Zemsta Umarlaka [Deadman's Revenge]DreamScape - Escape RoomEscape roomIRLDead Man’s Revenge was my first experience playing a TERPECA-winning escape room, and it did not disappoint! Our attention was seized from the moment we were summoned by the GM, and we remained enthralled throughout the entire experience. I had reservations about the presence of a live actor, having had limited exposure to this in the past. I must say that it definitely added an extra dimension to the gameplay and increased immersion. The sets are wonderful, the audio and special effects were masterful, and the hint system was inspired. A fantastic mix of varied puzzles kept us on our toes, with one particular challenge towards the end requiring lots of clear communication. A special mention for our GM, who also doubled as multiple characters in the room. He was funny, terrifying and fully embraced his roles. He really made the experience for us. Dead Man's Revenge is a MUST play if you are visiting Poznan, and has taken the number one spot on my personal escape room rankings. If this is the level of quality to expect from TERPECA-winning rooms, then I will definitely be seeking more of them out.
The 13th FloorEscape Rooms CardiffEscape roomIRLWe’d heard a lot of buzz about TERPECA 2024 nominee The 13th Floor, which is the newest addition to ERC. This was our second game of the day, and quite a departure from the more ‘traditional’ Cardiff Castle. It stood out from the other games we’ve played due to its effective use of a smaller space and the novel approach to gameplay. It is a modern 2.0 escape room that utilises electronic locks, along with other immersive elements, which add some extra surprises. This technical wizardry, made possible by the room’s modern technology, boosted immersion and led to some fun reveals along the way. The set design looked so authentic that one of our team who is afraid of heights, was scared to enter the lift at the start! Alex (GM) had to reassure us that it wasn’t an actual lift, but that the technology used would simulate the feeling of movement. As we stepped inside and the doors closed behind us, we had no idea what to expect… The 13th Floor is a fantastic linear room that slowly reveals each puzzle in a fun way as the elevator ‘ascends’. There are lots of tactile puzzles to solve, with plenty of teamwork required. The story was also engaging and had us invested in urgently working through each level. Despite its spooky vibes, I wouldn’t class this as a horror room – it was unsettling at times, but never felt all-out scary. We escaped with about 10 minutes to spare, after losing a decent chunk of time on one puzzle. We kicked ourselves as we had missed a key detail that would have allowed us to solve it much more quickly. This room was a big hit with us and definitely deserves its TERPECA nomination! Kudos to the team at ERC, who have managed to create a very memorable experience in a relatively small space using some great technological enhancements. For the full article covering my trip to Escape Rooms Cardiff, visit: https://escapepuzzler.com/escape-rooms-cardiff-uk-part-1-feature/
SéanceRiddlr Escape RoomEscape roomIRLGreat atmospheric theming, occasional jump scares (no live actors) and creepy components make for an effective horror experience. This linear room features a good variety of puzzle types, a self-service hint system and some fun surprises. It was definitely on the easier side, with our main issue being the lack of lighting at times (and one light source to share). A fun experience overall! Our host Maddie was fantastic - really welcoming, knowledgeable and attentive! We will definitely be back to play the other rooms. Worth pointing out that if you play two rooms back-to-back, you pay a special price of £30 pp which is superb value!
Astro QuestEscape Rooms CardiffEscape roomIRLWe were all hit by a wave of nostalgia as we entered the retro-themed kids’ bedroom that makes up the first part of Astro Quest. It was like being thrown back into our childhoods. We were mesmerised by the many familiar items dotted around the bedroom: an old game console, posters of 80s/90s blockbuster films (Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park), a Thunderbirds toy and a lava lamp. The puzzles in this room were really fun and creative, fully making use of the retro theme. I was particularly fond of one that utilised a book collection identical to one I owned as a child. The mechanism for unlocking the path forward was also a magical and thrilling moment. We shot through the bedroom portion of the game very quickly, before being magically transported onto a spaceship. The theming, as we’ve come to expect from ERC’s rooms, was fantastic. Neon lights, mechanical doors and a control room with various screens and panels. There was a mix of linear and non-linear puzzles that utilised all of our different skill sets; communication was key. A task involving wires nearly tore the team apart, but we pulled together and raced to the end. All-in-all, it took us 39 minutes to escape, which we were extremely happy with! Astro Quest is a solid room full of heart and wonder. It’s retro theming ramped up our nostalgia, before transporting us to space for the second half of the mission. We left the room grinning from ear to ear, and ultimately, what better review is there for an experience than a huge smile? For the full article covering my trip to Escape Rooms Cardiff, visit: https://escapepuzzler.com/escape-rooms-cardiff-uk-part-1-feature/
Save King's LandingPuzzle Punks - DubrovnikEscape roomIRLAs big Game of Thrones fans we were thrilled to play an escape room in the city where some of the most iconic scenes were filmed. Precious knowledge of the series is not required, but will enhance the experience (which is set during the Battle of Blackwater in season two). The puzzles were well-designed and varied with a decent level of challenge. One of the standout puzzles involved something we hadn’t come across in an escape room before! A great experience overall 👍
Secret Treasure of DubrovnikPuzzle Punks - DubrovnikEscape roomIRLSecret Treasure of Dubrovnik was a fun room with clever puzzles and the added bonus of learning about the history of Dubrovnik as you play. We enjoyed the variety of challenges, mechanical puzzles and attention to detail. The Game of Thrones room is also excellent!
Steampunk: Alternatywna Rzeczywistość [ Steampunk: An Alternate Reality ]Escape TimeEscape roomIRLThis was our third Escape Time room, and we were glad that we had warmed up with some easier ones ahead of Steampunk: An Alternate Reality. Before entering the first room, our GM filled us in on the backstory. We were two orphans who had been adopted by a famous inventor who had mysteriously vanished. He had asked that in the event of his death (or disappearance) that we should find his secret lab and destroy his research so that it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. He didn’t, however, leave easy instructions for how to do this. Stepping into the first room, we were faced with several potential starting points. This experience is predominantly non-linear, although at specific points, tasks must be done in a certain order. There were 16+ puzzles to solve across the 75-minute runtime, and these required us to be agile and communicate effectively. As we worked our way through the four distinct rooms, I soaked up the steampunk aesthetic (which I personally love). The theme was right up my street, with each subsequent room offering its own surprises. We were told that one of the rooms had recently received an upgrade, which showed as it looked fantastic. One of my favourite elements was actually the hint system, which was so much fun. I don’t want to spoil how it works, but it made the room feel even more immersive. I’d definitely recommend a team of 3 or 4, if possible. We made it out just over the time, but given the fact that it was just two of us and the sheer number of puzzles, we were pretty pleased with our performance. A great room that challenged us and offered some diverse challenges.
NautilusRiddlr Escape RoomEscape roomIRLA well-themed nautical room featuring a mix of technical and non-technical puzzles. Surprisingly spacious and, apart from a couple of hiccups, everything functioned well (one incorrectly reset padlock meant we managed to get out while missing a puzzle and another puzzle had faulty buttons). We got off to a very rocky start with the first puzzle, which was the product of overthinking across the team. After that, we managed to speed up mostly but lost some time on a jigsaw after taking the wrong approach. We did make it out on time, although wish we’d made it a bit quicker! Maddie was a fantastic host who encouraged us to return to try out their 80s themed room, and a new Hansel and Gretal themed room that is launching later this year! Worth pointing out that if you play two rooms back-to-back, you pay a special price of £30 pp which is superb value!
The Cardiff CastleEscape Rooms CardiffEscape roomIRLIf a medieval heist sounds like your cup of tea, then this may be the adventure for you. It spans multiple rooms, each with a distinct look and feel. It also features a variety of traditional manual locks and mechanisms. The historical theming was wonderful and perfectly fitting due to the company’s proximity to the actual Cardiff Castle. Goblets, dusty portraits and locked chests adorned one room, which felt like a set from Game of Thrones. The game followed a mixed linear/non-linear structure that tested our communication, dexterity and observation skills. There were lots of puzzles to work through, with a good variety of tasks that gave each player their moment to shine. Unfortunately, we lost some time trying to open a particular lock, only to discover later that it had malfunctioned. This is always frustrating, but we ultimately got it open and the GM apologised for the inconvenience. Overall, we enjoyed The Cardiff Castle, which was a fun historical jaunt into Cardiff’s medieval past. For the full article covering my trip to Escape Rooms Cardiff, visit: https://escapepuzzler.com/escape-rooms-cardiff-uk-part-1-feature/
Spellbound: A Wizard’s TrialTimescape Live Escape GamesEscape roomIRLLoved this room! Took my niece along who is a huge Harry Potter fan and we found it magical!
![Zemsta Umarlaka [Deadman's Revenge]](https://res.cloudinary.com/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/47d952c1-c3f4-4fa9-b541-6124a6ae5c44.jpg)
![Steampunk: Alternatywna Rzeczywistość [ Steampunk: An Alternate Reality ]](https://res.cloudinary.com/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/e2d0baf5-348f-4ed3-b03d-73c2666d31c4.jpg)
