RATING: 5 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 1:58
Dark tunnels filled with skulls and demons? Count us in!
The Amsterdam Catacombs is an existing, physical escape game at the the venue’s brick and mortar location – retrofitted to be offered as a live, online experience. Although altered slightly to better flow in this new medium, the game is, at it’s core, essentially the same as what guests will find should they visit Logic Locks in person. To read our Pro-Tips on how to best enjoy this new Remote Play genre, click here.
Explore the dark secrets of Amsterdam’s underground. Face your fears and investigate the evil that lurks in the Catacombs.
Together with your friends you can explore the Amsterdam undergrounds and find out the horrors that hide beneath the Posthoorn Church.
David Fimblewood, a scholar of history, greets his remote team of investigators with a very important mission at hand. One of the great tales of Amsterdam’s rich history is about to be confronted head on: the evils that lurk beneath the Posthoorn Church.
David is approaching the historic and menacing building with one goal in mind. He must figure out what happened that led to the disappearance of Johan, a well known cleric at the church. Now David is a law abiding citizen of course, but the decision has been made to break into the holy building – in the name of history, of course.
Rumor has it that the black plague originated in the dark, damp tunnels that criss-cross deep below the surface of the church. But in these evil Catacombs, infectious rats may be the least of his worries.
The experience begins in the streets of Amsterdam, walking past rows of parked bikes and darting across busy intersections. The team’s contact on the ground surveys the surrounding buildings as he looks for a way to enter The Posthorn Church, below which the Catacombs await.
The exterior of this Gothic Revival style fortress, built in 1860, is absolutely massive. Towering above the streets of Amsterdam, the church impresses a foreboding image upon those who walk past its iron gates. Once inside, the chapel is equally impressive. It becomes easy to get lost in the wonder of the open space, forgetting that there are more sinister areas waiting to be explored.
After a long decent down a tightly spiraled staircase, the first glimpse of The Amsterdam Catacombs comes in the form of a small, bunker-like room. This entryway does a good job of concealing what lies behind closed doors.
The scenic quickly takes a turn towards the macabre, as the brightly lit area leads to dark, narrow spaces that open into the Amsterdam underworld. Skulls line the walls, caskets wait for cold bodies, and a demonic presence demands attention of all who enter his dwelling.
Artifacts of the damned remain locked away in the Catacombs, each with their own story of how they became cursed. One thing is clear down here – nothing, and nobody, is truly safe.
It appears as if these Catacombs have not bee accessed in decades. At least not by any humans, that is.
Therefore, the first order of business if finding a way to actually gain entry into the tunnels. With multiple layers of security keeping prying eyes out of the mysterious underworld, that may be easier said than done.
Once Mr. Fimblewood cracks open the dusty and long sealed doors, he is greeted with a darkly ominous space. Tidying up a bit – after all, this area has been abandoned for decades… right? – will allow the team to make better sense of what they are confronting. If the investigators are worthy of learning the deeper secrets of the Catacombs, they may just find that stepping in the right direction will lead them to the truth.
Some fears may have to be faced in order to get to the bottom of Johan’s disappearance. A dark hole that seems awfully rat friendly? Sure let’s take a look! Exploring the oddities that cover every inch of the tunnels and chambers will lead David and his remote team to a climactic ending in which a full exorcism must be performed.
The Amsterdam Catacombs rely on layers and layers of varying puzzles to keep their secrets hidden. Physical interactions with the space shine through as bright spots in a dark world. The evil presence is palpable, and the steps needed to rid the Catacombs of it prove to be quite tricky.
Logic Locks has a strong reputation not only in Amsterdam, but the world over in the escape game community. The Amsterdam Catacombs is often mentioned in discussions of must see games around the globe, and with the magic of remote play technology it is now accessible to people regardless of their physical location.
For this medium, the team at Logic Locks has upped the theatrical aspects of the experience to create an immersive adventure that truly portrays the Catacombs as an evil and dangerous place. This showmanship begins with the walk through the city before the game even gets started. Coming across as an authentic snooping, David Fimblewood cases the outside of the Posthoorn Church looking for a way in, and in doing so gets the remote team immediately invested in the realness of the story.
What follows is an entertaining dive into the occult, plenty of tricky but fair puzzles, and some light horror action to keep heart rates high. A few immersive theater-esque interactions help to elevate The Amsterdam Catacombs to an even higher level, making it a memorable experience for all.
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Venue: Logic Locks
Location: Remote online play at home, broadcast live from Amsterdam, Netherlands
Number of Games: 2
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 90 minutes
Capacity: 6
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: €115.00 – €140.00
We thank Logic Locks for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary access was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.