BREAKING NEWS: Christmas is Canceled! The Krampus Beast IS real, and he’s stolen the presents of all the good little girls and boys! Can even a helpful zombie stop this holiday of horror? STAY TUNED.
Though posted within our Reviews section, this entry will not include a Key Rating. As a team, we at Escape Authority feel the correct thing to do is disclose that I was the Creator of this attraction on behalf of Chris + Creative. While I am excited to share its final results with you, our readers, I cannot officially endorse it – nor will we specify the venue’s location – in order to remain neutral to other games we have and will continue to review around the world.
♫ It’s the most wonderful time of the year…♫ is a song that will almost certainly not be playing this holiday season. All faith of festive fun is forever finished, as good little girls and boys awake to find no gifts under the tree.
Yes, it’s true! The Krampus Beast IS real, and that baleful behemoth has purged presents from all around the planet! Exercise extreme caution, as reports indicate this massive monster may stand a mighty ten, twelve, even thirty feet tall!
There’s no cheer in the air. But despite this fact, newly hired Helpers to the zombie apprentice of the Witch Doctor are invited back to the shop for the annual staff Christmas party. (Attendance is mandatory.)
With the Witch Doctor off visiting loved ones in parts unknown, it would appear the shop has taken on new management – and that new manager’s name is… a trap. Wait, that’s not actually his name; the new management is a trap. Get it? It was all just a rouse to lure Helpers back for dinner – which also may seem confusing at first but here, it’s a term which means they’re about to be eaten by the Krampus Beast!
Fishing for some good fortune in this otherwise dire dilemma, it turns out the Krampus Beast’s height was… well… a bit exaggerated. Thirty feet he is not; this noël nightmare stands a mighty… um… thirty-six inches tall. But look, he’s still mostly teeth and horns, so don’t be discounting this Littlest Krampus just yet. After all, he did steal presents from all the kids around the globe! (How did he manage to carry them all with such tiny hooves? Sorry – not what this is about!)
Luckily this time, everyone’s favorite zombie, Roofus, actually hasn’t lost his brain (for once.) Being such a stellar adequate apprentice, he’s immediately ready with a fourth-wall breaking idea! Everything eventually worked out well in The Zombie and the Witch Doctor, and since this game is a sequel story, why not just do the same thing all over again? Plus, it’s less work that way! (Think smarter, not harder (while he actually has a brain at all.))
Once again, a whole crew of outlandish disembodied spirits (of Christmas) will crash the party – each willing to help out, provided, of course, that they get what they want first. But, can even the ghosts of holidays past teach the Littlest Krampus the error of his ways? Or is that a task best left for a paranormal psychiatrist? (The answer may surprise you.)
Since this is, after all, a staff party, Helpers once again enter through the Employees Only doorway that leads into the Witch Doctor’s Warehouse & Archives. The sheer number of colorful crates stacked haphazardly up to the ceiling are draped in festive garland and other glittering decor to mark the formerly festive time of year.
Perched precariously above the mountains of boxes is the Witch Doctor’s Secret Office, now clearly (and crudely) labeled as being under new management. It’s here that the menacing, massive Littlest Krampus will hold court over his soon to be Helpers buffet, live and in living, fluffy color. Don’t worry – he’s up high so that he stands out in the crowd. (The only thing big about this guy is his ego!)
Once Helpers find a way to un-jam the backstage door, it creaks open to reunite them with an old friend awaiting their arrival in the Witch Doctor’s shop. Roofus, the friendly three foot tall zombie apprentice, got himself into yet another supernatural situation but that didn’t stop him from donning his very best Yuletide blazer.
The smell of peppermint fills the air, as cartoonish purple bricks and worn wooden shelves glow under vintage C9 Christmas bulbs that surround the shop. Draping garland and wreaths accented with skulls and other spooky trinkets give more of a Halloween vibe than Christmas, but hey, Roofus did his best (which, as usual, is never very good.)
A tall, twiggy Christmas tree ties the decor together, despite seemingly being moments from its own demise. Its sparse branches are lined with garland, classic strings of popcorn and, of course, topped with brains instead of ornaments.
Just outside the shop-proper is a screened in front porch with views of the surrounding Peachstone Bayou. It has an enchanting glow under the moonlight (which barely outshines the exorbitant amount of Christmas lights zig-zagging every inch of its tin roof.)
Peculiarly mounted around the porch are several beloved children’s toys, inexplicably chained like prisoners along the screens. It’s almost as though they’re waiting to be sacrificed. (It’s a very real concern! There IS always an inflated risk of gator attacks in the area!) This may quickly become anything but a silent night.
The shop’s halls may be decked, but there’s no time to celebrate. Roofus and his Helpers will need some ghostly guidance if they hope to break through the Littlest Krampus’ frozen heart to return all of the kids’ presents. So, where does a zombie turn when they need a hand? Brainsss! Braaaiiiiiiins!
That old fridge on the porch isn’t going work for Helpers seeking brains this time. But luckily (?) the colder winter weather allows specimens to adorn the Christmas tree as ornaments without getting stinky!
Once again, each brain comes freshly removed from the skulls of a zany cast of, well… let’s call them festive individuals – (mostly) all dead, of course, but not quite ready to move on from the mortal plane. Each one of these characters has some form of unfinished business to complete before the holidays arrive, and it’s keeping them tethered to a place somewhere between the world of the living and the great beyond. With Christmas Eve nearly here, they’re willing to do anything it takes for their souls to be set free – including demonic possession of a living host vessel. Heck, they aren’t picky – they’d even settle for a reanimated, undead one if it means regaining a physical form. Bonus points if he’s wearing a jazzy Christmas jacket!
Each seasonal spirit, back when they were still – you know, alive – was an outlandish caricature-esque personality who was distinctly identifiable and unforgettable. There was Emil Mintkins, a very over-worked elf from the North Pole Toy Workshop. Defrosty was once such a popular Snowman that the kids even sang songs about him. Randolf the Reindeer also had the red nose – but here’s the thing – it wasn’t magical; it was a serious medical condition. Ebeneezer Scrooge is still just as miserly in death as he was in life. Mrs. Claus herself, who doesn’t actually have a first name, died of a broken heart (and also diabetes.) And, of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without jolly ‘ole Santa Claus himself! (Don’t worry, kids, he’s still alive. Poor Santa’s only dead on the inside.)
Each one of those spirits, once firmly latched onto a new host vessel, will give Roofus a completely unique personality, voice, mannerisms and objectives, all brought to life by unique background music that fits their own respective theme. They’ll all have a very important goal Helpers must complete in hopes of freeing their souls to the great beyond – but don’t be surprised when some of those supernatural anchors are the most nonsensical, sometimes conspiratorial, and always comical objectives one could ever imagine.
Sprinkling a little Powder of Fourth Wall Breaking™ onto this Special Look (it’s just one of the many powerful potions the Witch Doctor always keeps fully stocked!) think of every character as their own dedicated, highly themed mini-escape game, unfolding one by one inside the confines of the Witch Doctor’s shop, bringing with them small appetizers of fully themed games. For example, Emil the Elf brings along a whole host of toy-making puzzles, while Randolf the Reindeer’s challenges are laser-focused on stopping a larger government conspiracy, obviously. It’s like playing multiple different escape games all at the same time!
Helpers will not need to assist every character in order to aid Roofus’ in saving Christmas, and, in fact there are by design double the number of disembodied spirits available from the start, making The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus a completely replayable experience. The puzzle flow is also intended to be versatile, allowing it to adapt to any given capacity size. Smaller teams of Helpers have the ability to complete less of these puzzle tracks to reach the storyworld’s finale, while larger groups can opt to play more of them than usual to keep everyone engaged. Possessions can take place in any order, keeping the overall structure of the game nonlinear, while also allowing for constant future expansion to keep this afterlife forever fresh and new.
From the moment it first rose from the grave, The Zombie and the Witch Doctor‘s biggest goals have been replayability and expandability. That benchmark has been in place since its initial premier, while a multitude of summonable spirits that far surpasses those who can be awakened within a single visit, as well as several optional expansion pack ghosts who add even more comical chaos.
But it’s with The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus, however, that Chris + Creative takes that concept to a whole other level. These are not just expansion pack puzzles; this is an entire second sequel game, completely unique from start to finish. Everything about this holiday overlay is fresh and new.
And there-in lies the the most revolutionary twist: The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus was designed from the start to seamlessly integrate into a venue’s already built installation of The Zombie and The Witch Doctor. What this means is that two different games – two completely different marketable tickets – can operate from within the same footprint, maximizing a client’s investments while creating an opportunity for a completely different guest experience – all without the need to start from scratch.
Because these two distinct attractions were designed in harmony together, it’s just a simple alteration of a gamemaster’s reset procedures to switch from one to the other. That means one group of guests could book The Zombie and the Witch Doctor at 1pm, while another team opts to play The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus in the very next available time slot.
But the best surprise of all is one little tease we haven’t even unwrapped yet. The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus is just the first of several top to bottom completely new game overlays coming to this ‘cinematic universe’ of the undead! That’s right Helpers – there’s a whole lot more of ridiculous Roofus adventures still to come!
This immersive, entirely story-driven escape game adventure is made real by several professionally produced Muppet-styled puppets, all built completely from scratch. Each of these puppets are purposefully designed to be directly integrated into both the storyworld as well as the gameplay, and have customized components built into them that may or may not (but definitely will) directly interact with certain puzzles. This friendly little zombie isn’t just a host for the show; he’s a vital member of the team and, more times than once, becomes the physical components needed for many of the spirits’ challenges. Best of all, these puppets are designed and hand-built by Chris + Creative, meaning there’s never a risk of them being sold out or discontinued.
The is a festive, funny zombie game like no other (and not just because there’s literally no other undead Christmas comedy attractions!) The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus is a charming, silly and full of heart, making it the perfect immersive holiday adventure fit for the entire family. That is, of course, if the Littlest Krampus doesn’t eat you first.
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Creator: Chris +
Number of Games: 25+
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 or 90 minutes
Designed Capacity: 6 people
More Photos: ► click here ◄
Chris + exclusively owns the intellectual property rights to The Zombie and the Littlest Krampus escape game attraction.
To inquire about its availability for your venue, email Chris@Chris.plus.
