Room Escape Artist

Choose your way out

Location:  at home

Date Played: March 15, 2024

Team size: 1-6; we recommend 1-3

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes per chapter, 10 chapters total

Price: about $50

REA Reaction

Escape from the Asylum was a unique tabletop escape game that not only put us in the center of the action, it put us in the driver’s seat; it was our choices that determined the narrative path and outcome of the game. 

The story was told in first person, and this, combined with a choose-your-own-adventure-style of gameplay, brought a level of immersion not usually seen in tabletop games. This structure also made it easy to play a chapter, then put the game aside until next time, though it helped to jot down a few notes of key story points between plays. We needed paper and pencil for solving puzzles, but no internet; there’s no wifi in the old asylum.

We liked the way game space was created, with a simple map showing the layout of the building and envelopes illustrated to look like doors to rooms: solve a puzzle and enter the room (open the envelope) to proceed. It conveyed the feel of moving through game spaces in person. Each envelope contained game components leading to even more puzzles.

In fact, Escape from the Asylum was packed with a variety of often challenging puzzles. One puzzle required multi-layered logic to solve. Others made creative use of more tactile components. But a couple of puzzles needed prior knowledge, and a few had major logic leaps, including one we couldn’t even solve with the answer provided in the hints. However, the vast majority were very good, a real puzzler’s delight.

All in all, we experienced more than 10 hours of gameplay before finally solving the mystery – our version, at least. You may discover a different ending. In the end, we had a small stack of cards that weren’t ever used. The completionist in me wanted to follow other paths to see alternative endings, but there were so many decisions throughout the game that it would be nearly impossible to go do down each unique path. If you like tabletop escape games with puzzles that challenge, this is the game for you.

Who is this for?

• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Choose Your Own Adventure fans
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Fun, challenging puzzles
• Unique game mechanics

Story

We woke up, disoriented, and find ourselves locked up in an insane asylum! With no idea how we got here, we panicked… we had to get out and find out what had happened, but how?

Setup

Escape from the Asylum is a two-volume set, with five chapters in each volume. Volume 1 must be played first, and the chapters need to be played in order. None of the components were shared between each volume.

Game components consisted of two decks of cards, hint and solution booklets, a floor plan of the asylum, and numerous envelopes representing areas in the asylum. A timesheet was included to record start time and number of hints taken. Setup was easy; we opened Volume 1 and unsealed the two decks of cards, placing them facedown on the table. We gathered a few sheets of note paper and pencils for tracking story progress and working out puzzles, and were ready to go!

Gameplay

Escape from the Asylum was a unique tabletop game with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay centered around reading cards, following instructions, making choices, observation, and solving puzzles.

Analysis

➕ Cards contained short story beats that never felt overly text-heavy. It was easy to take turns between reader and puzzler. The choose-your-own-adventure style of gameplay allowed for a fluid style of play, where choices actually impacted the outcome of the game.

➕ Every chapter contained a variety of puzzles, many of which were challenging and pushed us to think creatively. The memorable ones required unique mechanics to solve. One favorite puzzle had us mapping out a layered logic problem, while another was solved quickly by just studying it and making connections. Still another was hidden in plain sight, not unlike the type you might find in the Exit: The Game installment. Most puzzles were satisfying to figure out, especially the more unusual ones.

➖ That said, some puzzles were very obtuse, with logic leaps or unclear steps that led us to wonder how we could have come to the right answer without a nudge or two. Don’t be afraid to use hints!

➕/ ➖ The hint system was simple to use and let us find the right hint without spoiling other puzzles. However, the initial hints were very general and not always useful in solving.

➕ Artwork was nicely done, with a clever technique that made a simple envelope look like a room with a door. As much of the gameplay involved entering and exiting different spaces, this helped visualize what the characters were actually doing. A map depicting the layout of the asylum gave us an accurate understanding of where we were at any given time.

➖At times it was confusing to figure out who was who in the narrative, especially at the start of each chapter.

❓ The game is not replayable by the same players. Although the story might change a bit, the puzzles would still be the same. You can, however, reset the game and pass it along to friends.

Tips For Players

• Space Requirements: Standard tabletop
• Required Gear: Pencil & paper for taking notes and a game clock to record the time

Buy your copy of Escape from the Asylum and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: MayDay Games provided a complimentary game.