PuzzlEscape – King Arthur’s Quest [Review]

King Arthur’s to-do list

Location: Hudson, MA

Date played: September 21, 2017

Team size: 2-5; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $30 per ticket

Story & setting

King Arthur had been captured. We needed to free him, assemble the Knights of the Round Table, and retrieve Excalibur as well as The Holy Grail.

The set felt medieval-inspired and lovingly handmade. There was more going on within that castle-y room than it originally appeared.

Puzzles

King Arthur’s Quest was rooted in puzzles. It leaned heavily on riddles, reasoning, ciphers and logic. The puzzles were more traditional, which isn’t to say simple; they were complex and challenging.

Standouts

King Arthur’s Quest included layered and complex puzzles. These were challenging, engaging, and rewarding.

PuzzlEscape clearly put thought into puzzle design. They put their own twists on traditional puzzles and considered gating, feedback, and pivotal puzzle points. We especially liked the execution of decipherments and the large, layered, late-game puzzle.

PuzzlEscape paid attention to locks and keys. These were well selected to fit the theme and exciting to engage with.

Shortcomings

PuzzlEscape relied too heavily on one particular prop and its corresponding interaction. It was not compelling enough or large enough to be anything except a bottleneck.

King Arthur’s Quest involved substantial reading in a challenging typeface. This quickly become frustrating.

In one instance, the room aesthetics created puzzle ambiguity.

One pivotal puzzle of King Arthur’s Quest involved a large set piece. It was spatially difficult to access. It was also hacked together and a bit too wobbly.

Should I play PuzzlEscape’s King Arthur’s Quest?

King Arthur’s Quest was a fun, puzzle-driven escape room. If you’re looking for challenging and layered cerebral puzzles, you’ll enjoy King Arthur’s Quest. PuzzlEscape worked the challenges around fun themed props and led you to conquer their quest.

If you’re looking for detailed sets or grand adventure, those weren’t the focuses of King Arthur’s Quest.

If you’re excited to solve puzzles, King Arthur’s Quest has a lot to offer, regardless of experience level. Newer players will find a lot of puzzling they likely haven’t seen before and escape room veterans will see some artful executions of some standards.

Go see if you’re worthy of pulling a sword from a stone.

Book your hour with PuzzlEscape’s King Arthur’s Quest, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Full disclosure: PuzzlEscape comped our tickets for this game.