Solve, solve as fast as you can
Location: Taunton, Massachusetts
Date Played: December 12, 2019
Team size: 2-4; we recommend 1- a small family group
Duration: 45 minutes
Price: $18 per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
The Gingerbread Cottage was an adorable, family- and newbie-friendly seasonal game. It was one of the nicer temporary games that we’ve encountered.
The story was cute, the hint system was clever, the puzzles were fair, the props were well-selected, and there was a tiny bit more tech than we’re accustomed to finding in a limited run escape game.
This game was meant for families and small groups of new players. The recipe included short and sweet puzzles and it was iced with a touch of humor.
If you’re a seasoned escape room player, this one isn’t really made for our kind, but we still enjoyed nibbling on it.
Who is this for?
- Puzzle lovers
- Christmas aficionados
- Great for families
- Any experience level
Why play?
- Adorable premise
- Solid puzzle game
- Christmas cheer
Story
Peeled from a baking sheet, we had gained sentience as we were placed in our gingerbread home. From beyond the walls of our candy cottage we’d heard that Darryl was coming home in 45 minutes… and he was going to be hungry.
Setting
The Gingerbread Cottage was a small, humble, and adorable little popup Christmas game. Most of the props were artfully selected Christmas decorations meant to build the fiction of the inside of a gingerbread house.
The game itself was constructed around the decoy gingerbread man, a simple, but effective piece of tech.
Gameplay
Upside Down Escape Games’ The Gingerbread Cottage was a standard escape room with a lower level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ The Gingerbread Cottage had an adorable, playful premise.
➕ The gameplay was approachable and entirely non-linear. It was easy to dive in and clear how to play. The gameplay was smooth.
➖ Maybe we were seeing it in the wrong light, but one puzzle felt a little off to us.
➕ Although Upside Down Escape Games had a small footprint and low budget for this holiday popup escape game, they created a lot of cheer. It didn’t feel cheap or temporary.
➖ There was an opportunity to more evenly use the space. The majority of the puzzle elements were a bit on top of each other.
➖ The Gingerbread Cottage lacked a finale. With a final puzzle or some fanfare, the win would have felt like more of an event.
➕ The hint system was thematic and cute.
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
Book your hour with Upside Down Escape Games’ The Gingerbread Cottage, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Upside Down Escape Games comped our tickets for this game.
