Reading, Jan 2023
The previous two games from Escape Reading are both, in different ways, tense and fast-paced games which need effective co-operation and teamwork. Age of Magic is a different beast altogether, a dreamy fantasy that leads you through a magical cave full of wonder (and puzzles).
As narrated before we began, the story is that long ago magic was taken from the world, leading to a dark age; but in this cave you have the chance to find the source of magic and restore it to humanity.
Sufficiently advanced technology may be indistinguishable from magic, and there’s a lot of electronics used here to create the feeling of magic – not in the sense of going round casting spells, but the impression that you’re in a place suffused with magic, a little like in the world of the Avatar movies. I’ve written elsewhere that I’m a sucker for beauty in escape rooms, in the sense of extravagantly pretty set design that you’d queue to spend time in even if there were no puzzles to solve. Age of Magic is a candidate for that. It’s a lovely creation that makes you want to investigate and explore thoroughly, not just to find clues but to properly enjoy the space.
I felt that this game doesn’t need to be rushed. It’s not unusually difficult, and is fairly linear, so you can take your time and enjoy the journey. Rushing to the end as efficiently as possible would be a bit of a shame. Our team of four took a hint here and there (such as at the point where I started going about solving something the slow, frustrating way and the host nudged us into looking for a better approach), but I’d recommend a smaller group for experienced players – it’d be a great choice to play as a couple. It’s also an obvious one for family groups.
Lovely to look at and also fun, I struggle to imagine any team not have a good time playing this one. These days Reading is battling Nottingham for top UK escape room town; when making the case for Reading, Age of Magic is a star exhibit. 