Blood, shed & fears.
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Date Played: September 12, 2022
Team Size: 3-6; we recommend 2-4
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $40 per player
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: All players need to crawl; there is no bypass
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Number One Escape Room’s The Shed picked up right where their game The Cabin had left off. After managing to escape from a serial killer’s cabin, we were now hiding in a shed in his backyard.
(Note that The Shed is a standalone game; you do not need to have played The Cabin first before playing The Shed.)
Having played The Cabin during a prior visit, I knew to expect a similar disturbing vibe and I was not disappointed. The game was moody and atmospheric from the start, with minimal lighting, blood-spattered walls, sinister-looking tools here and there, and evidence of missing victims on display. Though the room was quite dark, we were happy to discover flashlights that effectively helped us find our way around.
Puzzles were appropriately creepy, and while we were initially grossed out by the discovery of a rather grisly item, in a short time we were enthusiastically puzzling with said item as if it were a completely normal thing to do. We even giggled at several unexpected moments, including one thrilling effect that unfortunately could only be experienced by a single player due to the nature of the event. Puzzles were approachable and not too difficult, with solutions that came together easily and made sense. Game flow was smooth throughout, except for one early action that lacked adequate feedback, causing a pause in progress. After retracing steps and asking for a hint, we realized we’d already triggered the event.
The Shed is a fun horror-themed game for both new and experienced players not upset by a little blood and gore. If you are in Las Vegas and looking to escape the casinos for a while, stop by and play Number One Escape Room’s The Shed.
Who is this for?
- Horror fans
- Any experience level
- People who enjoy the occasional jump scare
Why play?
- Creepy horror theme
- Dark, foreboding set that sets an unnerving tone
- You’ve played The Cabin and want to continue the story
Story
After escaping a serial killer and his bloody cabin in the woods, we’d stumbled through the backyard and found an old tool shed. It seemed like a good place to hide for now. As we tried to stay hidden, we started to discover secrets hidden in plain sight…
Setting
It was dark; we could barely make out large tools hanging on the wall – a saw, a hand drill, others we couldn’t identify. Once we could better examine our surroundings, we couldn’t help but notice the blood… so much blood spattered on the walls. Were those victims? Something really bad happened here…
Gameplay
Number One Escape Room’s The Shed was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ Though the room was very dark, the darkness actually worked really well in this gamespace. There were enough flashlights discovered in the first few minutes of the game that allowed each player to continue searching and solving; as a result, we continued playing while remaining immersed in an ominous ambience. Appropriately, flashlights made total sense in a shed.
➕ Set design was moody and immersive, especially early on in the game. As we progressed, the set became less authentic and therefore less intense, though it still remained appropriate surroundings for a serial killer.
➕ The puzzles were fun and approachable, but not overly complex, making this a good game for both new and experienced players. There were a few unusual puzzle components that were exciting to discover. We could tell there was a focus on including unique moments and discoveries.
➖ One early puzzle lacked adequate feedback; though we performed the required action, there was no indication it had triggered a thing. There is an opportunity to implement directive lighting and/or audio cluing to focus players’ attention to the next key area.
➖/ ➕We were confused by one cool discovery that appeared to be key to solving a puzzle, but we found a redundant, more simplified clue, so it was not really necessary.
❓ While the overall tone was creepy and sinister with a few minor jump scares, the game was not overly scary and there are no actors in the room. Even so, I would not recommend this game for young children due to the darkness and serial killer theme.
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
- The Vegas strip is only 10 minutes away. One of our favorite restaurants is in the Aria, called Din Tai Fung. They have amazing xiao long bao, or soup dumplings.
Book your hour with Number One Escape Game’s The Shed, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.