jakea256

A few jump scares throughout the game but can be toned down by request. I enjoyed the use of space in this game and felt immersed within the narrative.

Definitely the hardest of the games at Escape Reading with adjustable difficulty depending on team size and experience. This game relies heavily on communication and ensures that everyone in the team has something to do at the same time. 

There were some great ideas shown throughout and lots of tactile puzzles to keep all entertained. In places I felt a little more signposting and set dressing would have made the experience more immersive and flow slightly better. 

A really fun challenge for experienced teams!

Great sense of urgency throughout the game as this is a collect as much as you can within the time kind of game. I really liked how there was a greater sense of structure within this game in comparison to others with a similar style.

As with all Escape Reading games, the puzzles are incredibly inventive and use the theming within them perfectly. I also really like how the game begins and ends with the van, completing the story appropriately. 

I felt like I was in the middle of a Disney film - superb theming and puzzles all linked to the theme. The room also had a brilliant soundtrack to immerse even further in the world they have created.

Some really unique physical elements to this game that enhanced play and an ending that was incredibly memorable. 

A must play for this company and possibly my favourite game currently in Reading!

Very impressive use of space and love how everything links back to Lewis Carrol. You can tell the designers of the games at TimeTrap really do their research and ensure even the smallest of things are historically accurate.

As expected, a great variety of puzzles (including some designed by the man himself!) and some really fun physical elements too. Another excellent game from an excellent company.

Superbly themed from the moment you enter the space, GM in character throughout added to the experience and made more enjoyable. Lots to do within the room as you are trying to achieve two objectives simultaneously (one of which is great for solvers of all ages and abilities).

I really liked the wide variety of puzzles used and how they were all in-keeping with the story and war theme. Lots of fun and would definitely recommend.

Tricky one to review as the set and immersion were very good. Some of the puzzles were very clever and unique but many were also illogical (sometimes with multiple seemingly valid solutions) and extremely tired. In one case it was difficult to tell what the answer was even after solving the puzzle. With some more TLC this room could live up to its prior reputation once again.

Some great use of space within this room and puzzles with brilliant aha moments. The locks were in need of TLC as many were stiff even with the right code and the ending wasn’t great (but I believe this was because something was broken). 

Some really great unique moments in this game with a Tales of the Unexpected vibe throughout. Brilliant host Andrew too!

Probably the most complicated game I’ve ever played. A fine attention to detail is required and how this links within the story. Some really satisfying aha moments throughout this game that genuinely make you feel clever. Unique puzzles and concept, huge space to explore. Lovely GM too!

 I think players will find this room very marmite. Personally I loved how intricate the puzzles were, toying with various mechanics to get the right settings and how even minor details became relevant but others will find this frustrating and I can see how. 

Enjoyed the framing for the game and the good variety of puzzles within. The game is very story driven so you must focus on the details you learn throughout and at the end. For me there was a little too much reading all in one go but an enjoyable experience nonetheless. 

Lots packed into a tiny space- some really clever puzzles and all linked to the story of the game. Loved the ending!

Difficult to keep a straight face throughout the experience- lots of fun interactivity and all in-keeping with the story. More of an experience heavy room than puzzle heavy but really didn't matter. Our GM Oli was also very lovely :)

Another excellent game by this up and coming company - lots of unique puzzle ideas that really make you think with satisfying aha moments throughout. 

Really authentic feel with a great variety of puzzles throughout that all linked to progressing the story. Really good fun throughout!

A very sweet game with a good variety of puzzles that can keep enthusiasts, beginners and children entertained throughout. Liked the framing of using presents as puzzles and the adjustable difficulty scale. Not the hardest game but really fun and we left with a smile on our faces. Xmas has come early this year. 

As with all Darkmaster games the sets and attention to detail are incredible. The puzzle quality in this game is also a huge step up from their previous games - lots of multistep tasks that require a lot of thought. 

Great sense of exploration in this game and lots of unique fun moments. 

Would’ve been an easy 5* if there was a little more music to keep the momentum of the room going!

So much fun from start to finish- hilarious room with a set taken from a real airplane!

Good mix of puzzles and an inventive clue system too. 

Well worth playing!

The sets in this room are movie quality and the sense of adventure matches this. Quite physical with a focus on this rather than difficult puzzling. We struggled to identify what had opened upon puzzle completion and so this impacted our time and enjoyment of the game. With a few additional audio clues / increased lighting in particularly dark areas this could be really awesome. The ending especially was cool!

This game was let down by a very uninterested GM for me - Otherwise, the puzzles were easy but interesting and the uses of some items were fun to interact with.

A fairly easy room with plenty of great and fun ideas - the sets looked great and worked well with the theme. A little short for a team of enthusiasts but perfect for first time escapers.

Loved the mechanism in this room - so clever, so cool and incredibly unique. Also really enjoyed the theming and how each of the puzzles fit within it. Great experience from start to finish.

Some really amusing geeky jokes elevated the experience of the room. Even though this is Cryptology's oldest game, the puzzles are all good fun and the framing is also entertaining. 

Some simple in nature ideas executed brilliantly and provided some great aha moments along the way. The game is dark but lanterns were provided to ensure this didn't impact the solving negatively. Really varied puzzles and simply a lot of fun!

Think of this as 4 mini escape rooms that feed into the final room and eventually escaping. Due to the dream theme the room felt chaotic in a good way and lead to a great variety of puzzles that each fit their respective themes. Some insanely cool elements of the game - my favourite game in Notts that we have played!

There is sooo much to do in this room - guaranteed to have the full hour of fun. Really enjoyed breaking into the vault and trying to obtain as much loot as possible - we were only the 3rd team ever to have gotten it all! If there wasn't an over-reliance on one particular puzzle this would be an easy 5* for me.

Excellent theming from start to finish, the aesthetic of the cave made the story feel even more authentic and exactly like the story (or movie) it is based off of. The puzzles were varied and included communication, searching, observation - really something for everyone. A few very clever and entertaining moments makes this game well worth playing.

Beautiful use of the space and the fact that the room is built within existing cave walls is a huge plus! All of the puzzles fit beautifully within the theme and were clever in application too. Imogen was our GM and she was really lovely and only nudged us once - superb game that is well worth playing!

Such a unique concept with a decent variety of puzzles. Some quite easy and others make you think (then subsequently kick yourself for not spotting the trick!). Really funny, lighthearted game with a musical theatre twist. Weird, bonkers and lots of fun!

Really enjoyed the sense of exploration in this room and appreciated how each space was specifically designed to be part of the story. Some of the puzzles in this room were largely paper based and whilst fitting with the theme felt a little generic. That being said a few puzzles were definitely a stand out (no spoilers here but they were cleverly integrated into the story and space exploration). We also found one puzzle to be quite fiddly (most likely our fault but made it feel like we had the incorrect answer when we were right!).

For fans of the show this is a must do experience. Our maze guide would've fit in perfectly with the TV show and interjected the same kind of weird humour throughout our time in the maze. Most of the challenges are adapted from the show (expect to see all the classics without the water ones). We got to play 18 games so 3 each and won 12 crystals + 170 tokens in the final dome. I think for what you get to do and individual game play time that the experience is quite expensive (£50+ each), however the set design and immersion do warrant something. I was a little annoyed to not get a free team photo at the end like more traditional escape room style businesses but I can tell this is being marketed very differently.

Really enjoyed the physicality (playing carnival games) of the space and the fun transitions between rooms.  Lots of unique elements that I've been wanting to see in a room for a while. Unfortunately a number of the props and decor are looking incredibly tired which made it harder than it should've been to solve the puzzles. Because of this some parts could also be deemed as a health and safety hazard (not major but still worth bearing in mind). With a bit of reinvestment this room could look and be incredible once again!

Incredibly impressive and huge set that felt authentic. The use of blindfolds to enter a room usually annoys me but here it worked really well and gave a sense of mystery about what was to come. The puzzles were varied and I loved how each one was directly linked to the story we were unfolding.  Unfortunately, there are a few broken props and stiff doors in this game that lets it down a little. We also felt that there wasn't enough to do, having finished quite quickly, but we still enjoyed and happened to just gel with the room!

Really impressive set and lovely how they've managed to create a story out of a historical event with real shop names and elements of puzzles within. Good variety of dexterity, observational and more. Fun to see some familiar escape room faces in the video segments too.

Really fun format with having exactly 60 seconds a time to fix the time machine (kinda stressful in places but the fun kind). Good variety of technology based puzzles and everything worked well and was very much in the Deadlocked brand. Whilst the set was definitely a homemade feel it added a fun quirkiness to the game. We also really enjoyed having Wexie back (known famously in the Insiders online game) to help us along the way - only one clue needed and apparently a very quick time for a team of 2 so we're very pleased!

Highly original - the set looks and feels incredible. All of the puzzles are in theme and provided some lovely aha moments. Something for everyone in terms of puzzle types - non linear too which works for more experienced teams. 

Lots of great, unique puzzles that were all in-keeping with the theme. Loved that they can change the difficulty to suit the team without anyone noticing. This means it’s great for beginners who need a bit more help and for enthusiasts looking for a bigger challenge. We played as 1 enthusiast and 1 beginner on level 2/3 and needed a tiny bit extra time. Lots of fun

As with all Eacape Plan games the theming is superb (and this one is a little jollier than their other games)- all of the puzzles made sense and were in keeping with the theme. A fair few really lovely handmade tactile elements/ puzzles / boxes that elevate the game to be extremely impressive.