RATING: 6 Keys          RESULT: Win          REMAINING: 17:36

An abandoned shack deep in the dark Louisiana Bayou dripping with voodoo magic seems like a totally sensible place to wander into. Oh and vampires live in its basement, so there’s that.

Deep within the swamps of Southern Louisiana lies a crumbling shack rumored to have been home to the wood witch Magdalena Cazelar and her coven of mystical sisters.

The cabin has been long since abandoned, masking secrets of mysteries untold. Centuries of age old magic set to waste after the ominous night that the Coven found itself set to ruin — vanishing into the blackest of nights. There has been no known life breathed into the walls of the chambers… Until now…

Haunted by recurring nightmares, you have found yourself drawn to such a place. Summoned by the High Priestess herself as the coven’s own herald of fate, her spirit has chosen you to heed the call and to finish a deed 200 years in the making. For on the eve of this night, the most wretched of the witches’ immortal enemies shall once again rise from his spellbound grave to wreak havoc upon the unsuspecting souls.

Only those most worthy may gain entry to the coven of the five witches. Decipher their sacred spells and attempt to send the Vampire Patrox to his eternal resting place before midnight.

Will you avenge the fallen coven? Or will your fate be that of those before you?

Seeing a place in a dream—or a nightmare, really—can leave behind visions so vivid that every last fence post outside feels recognizable. The way inside, as well as the secrets hidden within, are clear, even if the reason why remains unknown. A dilapidated shack hidden deep in the shadows of a Louisiana Bayou. Imagine knowing how dangerous the entities were who once resided within. Imagine knowing how much more dangerous the soulless spirits are that still lurk underneath.

So like, the only logical response would be to go check it out, right?

Hopefully, or there wouldn’t be very much of a story to tell. Drawn to a world of darkness that haunts nightmares without explanation, visitors cross from the world of urban explorer and find themselves trapped in the center of an unholy battle between voodoo coven and the only thing that could strike fear in their dark hearts – bloodthirsty vampires.

It’s certainly too late to turn back now. And with the witches gone for two hundred years, it is either a matter of figuring out how to master their mystical spells to defend against the vampires lurking below the floorboards or becoming their next warm meal.

The team behind 13th Gate Escape Rooms is the very same that heads up the renowned haunted house of the same name. As such it should come as no surprise that the scenic attention to detail within Spellbound is so stunning. But even walking in with the loftiest of expectations, one is left, well, spellbound by how jaw-droppingly incredible and immersive this dark world is.

Beginning in the Bayou outside the shack, there’s simply no question of being “outside” in the middle of a black night. One instantly gets the sense that there could be gators lurking in the weeds – and might even instinctively swat away mosquitoes that would feel right at home.

Climbing the stairs to the porch, the planed boards literally creak underfoot. The paint is peeled and chipping all over. There’s a very real possibility that without walking with caution, the next step could find a foot breaking straight through the deck below.

Inside the shack feels no better. In fact it feels significantly worse. An uncomfortable mix of abandoned yet alive, this place hasn’t seen a living soul in hundreds of years – yet candles still flicker in the crisp night air, seemingly unwilling to melt away. Every last shelf is littered with a hoard of occult objects – many of which would pretty clearly result in a curse on anyone and their loved ones should a single finger be laid upon them. Magdalena’s shack carries an impossibly unwelcoming aura that’s impossible to not become immersed in – whether intended or not – yet it is where unwitting souls must remain lest they face a much bloodier fate below.

And once it’s time to battle the Vampire Patrox, an incredible secret passage gives way to his underground world – with it giving way to any last hope that remains. This hidden basement, sealed away and left to rot, is filthy and crumbling, yet so clearly still alive with the darkest form of evil. Rotting wooden coffins line the walls, giving clear indication that the Patrox is far more powerful than just an army of one. And in the center of the room, the largest of the coffins holds the sleeping nemesis – sleeping for now; and for not much longer.

Spellbound’s puzzles are as utterly enchanting as its mystical storyworld, and each flows organically in the setting of its respective location within the game. Outside the shack, all effort is focused on breaking in – the second of many poor choices made (second only to arriving in the first place, that is.) Tasks feel gritty and real – and constantly leave intruders to wonder if they really should be doing this.

Inside The High Priestess’ shack, Spellbound’s magic begins to come to life – quite literally all around. Each of the five witches who once called this coven home some two hundred long years ago was deeply connected with the sacred elements of the earth – and their spells of protection depended upon those powerful bonds to protect the coven as a whole from the vicious vampires lurking below.

Now fate looks to hopeful witches and warlocks to cast those very same spells, which, of course, means the non-enchanted need to learn to use magic in the first place. Don’t worry – an ancient spell book will help.

Each of the five witches has their own puzzle track, so to speak, offering a satisfying non-linear gameplay within the shack that creates milestone moments of casting their respective protection spells. Once all five are cast, it’s time to lurk into the dark underworld.

It is here that we must vanquish the four vampires and their Patrox through a series of clever and heavily story-driven physical puzzles, interlinking both their coffins and their soulless fates before ultimately driving a stake through their dark ruler, freeing this curse once and for all.

The unique animatronic black cat hint system keeps seekers fully immersed in this supernatural storyworld’s bayou. In a clear but  timid voice, Jinx serves to share backstory and provide needed clues along the journey. With this new feline friend guiding the way, the vampire may have just met his meow-tch.

13th Gate Escape delivers a deeply satisfying and seamless adventure that remains engaging from the opening moments to the final climax. Every inch of the environment—from the creaking porch steps to the decayed underground lair—pulls spellcasters completely into its dark narrative.

Walk in expecting a spellbinding adventure, and walk out—hopefully—without an appetite for blood. Spellbound brings local culture to life in an experience that is distinctly Louisiana, while doing so with such fantastical flair that can only happen at 13th Gate Escape.

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Venue: 13th Gate Escape

Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Number of Games: 8

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 8 people

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

Cost: $34.99 per person

We thank 13th Gate Escape for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.