Room Escape Artist

No DeLorean required

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:  One person needs to crouch

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Mad Machine’s Time Machine introduced us to Dr. Mad, a quirky scientist who had invented a time machine that could take travelers to different eras, just for the fun of it. He just needed a willing team to be the first to test it out; that’s where we came in. 

Time Machine was lighthearted and fun, with unexpected twists and turns fueled by puzzles that were playful and let us lean into our goofy side. The time machine itself was simply designed, with seats along the walls facing a giant video screen and console, but as the game progressed, the set became more immersive and interesting. One area was really imaginative with cool special effects, although we were confused at first how the space fit into the story. Sound and lighting effects added depth to the setting, while a simple puzzle element revealed humorous diversions that made us want to explore further. The puzzles blended well with set and story, and often had unique, layered solves that we really enjoyed. My favorite puzzle added a moment of pure silliness and was a standout part of the game. 

Mad Machines did a wonderful job pulling us into their world from the moment we walked into the lobby. From the pre-game warmup to the post-game photos and everything in between, Time Machine created a unique story sprinkled with humor and inventive surprises. If you are in Milan looking to play an escape room, you should definitely play both Time Machine and Mad Machine’s other room, Birth Machine. 

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Any experience level
• Players who want a break from the 21st century

Why play?

• Interesting concept
• Quirky characters
• Lighthearted humor

Story

Famed Dr. Mad and his assistant Sophia have enlisted your help to test out his new time machine. What could possibly go wrong?

Setting

The game started in Dr. Mad’s time machine. Several seats faced a large screen and console, not unlike a shuttle found in the original Star Trek series.

Gameplay

Mad Machine’s Time Machine was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around observation, searching, making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ Gameplay was entertaining, with humor and silliness that enhanced the experience. Solving puzzles often required leaning into the environment and viewing solutions from another perspective. This added a unique aspect to gameplay that we found refreshing. A quirky character drove the story and kept the funny moments coming.

➕ Set design was straightforward, with just enough details to convey the purpose and ambiance of the space. Though it could have been more immersive, it worked well with the campiness of the story.

➖ A later space was creative but underutilized; there was potential for something really cool in this area. Gameplay at this point drew our attention to the wrong place, which could have led us to damage part of the set.

➕ An immersive, multi-layered puzzle required numerous steps to work through; it was fun to solve, and rewarded us with a satisfying aha moment.

➖ One large set piece was spotlighted from the start, leading us to assume it was an available puzzle to solve. We kept trying to interact with it, but it wasn’t needed until later in the game.

➕ An engaging interface was involved in both core gameplay and extra content; it was delightful to discover, while also giving larger teams more to experience while still staying true to the theme. We wished we had time to explore this further.

➕ The final moments of the experience tied back to beginning of the adventure in a unique and clever way.

❓Before our game even started, we encountered a unique introduction that gave us an opportunity to warm up our puzzling skills and get us all working together. It occurred before either experience at Mad Machines and set the tone for our game.

Tips For Visiting

• Public transportation makes it easy to get around Milan

Book your hour with Mad Machine’s Time Machine, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.