The Paradox Project: The Music Academy

I was quite underwhelmed with this room. By this point, we had already played the other two rooms, with two very different experiences. So, I tempered my expectations, and I’m glad I did. Within the first 15 minutes I was becoming increasingly frustrated to realise that I was here for the next 3 hours. Yes, the size is great and the story is cool, but the puzzles felt so ‘meh’ and odd. It would have been clear to the GM that I was deflated throughout the game as I found myself sitting down a lot due to constantly facing puzzles that were either non-sensical or forced. Some of the puzzles were nicely themed though. I really don’t believe this needs to be a 3 hour room. I believe that it’s 3 hours because the puzzles require so much thinking and so much time asking for hints. I don’t think the puzzles are hard, just very odd. I understand that Paradox project proudly think outside of the box with their puzzles, but in this case the box would be your best friend in redesigning this room. We got to experience their abstract way of thinking in the Bookstore, which was fab! But they’ve missed the mark in this room. 

We’re intelligent players and when a room is made well, we glide through it and feel like a great team, but this left us stumped and deflated. 

Part of the story is fantastic and still makes us smile when we talk about it. They’ve clearly written a great story, the puzzles just need to be designed to the same level. 

It may have been a better experience with a large group so ideas could be thrown around. Maybe. 

I wish I could say more amazing things as the Bookstore was excellent, but I’m sorry to say, this was disappointing. 

Deserves it's placement as number 26 on Terpeca 2022 - excellent room. Extremely puzzleheavy, but all the puzzles are so on theme, and very clever! Not super intense but I had a great experience.

Another unmissable, epic room from Paradox Project.

This was the second of three games we played here (which is out of sequence) and I will start by what I am miffed about. They claim they "purposefully went backwards" with this game. I expected this game to be the best of the three (being the newest), and it was so much better than The Mansion... but I was not blown away.

There was some incredibly clever elements. The "final puzzle" was beyond frustarting, and I believe made too hard for no reason other than it's the last puzzle. They claim that few people "get it" - change it then!

However, there were many great moment, many creative ideas - and the sequel, yeah I will return to play and look forward to it.

If they made this a 90 minute game, and cut out a lot of the frustrations, i believe this will be a stunning game.