RATING: 6 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 2:42
An abandoned elementary school is haunted by the spirits of the twelve students who mysteriously disappeared from these shadowed halls long ago.
After an uneventful day touring the supposedly most haunted places in New Orleans, you hope that your last stop at an abandoned school will live up to the hype. Is the truth of what forced the school to permanently close becoming evident or is there something more sinister going on?
Can you survive this 90-minute tour or will you vanish into the night like the children of Montanet Elementary?
A self-guided expedition is interrupted when the ghost of one of the missing kids offers to lead the way through the eerie school to reveal the truth of what happened here. It becomes clear very quickly that there is more to this haunted tale than what was offered in the travel brochure.
The story of the disappearance is shrouded in secrets and will require a deep dive into the realm of the supernatural. Perhaps if the fate of the victims is uncovered, it will release their ties to this dark place and finally allow them to rest in peace.
The eerie sound of singing children can be heard echoing through the halls. The dim lighting effectively creates an ominous feeling that hangs overhead like a heavy blanket. A cold chill blows through the air, adding to the unsettling sensation that the tourists are not the only ones roaming these grounds today.
The excursion begins in a benign school office. A sign-in sheet is positioned at the check-in window. Class photos decorate the small lobby area. An unexpected visit from a former student of Montanet leads visitors further into the abandoned building. Children’s drawings line the halls next to several classroom doors, still holding clues to the pupils who once sat in the tiny desks within.
Deeper in the institution, the atrium is masked in darkness, illuminated only by the infrequent flashes of lightning coming from the domed glass ceiling overhead. The library’s locked doors sit at the base of a staircase. A large map detailing the layout of the property is posted nearby.
Apprehensively entering the classroom at the top of the stairs, scattered lunchboxes and pencil cases remain as evidence of the innocence that used to fill this empty room. A blackboard containing a lesson on shapes hangs near a behavior chart. An attendance sheet sits on the teacher’s desk along with what appears to be instructions for a substitute teacher. It looks like several students were absent in those final days of instruction.
Two additional classrooms sit silently upstairs. A balcony overlooks the massive library shelves below, overflowing with a wide variety of books, from nursery rhymes to the classics. An unfinished crossword puzzle rests on the librarian’s desk.
After the startling sound of a fire alarm, sightseers find themselves in a corridor veiled in shadows and whispers. Finding a way out leads to a chamber containing a large ceremonial circle on the floor along with various ingredients that might be the key to helping the poor souls trapped in this place.
The puzzles are intuitive, carefully aligned to the context and setting, and help to propel the narrative. Many tasks involve physical manipulation of objects, rather than typical combination and key locks. The clue system is well integrated into the story; help can be requested by activating the old intercom system.
Effective communication and teamwork, even when separated from the rest of the group, are crucial attributes. One challenge requires a voluntary heroic act by a brave tourist who is not afraid of what lies in the dark. This unique request is the only way forward in order to solve this mystery in time.
Visitors of Montanet Elementary are completely immersed into this multi-sensory storyworld. The surroundings look, sound, smell, and feel like an authentic haunted setting. While there are no live actors, there are plenty of adrenaline rushes and jump scares. The demands of the space are quite physical in nature, as tour group members must navigate up and down stairs and through crawl spaces with limited lighting. There are times where patrons may be separated from the rest of the group, but never against their will.
This horror adventure is ninety minutes long, due to the immense size and sheer number of puzzles involved. There is no concept of time once inside, aside from the updates the ghostly guide calls out regularly, reminding that the clock is slowly running out. Don’t forget to study before visiting Shhh! at The Escape Warehouse—this is one test where failing means staying after class forever.
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Venue: The Escape Warehouse
Location: Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Number of Games: 3
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 90 minutes
Capacity: 8 people
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: $48.99 per person
We thank The Escape Warehouse for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.
