All for a good Claus.
Location: Austin, Texas
Date Played: December 6, 2022
Team Size: 3-6; we recommend 3-4
Duration: 70 minutes
Price: $45 per player for 3 tickets, $40 per player for 4+ tickets (must buy a minimum of 3 tickets)
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: All players must be able to crawl; there is no bypass
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
The first things I noticed walking into Escape Hour Austin’s holiday-themed room was the Christmas-y smell of cinnamon and spice, holiday music playing in the background, and the cozy scene before us. There were even stockings hung by the chimney with care. Attention to detail was evident as I looked around the room.
The puzzles were unique and used Christmas decor in creative ways that I hadn’t seen in other escape rooms. We even took turns working on one fun puzzle because it was simply a cool effect. Most puzzles involved observation and making connections with limited information and were very satisfying once we figured them out, giving us a few nice aha moments.
But other puzzles were deceptively tricky because it wasn’t clear that we needed more information to solve them. We sometimes spent time working on puzzles too soon, coming up with valid, but incorrect answers. This was frustrating and caused our team to lose momentum as we tried to work through a puzzle, only to finally abandon it or ask for a hint.
While most Christmas rooms are designed for newbies and families, this one is better enjoyed by more experienced players, due to the complexity of the puzzles. If you are in the Austin area and looking for an extra holiday activity, stop in and play A Christmas Unremembered.
Who is this for?
- Scenery snobs
- Fans of cozy Christmas-themed rooms
- Players with at least some experience
Why play?
- Festive, home-y setting
- Original thematic puzzles
- For a dose of holiday spirit!
Story
It was Christmas Eve, and we were visiting our grandparents as we did every year. But Grandma and Grandpa were mysteriously not home; instead, we had to discover their secret and get ready for an adventure we would never forget!
Setting
The game took place at our grandparents’ house, which was decorated with all the holiday trimmings: a cozy fireplace adorned with stockings and nutcrackers, a glowing Christmas tree with presents underneath, and a wintery scene outside. Although this was a temporary room (available only until February 2023), the set was solid and rivaled many permanent escape rooms.
Gameplay
Escape Hour Austin’s A Christmas Unremembered was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ The set was beautifully decorated, with festive touches everywhere we looked. The scent of cinnamon and spice filled the air as holiday tunes played in the background. I was tempted to relax by the tree with a blanket and a book.
➕ Puzzles were uniquely created out of typical Christmas décor, and at first glance, it was hard to tell that they were not just set dressing. For those of us who see puzzles in everything, it was delightful to see that these items actually WERE part of a puzzle!
➖ One piece of set decor contained very similar details to a nearby puzzle, and we tried to use it multiple times before realizing it was just decoration. Moving it to a different part of the game or eliminating it entirely would be an easy fix to this issue.
➕ There were quite a few puzzles that required two players to work together due to the type and location of components. This made for a fun cooperative experience for those players.
➖ The game flow was uneven. We encountered multiple puzzles that seemed immediately solvable but actually lacked necessary information, often leaving us frustrated about why reasonable answers didn’t work. Plus, we spent a lot of time on not-yet-solvable puzzles.
❓One mid-game puzzle used a green laser. Because of the location of this specific component, players should be careful to avoid having the laser aim at their eyes.
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
Book your hour with Escape Hour Austin’s A Christmas Unremembered, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Escape Hour Austin provided media discounted tickets for this game.