Room Escape Artist

Turn left at the clown

Location: Delft, Netherlands

Date Played: October 11, 2025

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: €205 – €225 per team

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: For the full experience all players should be able to walk easily, even if surfaces are a little uneven, but it is possible to opt out of this portion of the game.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Into the DarkVerse was unlike anything that I had played from DarkPark or any other escape room or immersive gaming company. While this game was initially built as a way to help recoup the costs of having to suddenly purchase and repair their building, it felt like a perfect representation of “necessity being the mother of invention.”

DarkPark took remnant materials from their past (and future) games, and blended them all together to form The DarkVerse, a world bathed in darkness, where you confront yourself. While we have played many games in full or partial darkness, we’ve never seen one that used a mix of light, dark, and craft technology to such beautiful effect.

Two things about Into the DarkVerse stood out to me both while playing and after I returned home:

While Into the DarkVerse was a horror experience, it wasn’t abusive, and it was willing to let each player have their own experience. Prior to playing, DarkPark sent a fear survey to each player on the team. There’s no trickery here; the survey helps the gamemaster customize the experience for each player, putting them into more or less intense situations to match their resolve (relative to the rest of their team). But even if that’s still a bit too much for an individual, DarkPark is extremely open to adapting around each player’s needs.

The second standout from Into the DarkVerse was how smoothly the game’s technology worked, and how they used it to both facilitate gameplay, and heighten the reality of the game. The artistry on display was impressive.

I’ve never been shy about my deep love of DarkPark, and Into the DarkVerse only served to add to my appreciation of their work. At the same time, I am under no illusions that this will be a universally beloved game. My observation from both my team and the many teams that we put through this game on our Netherlands Tour is that Into the DarkVerse is as polarizing as it is interesting. For those who connect with this experience, it’s a unique gem. And for those who don’t gel with Into the DarkVerse, there is an opportunity for you to step back, support your team, and take some time appreciating some of the magical nuances interlaced throughout the experience.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• DarkPark fans
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Everyone gets multiple chances to shine
• Novel collaborative gameplay built on tech that just works
• The many brilliant nuances of Into the DarkVerse aren’t always obvious, but they are everywhere

Story

A mysterious game had appeared, and once we began, the only way to stop playing would be completion. As we began to play, we quickly learned that it wasn’t about winning or losing… it was about who we became while playing.

Setting

Most of Into the DarkVerse was set in pure darkness, but unlike other dark games, this one had a home-base set. Furthermore, when we set-out to explore the darkness, we weren’t exploring a dark space devoid of aesthetics. It was far more designed than one would typically expect of a dark world.

Exploring Into the DarkVerse meant diving into the many worlds that DarkPark has created or will create. This world was populated by characters, and while it could get scary, these characters always remained respectful, and players were safe.

Gameplay

DarkPark’s Into the DarkVerse was an atypical escape room with a variable level of difficulty depending upon player comfort.

Core gameplay revolved around path-finding, collaboration, and communication.

Analysis

➕ We’ve felt our way through dark spaces, and we’ve tackled communication challenges, but the core mechanic of Into the DarkVerse combined these in a novel approach to escape room design. The game hinged on path-finding, clear communication, and trust – both in our teammates and in DarkPark.

➕ The portal to the DarkVerse felt magical, from the way it was revealed to its gated state. It looked and felt like the portal to another world. And when we stepped into it, it dramatically “locked” with an auditory flourish.

➕ The tech worked brilliantly. It was intuitive, and without an arduous explanation, we picked it up and proceeded into the DarkVerse. We were so impressed.

➕ DarkPark melded pre-planned trickery with reality to heighten the experience in ways that only the most observant will figure out.

➖ Into the DarkVerse was originally designed to be temporary, and the home base set wasn’t as refined as we’ve come to expect from DarkPark. While the dark sets were more designed than we often see from dark games – they had to be, given how the interaction works – they too offered opportunity for polish.

➕ Each mission into the DarkVerse had us recover a MacGuffin. These were satisfying rewards for our quests.

➕ Into the DarkVerse pushed each of us to face our fears, but ultimately, it didn’t ask more than any one player could handle. It was adaptable to different comfort levels. Not only that, but it was so much more than walking into the unknown dark. For example, DarkPark designed an affordance that flashed before us, making the game flow more smoothly.

➕ Although the core mechanic repeated, it didn’t get old. DarkPark kept it fresh and challenging with each new scene, including a twist near the end. The intrigue held, even for the players spending most of their time at home base.

➕ /➖ The puzzle skills in Into the DarkVerse were communication and path-finding. It you struggle with spatial awareness, Into the DarkVerse will be especially challenging. While there were isolated opportunities to solve other challenges, given the core mechanic, your puzzle satisfaction mileage may vary.

➖ In the finale scene, some of the props were a bit too pointy for the scenario.

➕ /➖ In Into the DarkVerse, we made our own story. At the time we played, DarkPark was working on a new ending, which, as described, will have deep resonance and help contextualize the team experience, putting less onus on the players to ascribe their own meaning to it. We look forward to it.

Tips For Visiting

• There are lots of great restaurant options in Delft.
• This game is playable in Dutch or English.
• You can still play this game if some of your teammates are very afraid of the dark. It will adapt. However, you need to have at least 2 brave teammates who want to engage with the core mechanic of the game.
• Into the DarkVerse references DarkPark’s other work. It’s less scary, and more impactful, if you’ve played DarkPark’s other games before playing this one. However, Into the DarkVerse still works well if it is your introduction to DarkPark.

Book your hour with DarkPark’s Into the DarkVerse, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: DarkPark comped our tickets for this game.