Author: Lisa Spira

An unpretentious yet quality SAW-inspired experience

Location:  Hamburg, Germany

Date Played: May 12, 2019

Team size: 2-6; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: from 71 € per group for teams of 2 to 135 € per team for teams of 6

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

EscapeDiem’s JigSaw was a solid SAW-inspired escape game in a sea of generally mediocre SAW-themed games.

JigSaw was intense with some scary moments, but never overwhelming. It was far more puzzley than we typically expect from a game playing with horror tropes. It did a great job of throttling back the fear when we really needed to think.

JigSaw wasn’t a gamechanger, but it did a good job casting us into a freaky and eerie murder room and making us fight through puzzles while overcoming our nerves. If you’re in Hamburg and this sounds like your kind of fun, then you should absolutely book EscapeDiem’s JigSaw.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Scenery snobs
• SAW fans
• Any experience level

Why play?

• Compelling SAW-inspired gameplay
• Some creative puzzle design

Story

We’d woken up blindfolded in an old bathroom and under the supervision of a serial killer. We had to play his game… or he would skip to the end.

Setting

JigSaw was exactly what we expected from a SAW-inspired game. It began in a rundown, tiled bathroom-like environment with heavy weathering and a foreboding feel.

The escape game moved on to other dark and intimidating settings, continuing a sense of fear that was occasionally stoked by the gamemaster.

This was all tied together by an in-character hint system that was especially well-performed by our gamemaster.

Gameplay

EscapeDiem’s JigSaw was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching and puzzling.

Analysis

❓ EscapeDiem’s take on a serial killer game was standard. This played out exactly as we would have expected.

➕ EscapeDiem used space well. Jigsaw felt bigger than it was.

➕ There was a standout lighting effect in JigSaw.

❓ The set and puzzle design felt a bit messy. Although the gameplay worked, the look at feel of the space, props, and puzzles was unrefined. That said, this was justified by the theme and set up.

➕ The gamemastering was phenomenal. Our gamemaster justified her existence in our experience. This was well-acted over a walky-talky. This wasn’t her only role.

➕ The puzzles were varied and flowed well, shifting from search-heavy in an uncomfortable environment to more substantial and challenging puzzles.

➕ EscapeDiem did a fantastic job of tuning the fear level of the room to the complexity of the challenges.

➖ The gameplay arc didn’t quite conclude. Because of the choice of final puzzle, our playthrough (and energy level) fizzled rather than rushing to a dramatic conclusion.

❓ We’ve played a number of serial killer-themed escape rooms. This one made no attempt to hide its inspiration. It was conceptually unambitious, but well executed.

Tips For Visiting

• Minimum age is 16 years old
• At least one person will have to crawl.

Book your hour with EscapeDiem’s JigSaw, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: EscapeDiem comped our tickets for this game.

God of the Sea

Location:  Hamburg, Germany

Date Played: May 11, 2019

Team size: up to 7; we recommend 4-6

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: 30€ per player (minimum ticket purchase of 5)

Ticketing: Public Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Neptune’s Curse was the kind of escape room that really highlights what’s fantastic about this whole form of entertainment.

Hidden in Hamburg packed great, tangible puzzles into an incredible, authentic space. Built inside of a ship, this game had a setting that couldn’t be duplicated. It was really cool.

If you’re anywhere near Hamburg and value puzzle quality just as much as the adventure and setting, Neptune’s Curse is a must-play.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Players with at least some experience
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Incredible use of space
• An authentic set
• Fantastic puzzle play

Story

We boarded the Rickmer Rickmers, a retired ship-turned-museum. As we toured the vessel, we entered the captain’s quarters. There, the angry voice of Neptune, god of the sea, demanded that we return his trident, stolen by the long-dead captain of the ship… or suffer the wrath of a god.

Setting

Hidden in Hamburg was built within the Rickmer Rickmers, an actual ship docked in the Elbe River. Once aboard, we made our way to the actual crew’s quarters. That’s where our adventure began.

The set of Neptune’s Curse was as authentic as it could get. Initially, it seemed quite bland. We were within a fairly cramped ship’s quarters. As the game progressed, however, we began to see how Hidden in Hamburg used the idiosyncrasies of the old ship to present a one-of-a-kind experience.

Gameplay

Hidden in Hamburg’s Neptune’s Curse was a standard escape room with a high level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ Neptune’s Curse was set aboard the ship Rickmer Rickmers. The ship was a phenomenal escape room setting. The gameplay made use of the space. It was a fun place to move through, and move we did. This added to our sense of adventure in Neptune’s Curse.

➕ Hidden in Hamburg fit a lot of puzzle content into these ship compartments. The puzzles flowed well, making use of the space and often requiring teamwork.

➖/➕ We encountered one instance where Neptune’s Curse lacked necessary gating. We spent too long reaching for one puzzle before it became available. (We loved this puzzle once we were able to properly access it.)

➕ Neptune’s Curse ramped up the difficulty slowly. The first scene was relatively tame, in both setting and puzzles, giving players a change to find their sea legs before diving into the deep end. The puzzles became substantially more challenging – and the gamespace more challenging to navigate – in subsequent scenes, before tapering off to allow a high-momentum, triumphant conclusion.

➖ With the setting aboard the Rickmer Rickmers, there was opportunity for additional world-building. With a few more details in staging, setup, and storytelling, we would have felt more a part of the world of Neptune’s Curse.

➖ The story lacked an emotional connection. We didn’t feel invested in the characters or their plight.

❓ While the puzzles in Neptune’s Curse were thematic, they didn’t impact the story. Rather than a narrative-driven experience, Hidden in Hamburg built puzzle-driven, adventure-forward gameplay into this vessel.

➕ Neptune’s Curse delivered many theatrical moments. Hidden in Hamburg directed our attention before triggering reveals. While the direction was heavy-handed at times, it enabled everyone to experience the these cinematic, memorable moments together.

Tips For Visiting

• Players must be able to maneuver through tight spaces, down stairs, and over uneven surfaces. This room might not be right for players with balance issues, vertigo, or claustrophobia.
• Minimum age to play is 12, anyone under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
• This game is located on board a ship called Rickmer Rickmers. Note that their other games are located on board a different ship called Cap San Diego.

Book your hour with Hidden in Hamburg’s Neptune’s Curse, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.