Escape Room Review– The Escape Game Online Experiences Continued– Prison Break
Earlier this year, I wrote a review of the online escape game company The Escape Game, having played the online versions of their games “The Heist” and “Gold Rush.” The Escape Game has branches in over a dozen locations across the country, and several of their games are playable through Zoom, as players can direct an avatar from their own homes, directing that person through the game with the assistance of a game master.
Recently, I played “Prison Break” with my sister, and it was another solid and immersive game. In “Prison Break,” you are incarcerated in a run-down prison. The warden, who seems to have a sinister streak, loves playing games, especially chess. For reasons that aren’t entirely explained, he’s decided to give you one hour to escape. Apparently, one other person has been given this challenge in the past, and he didn’t make it, but no one knows what happened to him.
I was very impressed with the set design of “Gold Rush,” which had three different and realistic locations within the game. “Prison Break” also has three separate stages, and the first part actually looks like a filthy jail. I should point out that many games set in prisons tend to require the player to stick their hands into something disgusting in the cells, and “Prison Break” is no exception. I was glad that our avatar had to do it and not us.
If you play the in-person game, brief stooping/crawling will be necessary. Otherwise, the puzzles are not especially difficult, but they require some thinking outside the box at times, and as long as you have a flexible mind and good attention to detail, you should be fine. Other than a brief, grisly sight and the aforementioned bit of unpleasantness, there’s nothing too disturbing. There’s a very good mix of styles of puzzles, and if you pay attention to the chess theme, you should be set. Remember, each object is used once and then it’s done. The online game removes objects from your inventory, so you know what’s no longer relevant. Two early puzzles require a bit of dexterity. I’m not sure what happens if your aim isn’t great with one puzzle at the beginning.
Our game master, Monte P., and our avatar did terrific jobs, and they provided us with an excellent experience. I certainly recommend this game both in-person and online, although I think that three people minimum might be needed in-person. Two skilled players can certainly complete the game online with a few minutes to spare, as my sister and I did.
Chris Chan’s sequel to Sherlock’s Secretary, Nessie’s Nemesis, will be published on September 3rd by MX Publishing. His novel Ghosting My Friend was released by Level Best Books on March 28th. His first novel, Sherlock’s Secretary, was released by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2. His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books. His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there). It is also available in a Kindle edition.
