RATING: 3 Keys          RESULT: Win           REMAINING: 16:04

Tarot, tea leaves, and treachery, oh my! The conduit between us and the Other Side is closing; make sure you don’t get trapped beyond the Veil!

Desperate to make contact with the spirit of your late grandmother, you seek the help of a psychic medium. Your plan is to say one last goodbye but Madame Belladonna has plans of her own.

In 1692, Salem, Massachusetts became the epicenter of the witch trials burning across the globe. Harriet Anderson was an herbalist and healer who was falsely accused of being a witch. Given a fraudulent, unfair “trial,” Harriet had no way of proving her innocence and was sentenced to death by fire. In desperation she made a bargain with the devil. In exchange for a constant supply of innocent souls, she would live forever.

She gave her soul to the Dark Arts, fled Salem, and changed her name to Madame Belladonna – pretending to be a psychic medium. With each town she travels to, she traps the souls of her unwitting victims and leaves behind a trail of missing persons and unsolved murders.

In your grief, you have given Madame Belladonna your heirloom locket in an attempt to communicate with the spirit of your deceased grandmother. Little did you know, Madame Belladonna will use this locket as a conduit to trap both your souls. You have 60 minutes to find the locket and the incantation for your escape or your souls will belong to Madame Belladonna forever.

Madame Belladonna has left the premises of her  psychic’s workshop. She seems to be well-versed in a variety of the mystic arts- brewing potions, telling fortunes, reading palms, and interpreting tarot cards, just to name a few. For all intents and purposes, she appears to be a fairly stereotypical psychic medium.

Despite the fact that she is supposed to be an ageless, power-hungry witch, there isn’t much evidence present to really support that theory. For someone who supposedly has been around and practicing magic since the Salem Witch Trials, her salon is rather modern. There also is a lack of danger; there is no foreboding or ominous feeling that our souls are at risk of becoming trapped.

Everything occurs in Madame Belladonna’s seance parlor/divination chamber. Plain black walls are accented by deep red velvet curtains and a variety of mystic-themed posters. The corner where Madame Belladonna conducts her her readings is highlighted with a vibrant tapestry adorned with tarot cards, and a boldly-patterned tablecloth.

There is a very clever in-world hint and timing system that furthers the immersion into the storyworld- a large crystal ball acts as a display for information from The Other Side. Chanting an incantation both connects you to the spirit realm and signals that you are ready to receive some sympathetic vibrations.

The space also doubles as an apothecary, as various herbs and potion ingredients are readily accessible. A rack full of pieces from Madame Belladonna’s wardrobe stands in the corner; perhaps she likes to have a spare costume around in case of potion spills. The atmosphere is further heightened through the crystal ball- it emits tinkling chimes, showing that the spirits are ready for us to make contact.

While most of the puzzles are of the average “find the correct combination or sequence” variety, there are some sprinkled throughout that are definitely innovative. Whether it be concocting a potion, or actively trying to use magic to invoke Madame Belladonna’s essence, we do get immersed into the spiritual realm.

There is more of a linear presentation of riddles, so progression may be hindered if multiple items are being worked on simultaneously. There is one brain-teaser that has been simplified in its execution, but the elements of the original form are still present, which can kind of be seen as a red herring; we definitely spent time focusing on it, only to find out that what we were investigating wasn’t really relevant anymore.

There is a bonus puzzle featured that is completely optional, since it does not affect the storyline or game play whatsoever, but it does result in a reward if you so choose to solve it. This experience further enhances the storyworld, as it challenges multiple senses.

This game is a fun look into the world of psychics and mediums, but could use more cohesion with the elaborate backstory. It does have a solid game-play, though, and some entertaining, unique features that really challenged our thinking.

There is good incorporation of many different aspects of the mystic lifestyle, and it’s fascinating to see how those elements intertwine with each other. Madame Belladonna is not at all frightening, but the spooky vibes are there, especially with all the witchy references. We’re glad, however, that we were able to keep our souls on this side of the astral plane.

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Venue: Break from Reality Escape Rooms

Location: Fairfax, Virginia

Number of Games: 4

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 6 people

Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.

Cost: $36 per person

We thank Break from Reality Escape Rooms for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.