The Assistant 2.0 is one of the best games in Massachusetts. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Massachusetts.
A second wormhole, a new experience
Location: Leominster, MA
Date Played: April 2, 2022
Team Size: Up to 6 players; we recommend 3-4
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $28 per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
A quick trip through all of time and space awaits players that tackle The Gate Escape’s The Assistant 2.0. In short, this escape room assembles a puzzling playground for those individuals willing to hop into a celestial adventure. Although experienced players will have a leg up in recognizing patterns in these puzzles, the smooth puzzle flow makes The Assistant 2.0 approachable for new players. If you’re new to escape rooms, start here before you tackle Gate Escape’s 90-minute The Observatory. If you’re traveling to the area to play rooms, plan on playing both this room and The Observatory.
The game simply and unapologetically challenges players by laying out puzzles in a straight-forward, non-search-centered manner. Upon entering the space, there are many immediate opportunities for players to dive in and engage in the wormhole world, both with the assistance of others and on solo ventures. Perhaps the most impressive and inherently satisfying aspect of the entire experience is the way that these solves layer together and build towards completion with the intelligent reuse of items found throughout the space.
The typically smooth gameplay was briefly interrupted mid-game when one puzzle didn’t come together as naturally as those throughout the rest of the experience. This left us with open questions on the potential solve, and when we were able to advance, credited it more to luck than to skill.
Ideal for a group of friends ready to puzzle, The Assistant 2.0 rewards a keen sense of attention to detail, with layered, multifaceted solves combining nicely with simple surprises to eclipse expectations.
Who is this for?
- Puzzle lovers
- Scenery snobs
- Best for players with at least some experience
Why play?
- Intuitive, layered puzzles
- A non-linear start that allows for flexibility with experienced players
Story
In our role as assistants to famed astrophysicist Dr. E.R. Bridges, we naturally found ourselves hopping through a wormhole on a rescue mission to retrieve a thumb drive and free our kidnapped mentor.
Setting
This set was collection of futuristic wonders and physical puzzles wrapped in a cool steel environment.
Gameplay
The Assistant 2.0 was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty. This experience did not focus on searching; elements were displayed and ready to be assembled into multi-layered, satisfying solutions.
Analysis
➕ Onboarding started before we even entered the space with a sequence that introduced our team to the locking mechanisms and ultimately provided us with a necessary game element; this was clever and well-integrated.
➕ A personalization effect in the beginning of the experience left us smiling.
➖ Repetitive coloring led to unnecessary confusion on a physical puzzle readily available at the start.
➕ The set was interesting and uniquely assembled using a multitude of appropriate props for the theme.
➖ An unsatisfying solve led us to wonder if there was a ghost puzzle that we were wrestling with towards the midpoint.
➕ The flow of the puzzles was sound, and allowed us to navigate smoothly with logical solves towards a heart-pumping conclusion.
Tips For Visiting
- There is plenty of parking in front of the facility.
- The Gate Escape has replaced their original game, The Assistant, with this game, The Assistant 2.0. This is a completely new game. If you played the older game in the past, you can definitely play this one now.
Book your hour with The Gate Escape’s The Assistant 2.0, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: The Gate Escape comped our tickets for this game.