles, ranging from the logical, to the physical to the high tech.  An awful lot of fun!
Anonymous rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
The Monkey expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techimmersiveintensequite difficult

Just became my number 1 room. I literally could not fault it. Well worth the reputation and the only way anyone can give this less than a 5 star is if they struggled to understand the room. You have to separate and you have to work continuously for the full 60 minutes. Very clever way to win the game, very clever way to move forward. So worth the visit and the travel! Thanks for the great hosting. 

Karen Peers experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 3 Time taken: 59 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techimmersiveintensequite difficult
A Blacksmith expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 11 Feb 2024 Team size: 2 Time taken: 52 bags Outcome: Successful escape!
immersiveintenseepic
Very much an Epic room, so much to do. As a team of 2, it was tough but we made it, I would recommend a team of 4 or 6, unless you like a lot of cardio.  Worth it's reputation.  
Seven Of Diamonds experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 2023 Team size: 2 Time taken: 52/52 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivegreat hostingepic
samsham experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 18 Nov 2023 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalclever
šŸ”SpontaneousIllusion expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulvalue for moneyoriginalquite difficult
browngate experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
lilyw rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalclever
HazelChester rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
beth23 rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 6 Jan 2024 Team size: 8 Time taken: 60
value for moneyimmersivefamily friendly
We played as a large team and there was lots of puzzles for each of us to get stuck into! I enjoyed it so much that I canā€™t wait to play it again! 
Mark Crossley experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 16/04/2022 Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalintenseepicquite difficult
knoh39 experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 30 Dec 2023 Team size: 4 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalfamily friendly

Had a great time, lots of puzzles to get through! One part of the game was a bit slow which was quite frustrating. Overall one of our favourite games. 

TheAllatts rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 23 Dec 2023 Team size: 4 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalimmersive

Thereā€™s plenty to get your teeth stuck into in this room! A large escape room where splitting up is a must. Lots and lots of puzzles to work through, some harder than others. A really immersive room with plenty of originality. Great hosting really set the scene for the room. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! 

Jordan Brown experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 17 Dec 2023 Team size: 4 Time taken: 47:36 (52 bags) Outcome: Successful escape!
epicgreat puzzlesbroken techquite difficult

Fantastic room that is up there with the greats in the UK. Theming is fantastic and you really have got to play in a bigger team to get the most out of this room. Some great puzzles and fun moments - good for any level of experience. Really should be worthy of 5 stars but a few pitfalls exist. Unfortunately there was some broken tech in the room and games master had to intervene and enter the room at one point. Hosting was also okay but couldā€™ve done with a bit of atmospheric story telling as we were never told the back story of the room. Also have to raise some conventional safety concerns - fractured plastic cutting one playerā€™s hand, few heavy objects.. nothing severe but do be careful

Spanishfleas experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 28 Nov 2023 Team size: 4 Time taken: 52 bags Outcome: Successful escape!
intenseepic

Absolute puzzle fest. Worked so well for our group. I loved every moment, running around, devouring any puzzle available to me. Some subtle, others blatantly obvious to those paying attention. Lots of fun and worth checking out if puzzles are your thing. 

TheCLAMS expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 29 Oct 2023 Team size: 4 Time taken: 59 mins (everything collected) Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techcleverimmersivequite difficult

This is the best game I have ever played (although I'm torn between this and the chapel gate mysteries)

The sheer size of this game is incredible and the amount you have to do is crazy but as it's a collector style game, you can't fail really! We absolutely love this and had the most fun ever. As we've played more games, we've got faster and faster so sometimes we are out in 30 mins but this game really takes the full hour and you feel a real sense of achievement when you complete it!

ashpf experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 5 Outcome: Successful escape!
Jen Wells (Get Wells Soon) expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 1 Jan 2023 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverimmersiveintense

Without a doubt, one of the most fun, action-packed, puzzle-heavy games we have ever played. The set (and it does feel like a film set) is absolutely enormous. A plethora of puzzles awaits you in this absolute mammoth of an escape room. There are so many elements that make this such a clever room but there is one special element that takes it up to the next level of gameplay.

There are physical puzzles, observation, communication, incredibly frustrating ones... The list is endless! We were frantic in here and just managed to collect everything we needed before escaping. For a team of two enthusiasts, there is more than enough to keep you busy for the entire hour.

In short, it's a must-play. Superb.

ShellH experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 5 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverintenseepic
goyinghome rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersive

A good room, but better suited for larger teams 

flyingoctopus expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
simsi747 experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 3 Sep 2023 Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalimmersivegreat hosting

Wow. Where do I start. This room was fantastic. The puzzles were clever and original.  We really enjoyed the style of play this room gave us. We could work on our own or as a team. Plenty to do for a small team and even larger teams. Our host was fantastic. We will definitely be back to do the rest of the rooms there 

Chris Metcalfe experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 5 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulvalue for moneyepic

Absolutely fantastic room. HUGE with so many puzzles. Up in our top 5

arandzom experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
beautifulhi-techimmersive
Speedy Sloth expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifuloriginalimmersive
TheEscapeBoomers expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalclevergreat hosting

Like everyone who plays this game, we had a blast! no more needed. 

escape_racoon rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techoriginalepic

One of my favourites, love this room

Jess_keds expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techlarge
Anonymous expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
intense

A great room for people who have played many escape rooms, there is a lot to conquer in this game. The space is huge.

There are elements that don't sit quite right. Some tech-puzzles appear to be in a submarine and are just logic puzzles (like Mastermind) and appear to be shoe-horned in rather than making it more about the theme.

The mechanic to get the keys to obtain the loot is great once, but 50+ times in the game and it gets very tiresome. This gives you keys where you have to open lockers on the opposite side of the space, to obtain loot. No surprise loot in these lockers but consumes time to fulfil the goal of stuffing loot in a bag. Lockers are in a slightly odd numbered-order, increasing time further. Many of the keys struggle to open the locks.

The conclusion to the game I don't want to say too much about, as it was a surprise, but only one can partake, and really doesn't make sense to the submarine theme. It's another "puzzle" that uses tech what seems to be for tech's sake - rather than an in-theme addition to the game.

There was plenty of positives in this game, it's puzzle paradise - but the issues with the game could be improved and corrected making this game amazing. 

AubreyB expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 4 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersiveintense
Anonymous rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 29/10/2020 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!

Outstanding room by Compendium! Not your usual escape room but one of the best fun we had in a British room so far!

I don't want to give too much away but whoever reads this, you should definitely try it out. The dƩcor is unreal, the puzzles are smart and very well crafted, there is a twist half-way through and you quickly forget about getting the top score, you just want to have fun!

It's missing a tiny bit of sound atmosphere to my liking but I couldn't give it less than 5 stars after all the fun we had! I'm even considering booking it again!

Reviews by escape room review sites

Of Compendiumā€™s (currently) four games, UI-55 stands apart, right near the top of enthusiastsā€™ rankings for best U.K. games. Itā€™s also very different in style: where the others are well suited for an experienced pair, UI-55 is a score-based game where youā€™ll probably want at least three if not four, if youā€™re aiming to get through anything like all of it.

With my usual disregard for the finer points of the plot, Iā€™d boil this one down to: youā€™re on a submarine, thereā€™s a bunch of loot, get as m...

Never have I ever seen this many puzzles crammed into a room. UI-55 isnā€™t your traditional escape room, but if youā€™re in the mood for puzzles, puzzles, and more puzzles, mixed with an insane amount of fun, you canā€™t go wrong with this game.

This is a short review because the verdict is simple. This is a must-play room, and we are awarding it our highest award; The Badge of Honour.

Wow! Simply EPIC. Clink the link to read our review!

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. 
  • Best UK escape rooms 2023 by Escape the Review virtuoso
    These are the 100 highest rated escape rooms in the UK, as of 31st Dec 2023, based on combined ratings from enthusiasts, bloggers and experts - every game here comes highly recommended. 

See also