At the time of this review, this escape room was called Assassination Express. There may be slight changes in the game between the version we reviewed in 2019 called Assassination Express and the current version under the name Budapest Express.
Budpest Express is one of the best escape rooms in Austin. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in Austin.
Whistle stop
Location: Round Rock, Texas
Date Played: February 1, 2019
Team size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $28 per player
Ticketing: Public
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Assassination Express is unique to Escapology in Austin, TX. It is their version of the popular Escapology game Budapest Express, available at many other franchises.
Escapology Austin created a beautiful and detailed dining car to stage this game. It was a ton of fun to explore and puzzle through. Although the aesthetics diminished in the second act, Assassination Express hurtled towards an explosive conclusion.
If you’re in Austin, we recommend Assassination Express for puzzlers and scenery aficionados alike. This would be a great first game for escape room newbies. While it won’t offer experienced players anything extraordinary, it’s still a fun playthrough with some lovely details.
Who is this for?
- Adventure seekers
- Scenery snobs
- Any experience level
Why play?
- The introduction
- The gorgeous train car
- Solid puzzles
Story
We were transported to a train traversing Minnesota in 1932. Franklin D. Roosevelt was aboard on his presidential campaign… and someone trying to disrupt history had planted a bomb. We had to stop the bomb and ensure the proper flow of the time stream.
Setting
We entered into a beautiful old train car with wood trim, velvet curtains, and a snow squall happening outside. It was a visually striking set, especially at first glance.
In my experience, Escapology games usually have an elegant first room, and then the level of detail, square footage, and visual appeal drop off with subsequent rooms. That was true of Assassination Express. The second act’s set design wasn’t on the same level as the first.
Gameplay
Escapology Austin’s Assassination Express was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ As time travelers, our experience started with getting to Minnesota in 1932. We weren’t prepared for the wild ride that is time travel. It was pretty great.
➕ The train looked beautiful. We loved the decor in the dining car. Escapology’s attention to detail created the world for this train trip.
➖ The second act didn’t feel as rich or detailed as the first. It also felt cramped. We lost some sense of the staging that we’d felt early on.
➕ The puzzles were solid, satisfying solves. They included both locks and more technology-driven triggers. Both worked well in the experience.
➖ Although the puzzles worked well, at times we struggled with game flow. It wasn’t always clear which puzzles were available to solve at any given time.
➖ We encountered a search-focused puzzle that was more frustrating than fun.
➕ Assassination Express had a satisfying culminating solve.
➕ Escapology has some of the nicest lobbies in the business. Escapology Austin was no exception.
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
- Escapology has a comfortable, spacious lobby.
Book your hour with Escapology Austin’s Assassination Express, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Escapology Austin comped our tickets for this game.
