White bread makes a perfectly fine sandwich.
Location: Buffalo, New York
Date played: April 30, 2017
Team size: 4-8; we recommend 4-5
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $25 per ticket
Story & setting
After a billionaire art collector died, hundreds of millions of dollars were unaccounted for. We broke into his office to steal the missing fortune.
The Masterpiece took place in a rich guy’s unremarkable office. The paintings on the walls were the single nod to his interests and fortune. He didn’t have expensive taste.
Puzzles
The Masterpiece required different types of thinking as well as some interacting. A number of the puzzles rewarded keen observation.
Standouts
In multiple instances, The Masterpiece relied on standard escape room props and puzzles, with execution well above average. We enjoyed the clarity of a particular visual puzzle and the streamlined used of one technological interface.
The Masterpiece flowed well from start to finish.
Enigma Escape Rooms built a few well-hidden surprises into this office.
Without saying too much, Enigma Escape Rooms included a few items that could easily have been dreadful, but they used them in such a way that they were fair and fun.
Shortcomings
The gamespace for The Masterpiece was an unremarkable office. It did not develop a character or set a compelling stage for this heist. The space was boring.
While many of the puzzles were well designed, they never built energy or tension. The escape room didn’t have a lot of drama, a climax, or memorable moments.
Should I play Enigma Escape Rooms’ The Masterpiece?
Enigma Escape Rooms checked a lot of important boxes: flow, cluing, structure, reliance on observation, and fair puzzle implementation.
Where The Masterpiece fell short, however, was in excitement. Neither the set nor story was compelling. The puzzles – while well designed – weren’t particularly memorable either. Everything worked, but nothing left an impact.
This would be an excellent entry point for escape room beginners. It will be a challenging, but fair opponent. More experienced players will likely appreciate some of the finer points of puzzle design.
There is a strong room escape in The Masterpiece. From this first outing, I can tell that Enigma Escape Rooms understands the escape room building blocks. I hope to see them kick it up a notch with their next adventure.
Book your hour with Enigma Escape Rooms’ The Masterpiece, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Full disclosure: Enigma Escape Rooms comped our tickets for this game.
