Automagical
Location: Denver, CO
Date Played: September 7, 2019
Team size: 2-5; we recommend 2-3
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $27 per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
KAZAM! was a puzzle-driven escape game with a collection of generally high-quality challenges.
Additionally, Puzzah! had an interesting approach to automation that seamlessly injected bonus content into the experience, based on team performance.
That said, we felt the limitations of hint automation rear their head from time to time. Also, a recurring visibility obstacle was cool at first, but grew way too old by the end of the game.
As puzzlers we really enjoyed KAZAM! and absolutely recommend it to puzzle- and tech-minded players.
Who is this for?
- Puzzle lovers
- Technophiles
- Any experience level
Why play?
- Interesting automated puzzles
- Strong team-based gameplay
- Adaptive difficulty
Story
We entered the attic of famed and missing stage magician Kellar Kazam. The question at hand: where did his final disappearing act take him?
Setting
KAZAM! was built as a quirky space. It was an office. It was decorated and themed against the golden age of stage magic… and there was a modern computer. I have no idea what year it was supposed to be in the game world.
Now all of that might sound negative, but it wasn’t; it worked. I attribute this to the fact that Puzzah! clearly put a lot of effort into the space. That was evident from the unusual ceiling as well as the integrated tech.
As with all of the Puzzah! games we played on this trip, Kazam! had tech-driven adaptive difficulty piloting the game.
Gameplay
Puzzah!’s KAZAM! was a linear escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
It was unusual in that a computer interface gated all the puzzles.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ The puzzles were the star of KAZAM! Puzzah! took familiar concepts and added clever twists.
➕ KAZAM! had one of our favorite searching puzzles of all time. Puzzah! used riddles and puns to clue a finite amount of searching.
➕ While ciphers can drag on in escape rooms, Puzzah! dodged this in KAZAM! by integrating an entertaining mechanism into an alternating cipher.
➖ As much as we enjoyed the puzzles, at times we felt that Puzzah! could have added cleaner cluing.
➕ KAZAM! had an enticing magical study vibe to it. It was a fun place to explore.
➖ For a game set in the golden age of magic, it relied heavily on a computer. This seemed out of place. (I’m not sure what year it was supposed to be.) It also slowed the pace of gameplay.
➕/➖ KAZAM! opened with a gimmick that added intrigue to the opening moments of the game. We expect this will be novel for most players. We appreciated how this forced teamwork. We felt, however, that as the game progressed, this mechanic overstayed its welcome and became annoying.
➕ Puzzah!’s games are automated. KAZAM! will present more puzzles to players who move through the game quickly. We appreciated the “bonus” content. It seemed integrated well enough that players who aren’t presented with it won’t miss it.
Tips For Visiting
- There is nearby street parking and public parking lots.
Book your hour with Puzzah!’s KAZAM!, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Puzzah! comped our tickets for this game.
Disclosure: Our trip to Denver was sponsored by the Denver escape room community. Contributions were anonymous.
