Engage!
Location: Austin, Texas
Date Played: February 2, 2019
Team size: 2-4; we recommend 4
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $33 per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Incoming Transmission was a sprawling space epic in the vein of Star Trek.
We’ve learned to count on Austin’s 15 Locks/ Perplexium to produce creative and unusual escape games that tinker with the formula. They did just that with Incoming Transmission.
This space-based escape game was less about discovering a physical space and puzzling through it. It was more about learning the ship’s systems and using them to traverse the universe, completing missions and solving the problems of alien species. This escape room felt more like a giant control panel than a puzzle room.
This structure meant that Perplexium was able to produce a replayable game with plenty of dynamic missions to tackle.
With gameplay that felt more like a hybrid of video gaming and some tabletop gaming, Incoming Transmission could be the perfect game for your team or it could fizzle. We enjoyed ourselves and could imagine going back for a second go at space travel if we’d finished playing out the other escape rooms that interest us in Austin.
If you’re a little intrigued by all of this and near Austin, Texas, then you should beam aboard Incoming Transmission. At the very least, you’ll be in for an novel ride.
Who is this for?
- Adventure seekers
- Story seekers
- Scenery snobs
- Sci-fi fans
- Players with at least some experience
- Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle
Why play?
- Unusual, replayable game structure
- Great set
- A humorous script
Story
As cadets in the fleet, we had been beamed aboard the SS Adventure. We had to get the ship running and then traverse the universe to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly solve intergalactic problems.
Setting
We were beamed aboard a Star Trek-inspired spaceship with an angular, futuristic aesthetic, complete with dozens of blinking lights, buttons, switches, and dials… all of which were active game components.
Gameplay
Perplexium’s Incoming Transmission combined standard escape room gameplay with atypical elements. It had a moderate level of difficulty.
Incoming Transmission could be played in “story mode,” which combined more typical escape room-style gameplay with video game-like elements. It could be replayed in “points mode” which opened up the star system and allowed crews to go off and have a real-life video game-like adventure without some of the more tangible escape room moments.
The gameplay was similar to something like Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.
Core gameplay revolved around figuring out how to interact with the environment, following instructions, and communicating.
Analysis
➕ The spaceship set was interesting and beautiful.
➕ As we brought this ship to life and completed missions it reacted with different effects. These upped our excitement about the missions and our feelings of triumph.
➕ There was a heavy video component that involved alien characters appearing on a large screen to ask for help, make demands, or threaten us. It was both Star Trek-y and funny… kind of like The Orville… but without dick jokes.
➕ We enjoyed the escape room-style gameplay of configuring the ship. We especially enjoyed operating the ship’s transporter.
➖ The gameplay often felt more like following instructions than exploring or solving puzzles.
❓ The second act of the game took place at consoles, much like a multiplayer video game. It was fun, but the novelty wore off quickly. We would have liked more puzzle variety or a quicker pace during this segment. Reactions to this segment will likely vary based on individual player preferences.
➖ Incoming Transmission lacked an intense boss flight. The gameplay felt one-note, even as our ship came under fire. We would have liked to build toward the climactic battle.
➕ The replayable “points mode” concept was interesting. There were so many console-based puzzles packed into the game that we could return again and again to play though the challenges from our consoles aboard this intergalactic ship.
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
- This room involves crawling, ducking and tight spaces. At least one player will need to do this.
- This room includes flashing lights, fog, and loud noises.
Book your hour with Perplexium’s Incoming Transmission, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Perplexium comped our tickets for this game.
