Sand, sarcophagi, and more!
Location: Killeen, TX
Date Played: August 31, 2022
Team Size: 2-8; we recommend 2-6
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $25 per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
The Lost Tomb of Anubis was an absolutely beautiful room with fair, interactive puzzles and fun reveals. Although a couple aspects suffered from tedium, the general feel was adventurous and lavish. We were active, we explored the space, and we earned our escape.
Like many tomb games, we had to overlook the dim lighting. It was haunting and lovely, but also frustrating to navigate when deciphering ancient symbols whose details mattered. As always, more flashlights or at least one well-lit spot would have gone a long way.
The puzzles were generally tactile and satisfying, allowing us to interact with every set piece of interest. The room made good use of a large space and benefited from teamwork. However, the game lost some momentum near the end when a few puzzles felt a bit too similar.
Ultimately, though, this was a solid puzzling experience within a believable environment that we didn’t want to leave. Along with The Mobfather, it’s another reason that Great Escape of Central Texas is worth a short side trip for Austinite enthusiasts.
Who is this for?
- Puzzle lovers
- Scenery snobs
- Any experience level
Why play?
- To explore an impeccable Egyptian tomb set. It was gorgeous.
Story
During an archaeological exploration, a cave-in trapped us in a tomb. With only an hour of air to spare, we had to search for a way out, dodging curses as we went.
After the introduction, the story didn’t play much of a role in this room.
Setting
We explored a lushly decorated Egyptian tomb, replete with sarcophagi, torches, sand, and a beautiful golden cat! The set struck an admirable balance between filling its space with thematic decor and distinguishing important elements from background ambiance. We always knew what we might want to interact with and yet could enjoy the rich atmosphere.
Gameplay
Great Escape of Central Texas’s Lost Tomb of Anubis was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Gameplay focused on making connections, decoding, and manipulating set pieces.
Analysis
➕ The set was stunning. Great care had gone into creating a thoroughly decorated yet navigable ambiance. Even though the room was four years old, it still looked new.
➕ The puzzles were well-clued and logical. This was a solid puzzling game.
➖ The room involved multiple lengthy decoding activities, which proved extra tedious when differentiating among many similar symbols in dim light.
➕ There was a particularly elegant use of lighting to clue one puzzle. This provided necessary focus while perfectly fitting the atmosphere of the moment.
➕/➖ Several puzzles used interesting tech triggers to detect our inputs, enhancing the cursed, booby-trapped feel of the room. However, these triggers also required specific maneuvers to reset them before trying multiple solutions. Though necessary, the explicit instructions for how to reset the puzzles broke the ambiance.
➖ We had enough information to complete one puzzle out of order, but it wouldn’t accept our inputs until other things had happened. This was a distracting time sink and could be better gated.
➖ The final sequence of puzzles seemed somewhat repetitive in its core design. As a result, the finale felt anticlimactic.
➕ The rich atmosphere never distracted from the significant set elements. Every prominent set piece was purposeful and appropriately delineated from background decor. This clean set design was a hallmark of all the games we played at Great Escape of Central Texas.
Tips For Visiting
- There was plenty of parking right outside of Great Escape of Central Texas.
- The owner recommended Arepitas, a local Venezuelan restaurant. It did not disappoint.
Book your hour with Great Escape of Central Texas’ Lost Tomb of Anubis, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
