Review: Exit Escape Room NYC

RATING: 3 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 17:46

Enter the frenzy of a sweet and savory kitchen crusade, where everything is county fair-meets-cookoff, and the confections reign supreme.

Story

You and your teammates have entered the great NYC cupcake baking challenge, however once you enter the state-of-the-art bakery you realize there are no ingredients in sight… and the door is locked!! As your timer starts you realize that you only have one hour to somehow create and present the judges with a set of delicious cupcakes. But how?

Oh, and should you successfully complete the challenge on time… you’ll get to enjoy your masterpiece cupcake creations… Bon Appetite.

A simple bake-off goes awry when we realize that our competitors have tried to sabotage us by hiding all of our ingredients. Luckily for us, there are farm animals nearby to provide fresh supplies, and the kitchen is ready for use.

Take the path of yeast resistance to ensure that we have the thyme to rise to the challenge! We can bake sure that victory will be a sweet treat!

Scenic

A small industrial-style kitchen is divided into two stations, with a glass and metal partition acting as separation between the “preparation” and “decoration” sections. The back half of the room, where all the preparation occurs, has the appearance of a farmhouse blended with a candy store, while the front half more resembles a true food factory.

A chicken coop and a large steel milk canister sit amongst jars of candy, with chickens and cows (or at least their udders…) nearby to help provide fresh eggs and dairy. A series of ovens and pipes (that are filled with various sweets) line the walls, casting a gleaming reflection down onto the checkered floor. The storyworld is further enhanced with a variety of baking tools and implements like recipe books, rolling pins, and spice racks, and the scent of melting chocolate permeates the air.

Puzzles

Sugar Rush makes good use of incorporating all five senses into its puzzles, whether it be identifying the scent of different ingredients, or tasting candies to find the best flavors for the confections. One clever riddle involves milking cows and observing their reactions when their udders are pulled (having a sense of rhythm is not necessary, but can make for a slightly easier comprehension of the solution.)

The puzzles are mostly linear, but there are enough things to do that everyone is included. Bakers will be able explore the whole kitchen space in their quest to make the perfect cupcake. Food-themed songs playing in the background prove to be key to an aural challenge; keep a sharp ear out and the reward will be sweet (pun intended)! Several of the puzzles flow into each other, making for a seamless experience.

Overall

This game, while fairly low-tech, is unique in that players leave with a physical creation of their own design, and they get a tasty treat to boot! The puzzles are intuitive and fit the world that is created. While nothing is mind-blowing, it is a solid, well-done room that is fun and enjoyable.

Getting to interact with (and ultimately eat) cupcakes while solving puzzles is truly a one-of a kind experience. Sugar Rush is perfect for soothing even the largest sweet tooth and proves that we CAN have our cake and eat it too!