RATING: 3 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 12:33
We’re not afraid of the dark! But seriously though who took the teddy bears?!
You awaken in complete darkness, confused and disoriented, with no recollection of how you got there. You feel some relief when you find an old flashlight… however, it quickly turns to panic as the reality of your situation sinks in…
Can you unravel the mystery of what’s happening and figure out how to escape?!… or are you destined to become the next victim?
The Dark Room provides no information ahead of time, but the story is the core of the game. Teams will quickly get a sense of what they need to do, but it is not immediately clear why. As the game progresses, the story unravels and reveals this. It is worth noting that this game does deal with dark, psychological themes that may be unsettling for some.
Cognition Escapes does one thing exceptionally well here, and that is having a timekeeping mechanism that perfectly fits the storyworld. Having a system that is a clock, timer, or just not having any method is the industry go-to, but here, teams will find something else. It fits nicely in the plot, and the delivery is executed well.
Cognition Escapes utilizes an unusual, dark, mysterious hallway where the host delivers the introduction. It effectively sets the mood. Unfortunately, entering the game itself, the main room does not match the quality of the introduction. There are a few pieces of furniture and some basic set dressing amid the white walls; but not much else. There is one especially high-quality component that will draw attention from the rest. This space is largely empty with its generous, nearly oversized footprint. Considering the name of the experience, it is not that dark. Flashlights are provided, but they almost do not seem needed.
The second space flips the script as it is quite small. It is a confusing design choice given the circumstances. The Dark Room sets up a scary or creepy theme but largely lacks those elements in the set, rather, it relies more on psychological aspects of the story. The few pieces that are present do fit the storyworld nicely, but the scenic is sparse overall.
The puzzles are largely mechanical with a few moments of simple tech sprinkled within. They generally fit the story and vary significantly. Teams are required to work together multiple times, as well as test a variety of tactile skills. Although much of the wall art is intriguing and fits the story, it acts as a big red herring for puzzle-solving.
One puzzle is rather difficult at the first go but gets progressively easier if teams are unable to complete it successfully. The first attempt is unreasonable and most groups likely will need to try until the difficulty decreases. Eventually, all groups will succeed in this puzzle with the decreasing progression of the challenge.
As teams solve a puzzle near the end, a lengthy video is played that helps explain the story. Although it does help the plot, teams could run out of time doing this and it would be a frustrating and helpless end to a game.
Cognition Escapes had a full rebrand, previously going by 5280 Escapes. The lobby is spacious and has a multi-step puzzle to get the brain juices flowing before the game. As a reward for our efforts, we found a sweet treat!
In this game, Cognition Escapes takes a risk by providing little background and sets few expectations going in. At The Dark Room, they leaned into the story and focused on its delivery over intricate set design and sophisticated puzzles. With these gaps, The Dark Room leaves too much potential on the table to have a truly premium experience.
Show your support for Escape Authority and get social with us:
Venue: Cognition Escapes
Location: Seattle, Washington
Number of Games: 4
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 8 people
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: $38-45 per person depending on group size
