[At the time of this review, Escape Hour Austin was called 15 Locks.]
Haunting darkness.
Location: Austin, TX
Date played: January 8, 2017
Team size: 2-8; we recommend 3-4
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $25 per ticket
Story & setting
Elrich, a polite and friendly ghost, had been cursed and trapped in his manor. We had to work our way through the darkness, armed with just a few flashlights, to free him from his imprisonment.
Set in a Victorian-esque office, Escape the Manor’s defining characteristic was darkness. It was mildly creepy, but not frightening or threatening. With 6 players, we found fewer light sources than we had teammates.
Puzzles
The greatest challenge we faced was lighting, particularly scavenging without it. The puzzling felt more like a secondary obstacle. That said, most of the puzzles were fun to work through… once we found them.
A fair amount of Escape the Manor was technology-driven, which is 15 Locks’ focus. Those interactions were the most satisfying parts of the game.
Standouts
The opening moments of the game were innovative.
The atmosphere worked well and accomplished its mission.
The tech was satisfying.
An in-character hinting system added ambiance and fun to the Escape the Manor.
Shortcomings
Lighting was a problem. Having to find our light sources, and then not having enough throughout the game, brought down the energy of the entire team. Players with lights felt like they were robbing others of a good time. Players without lights struggled to feel useful. In the end, it led to a lot of light exchanging which prevented anyone from achieving a solid flow state.
One particularly misleading puzzle looked like a logic puzzle, but was not. It seemed like a great opportunity to offer two different paths to a solution.
Should I play 15 Locks’ Escape the Manor?
Escape the Manor nailed so much. The setup and opening of the game, in particular, were exceptional.
The trouble with Escape the Manor was that it became pretty player-unfriendly at times, especially with 6 people in the room. I cannot even imagine how frustrated we would have been at the game’s ticket capacity of 8.
Escape the Manor was at its best when it leaned on technology-driven puzzling and the atmosphere created by the set. I think it would have been incredible if the lighting challenges were greatly reduced and another serious puzzle or two were introduced.
In its current state, I recommend it to beginners and experienced players alike… so long as the team is small. There’s a smart game in Escape the Manor, but it cannot adequately support a large group.
Book your hour with 15 Locks’ Escape the Manor, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Full disclosure: 15 Locks comped our tickets for this game.
