Room Escape Artist

Expect the unexpected

Location: Bad Steben, Germany

Date Played: April 1, 2026

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 120 minutes

Price:  €229-€299 per team, depending on number of players

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: Players need to crawl, climb, and maneuver through small spaces

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

https://youtube.com/shorts/SGzeEoSXBRs

REA Reaction

In The Tale of the Heartless Pirate, Dream Labs brought a fresh, light-hearted perspective to a popular escape room theme. With Metropolis 2099 we were transported to a Blade Runner-esque dystopian world that felt so real, we still wonder if it was all just a dream. So with their third game, Lost, we couldn’t help but imagine what we would encounter – a plane crash on a deserted island? A mysterious hatch? Polar bears? Dare I say, a smoke monster? But, turns out, it had nothing to do with the iconic TV series of the same name.* But beyond that, it was better not to know much about this game’s story, and to let it reveal itself at its own pace. 

Dream Labs could write the book on implementing the Magic Circle. Not only was the onboarding experience immersive from the start, it was also one of the most entertaining we’d ever encountered. From the moment we walked in the door, set design blended with story, blurring the lines between what was within and outside of the actual game. It was expertly choreographed, with dry humor and laugh-out-loud moments. The flow of this sequence was so good, and so unexpected, that I was momentarily put off, until I realized it was all part of the game. 

The set matched the high quality of their other games, and was uniquely tailored for this theme. Some spaces were dark and foreboding, while others were calming and well-lit, offering respite of sorts from the most recent adrenaline rush, if only for a brief time. Subtle design elements added immersion, story, and even a bit of joy when we noticed them. One moment early on made us stop in our tracks and stare, as we realized the horror/ sci-fi direction of the game’s theme. It was a goosebump-inducing moment, silent yet it spoke volumes.

The gameplay flowed smoothly through most of the experience, as did the actors who appeared periodically. Jump scares were well-timed and kept us on our toes. A few tense solo moments let us test our courage. Only one sequence lacked clear direction, causing us to fumble looking for our next move. My favorite puzzle moment applied just the right amount of pressure as we worked to quickly escape a threat. Like many horror games, the difficulty of the puzzles ramped up during the quieter moments, and became more simple and task-oriented when the tension rose. 

Lost served up its horror/ sci-fi theme with an expert level of skill we’ve come to expect from Dream Labs. As we’ve said before, Bad Steben is distant from most major cities in Germany, but well worth the drive. And now, with a trio of Golden Lock award-winning games, it is worth traveling any distance to experience.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Scenery snobs
• Horror fans
• Sci-fi aficionados
• Dreamers

Why play?

• Entertaining introduction
• Inventive set design
• Exciting, fast-paced gameplay

Story

As clients of Dream Labs, we had arrived for our scheduled appointment for their dream exploration services. The person who greeted us was a new tech, but had two weeks of on-the-job experience. We were led back to the DreamPod control room, nervous but excited. Our “dream leader” seemed competent enough. I guess. What could possibly go wrong?

Setting

Similar to Dream Labs’ other experiences, this game began as we entered the same white-walled office. We were eventually led to a sterile control room, complete with a brightly-lit workspace, computer displays and numerous switches and knobs. The DreamPod, with seating for six dreamers, offered luxury transit to our dreamstate.

Gameplay

Dream Labs’ Lost was a horror/ sci-fi themed escape room with a moderate level of difficulty. 

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

Analysis

➕ We were highly entertained by an immersive onboarding sequence, which brought us into the scenario without giving much away of the experience to come. It was a great setup.

➕ The setting was gorgeous and extensive, with hidden spaces, subtle touches and oversized set pieces that conveyed story and mood without always spelling things out. Some areas were low-lit and moody, and we often stuck close together as we peered around corners. 

➕ During one memorable moment, the vibe of the entire experience was conveyed in a creepy, but powerful way. 

➕ Many puzzles were task-based and not overly complex, intentionally moving us around the set either together… or separated. When teamwork was involved, it usually amped up the excitement.

➖ A loud, high-pressure sequence towards the end of the game was confusing, and would have benefited from additional minor cluing. Because of the noise level, we struggled to work together to solve it. 

➕ One high-pressure puzzle moved us along, bit by bit, in an exciting, nail-biter of a sequence.

➕ Themed props offered a nifty, in-world method for getting additional story points as well as giving players something to hunt for throughout the game.

👷There were a couple of smaller spaces where we could have bumped our heads, but Dream Labs thoughtfully provided on-theme protective headgear. 

🏝️ * We decided to check out the Lost TV show in preparation for playing the game, as I’d never seen it. After one episode, I was hooked. Six seasons and 121 episodes later, I can now say I’m a true fan. And that it would make a great escape room…

Tips For Visiting

• Playable in German and English
• Dream Labs’ games can be played in any order, but we recommend playing at least one of their other two games first, as it made the intro slightly better.
• It’s worth renting a car to get to Bad Steben. The scenic drive is about 3 hours from Berlin, Munich, or Frankfurt. It’s much longer by train. 
• The town of Bad Steben is known as a destination for its natural thermal springs and spas, so there are several options for lodging. We enjoyed our stay next door at the hotel Haus Am Kurpark. 
• Though we didn’t partake in the local thermal baths, we did enjoy lunch at the cafe there. We also liked Pizzeria Da Carmelo, which was one of several restaurants within walking distance.
• There is a parking lot.

Book your hour with Dream Labs’ Lost, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Dream Labs provided media discounted tickets for this game.