Room Escape Artist

“Things we can’t see affect our lives much more than we think.”

Location: Ra’anana, Israel

Date Played: May 15, 2022

Team Size: 3-12; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: 130 NIS per player for 3 players to 110 NIS per player for 7+ players

Ticketing: Private

Game Breakage: No

Accessibility Consideration: Crouching and steps up for all players

Emergency Exit Rating: We’re unsure what fire escape measures there were, if any. More Info.

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I’ll begin with a proud admission: Money Heist (called La Casa de Papel/ The House of Paper in most non-US countries) is one of my favorite TV series of the past year. I binged all 5 seasons a few months ago after being turned onto the show by fellow REA writer Theresa W. The show is a rare balance of compelling action sequences and deep character development, with a political undercurrent of individual empowerment. And it’s deeply puzzly. Without spoiling any details of the show, I empathized strongly with the character and mind of The Professor.

Needless to say, I went into Inside Out’s Money Heist-themed escape room with more excitement and anticipation than just about any other fandom-centric escape room in Israel (of which there were many!)

As a fan, Money Heist did not disappoint. Keeping in line with the show, our heist was characterized more by planning and puzzle solving than slick spy shenanigans, though there was certain a mix of both. I enjoyed a smattering of references to the characters and plot points of the show, devoid of any substantive spoilers and unobtrusive to players unfamiliar with the series.

The set was admirably sustainable, salvaged from recycled materials, though overall rather modest. The puzzles included some clever connections. Both set and puzzles worked together to support a collection of creative, unique moments that were truly what made Money Heist shine.

If you are visiting the greater Tel Aviv area (Ra’anana is about 30 minutes north of Tel Aviv by car), Money Heist would make a nice addition to your itinerary.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Any experience level
• Fans of Money Heist

Why play?

• The Money Heist series references
• The sustainably built set
• The explosive finale

Story

In Money Heist, we infiltrated the Bank of Spain with our eyes set on “recovering” a large sum of government money stored in the vault there.

Setting

Money Heist was set in a regal bank environment. After planning out our heist, we entered a lobby with a beautifully patterned floor and robust security. Just beyond, the bank director’s office contained the entrance to an imposing metal vault.

Gameplay

Inside Out’s Money Heist was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around solving puzzles and making connections.

Analysis

➕ Money Heist started with an immersive introduction that thematically shaped our entrance into the space.

➕/➖ The set was generally simple but effective, communicating story through each new space. We especially appreciated detailing on a diorama and the lobby’s faux marble flooring. A bit worse for wear in parts, the bank director’s office felt a bit too much like a generic office.

➕ Nearly the entire set of Money Heist was constructed from creatively recycled and salvaged materials. It is somewhat rare to see this sustainable approach successfully applied to escape room set design without the room ending up looking like a haphazard yard sale. (As a comparison, this reminded me of the values embodied by Escape Artistry in Chicago.)

➕ A creative use of lighting tracked our progress as we completed various tasks.

➕ One interaction got my heart racing. I appreciated the creative input mechanism, as well as the excuse for a short in-game workout.

➕ How does one open a heavy metal vault door? The approach taken in Money Heist made us feel cool, and the tech behind it seemed to work reliably.

➖ Toy guns and a simulated exchange of gunfire, while on theme, felt fake and didn’t feed back into the gameplay.

➕ That finale. Our escape was accompanied by a small but impressive practical effect that I’ve rarely before seen in an indoor immersive experience.

➕ Money Heist included a solid dose of references for fans of the show while still telling a self-standing story for players completely unfamiliar with the show.

Tips For Visiting

• English playability: All elements required for solving puzzles were available in English.
• There is a kids version of Money Heist bookable on request.

Book your hour with Inside Out’s Money Heist, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Inside Out provided media discounted tickets for this game.