London, May 2016
Cluequest are clearly a professional outfit and whilst the initial welcome might be a bit rushed, the staff clearly try to take care of you once you get going. Plan 52 is the first of 3 rooms, and it’s worth saying that whilst I could take or leave this room, it may be worth doing just to complete the sequence (the other two rooms are both of higher quality).
This room itself has a fairly weak theme; although it’s decorated, fundamentally it feels like a standard office / search layout. They have a couple of innovative puzzles I very much enjoyed, but by and large it’s very standard problem solving.
Unless you’re a beginner, if you’re going to only do one Cluequest room, I’d suggest one of the other two.
Cluequest is a slick high-capacity operation set up well for the corporate market. But they have a fun tongue-in-cheek style, and they’re a good beginner-friendly option.
I enjoyed PLAN52 a great deal. This may be because I played it on a much earlier occasion than Sam, when I’d only done a handful of escape rooms; it’s possible it’s less impressive to enthusiasts than to beginners. But I like the slightly cartoonish aesthetic and I found all Cluequest’s rooms challenging and fun.
Their three rooms form a natural sequence, and I’d suggest playing them in order – not least because each of the three is a step up from the previous in sophistication and difficulty. (And if you’re reading this site, you’re clearly going to end up playing all three of them sooner or later, right?)
So yes, perhaps this first room of their three is a bit heavy on the padlocks, and teams who’ve played lots of rooms might find it underwhelming; but it’s a fun, satisfying room.