Compendium Escape Rooms: Bedlam

Visiting Compendium to binge all four of their games as part of a larger schedule, we started with the insane asylum theme, which I guess is rather suitable for anyone trying to do eight escape rooms in a day. All the rooms in the venue looked good, and Bedlam made an immediate good impression: rather than clinical bare white decor or being derelict and dirty, it uses padded walls to great effect, and lighting that’s low enough to be atmospheric without being a problem.

We got off to a slightly...

I am really not a horror fan. I am a massive coward, so the idea of doing not just one, but two ‘scary’ rooms was a little daunting. However, we spoke to the Compendium team prior to booking who assured me there would be no live actors or jump scares, so we went ahead and booked. Bedlam definitely fits into the ‘creepy’ and suspenseful area of ‘scary’, with atmospheric background music/sounds that felt extremely immersive. I actually found myself really enjoying this! The combination of dingy lighting, a chair with handcuffs, and random screams in the background helped set the mood and get the adrenaline running before any puzzles have taken place.

Another excellent game from Compendium. Good puzzles, good theming and a nice humorous twist.