Labor of Love
Location: Milan, Italy
Date Played: March 17, 2024
Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4
Duration: 90 minutes, including intro & photos
Price: €30-45 per player, depending on team size
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: Some physical activity required for several players
Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
“We’ve all been born, we’ve all done puzzles, but have we turned being born into a puzzle? Mad Machine’s Birth Machine did just that, and offered a well-conceived, one-of-a-kind experience that really delivered!”
REA Reaction
Birth Machine brought us on a journey that we’ve all been through in one way or another, but never thought we’d get to relive. Mad Machine’s resident scientist, Dr. Mad, had created a machine that took us back to the very beginning, letting us experience every aspect of our entrance into the world… and I do mean every aspect.
Mad Machines made some impressive set design choices that put us right in the center of the action. Though it began in a familiar setting, the game space grew increasingly more abstract, yet no less immersive. At one point, I just stood there looking around, taking it all in. This game took a lot of imagination to successfully pull off, and it delivered!
The puzzles fit the theme in humorous and surprising ways, often taking a concept and turning it into a unique and memorable task. One challenge was especially amusing, giving us a chance to really stretch our puzzling muscles. I played the whole game wondering what was next and how they would do it, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Birth Machine combined originality, puzzling, and humor together into one unique bundle of joy. It was worth the stop in Milan. And while you’re there, make sure to book Time Machine, too.
Who is this for?
- Story seekers
- Puzzle lovers
- Scenery snobs
- Best for players with at least some experience
- Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle
- People who have been born
- OB/GYNs
- Players who don’t blush easily
Why play?
- Unique experience
- Memorable moments
- Thematic puzzles you’ve probably never seen before
Story
Dr. Mad had created a birth machine that would let us relive our birth from start to finish. We had only 9 months…
Setting
Birth Machine began in a spacious hotel room with familiar furnishings: dresser, make-up table, large bed, and mood lighting… your typical love nest.
Gameplay
Mad Machine’s Birth Machine was a unique escape room experience with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around observing, searching, making connections, and puzzling in ways you can’t imagine.
Analysis
➕Mad Machines delivered one of the most unusual games we’ve ever played!
➕The set was a well-conceived, creative interpretation of the birth experience from start to finish. The discovery of each new area was a delight.
➕ Puzzles were on-theme and immensely inventive with some really unique standouts. One of my favorites added an unexpected twist to gameplay. A couple of other puzzles were so simple in both design and execution yet fit the narrative perfectly and gave us unexpected laugh-out-loud moments.
➖ One mid-game puzzle showed signs of wear on one of the components, making it difficult to solve without a little trial and error.
➕ In one part of the game with non-linear gameplay, easy-to-see indicators displayed when each task was completed, making it easy to keep track of progress and the tasks remaining. Both the game timer and hint system were amusing and did not break immersion; they also changed depending on where we were in the game.
➖ A unique puzzle mid-game used clues that were difficult to hear; it was a blush-worthy moment that we had to re-trigger numerous times, and we eventually needed a nudge to solve it.
➕ The crowning moment of the experience was bizarre and entertaining; I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
😳 Mad Machines will allow players as young as 8-years-old with an accompanying adult. However, Birth Machine contained mature content that some might find slightly awkward. The adult humor was more campy than raunchy, so some interactions might be embarrassing for some players, while others may find it hilarious, as we did. Take this into consideration when deciding who to play with.
Tips For Visiting
- Public Transportation makes it easy to get around Milan
Book your hour with Mad Machine’s Birth Machine, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
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