by Bear Grylls Adventure (website)
National Exhibition Center, Halls, Marston Green, B40 1PA
4-8 players
Languages: EN
60 minutes
Player review
Review by stairs expert
*SPOILERS FOLLOW* (although, tbh, it's hard to imagine how they could possibly make this room worse than it already is)
I'm normally hesitant to play escape rooms that are "bolt-ons" to other experiences, but decided to give this game at the Bear Gryll's adventure near Birmingham a try, as I thought that, even though the puzzles might not be the most innovative or original, at least there would perhaps be an element of exciting physical exploration or adventure. Oh God, I wish I hadn't bothered.
Thinking through the game afterwards, I think there are actually only 4 puzzles that you need to complete, in order, on the critical path from first entering the room to escaping. Absolutely everything else in the room is a red herring (either intentionally or leftover from a puzzle that is no longer used).
You know what's worse than having to solve a Sudoku in an escape room? Solving a Sudoku only to find you didn't even have to. Those three bits of paper with cryptic riddles about eyes on them? Not used. The runes on the floor and provided translation guide? Left over from a previous version of the room (as our guide informed us afterwards). The circled words on the book pages? Meaningless. The telegram pinned to the wall describing the last known location on the map, for which you find the grid coordinates opposite? Just for decoration.
A complete waste of £150 and half an hour of my life.