Riddle of Anubis
Location: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada
Date Played: February 3, 2020
Team size: 2-8; we recommend 2-4
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: 30 CAD per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
I feel so weird about Denderah’s Secret. We found enjoyment in this escape room even though it rarely passed an opportunity to do stuff that we routinely say “shouldn’t be done that way in escape rooms.”
Before we go further, I need to clarify that this was one of Sauve Qui Peut’s earliest games. As far as early games go, it was great. And this company has come a long way since designing this escape game. With that in mind…
The set is impressive, especially given how long it’s been in operation. Had we seen it when it was new, it would have blown us away. However, a pair of small areas were essentially undesigned and there was a lot of wear.
The puzzles all worked, but two interactions went against our safety recommendations… and you had better have someone who can Sudoku because, oh my, do you need to Sudoku. This isn’t a spoiler, it’s a fact.
We were laughing the whole way through Denderah’s Secret because it felt like the embodiment of what we regularly get on stage and tell people not to do. If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t hate it. Denderah’s Secret was fun because Sauve Qui Peut knows how to keep things interesting. That said, there was a lot of opportunity for this to become a much better game.
Sauve Qui Peut has so many amazing games. Denderah’s Secret doesn’t have to make your playlist. It is still kind of interesting, and by playing it, we better understood how Sauve Qui Peut has evolved. While my brain is telling me not to recommend it, my heart still had a good time.
Who is this for?
- Adventure seekers
- Puzzle lovers
- Scenery snobs
- Tomb raiders
- Any experience level
Why play?
- A charming Egyptian set
- Solid, basic escape room gameplay
Story
Our parents were renowned Egyptologists and we had grown up listening to their stories. As we grew up, we followed in their footsteps and set off to Egypt to unravel the mysteries of the ancient structures that have long captivated the world.
One of our parent’s stories, “Denderah’s Secret,” had always captured our imaginations, and that became the focal point of our work.
Setting
Denderah’s Secret was a big Egyptian sandbox of a set. As usual, Sauve Qui Peut’s gorgeous wall murals added depth and setting that murals almost never accomplish.
As we explored the tomb, almost all of it looked and felt appropriately Egyptian.
That said, there were a few small portions of the game that were essentially undesigned.
Gameplay
Sauve Qui Peut’s Denderah’s Secret was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ The ancient Egyptian sets of Denderah’s Secret looked magnificent, even with some significant wear. Sauve Qui Peut transformed its rooms with expansive murals and the scale of the props and set pieces.
➕ The painting throughout Denderah’s Secret was fantastic. The wall murals were gorgeous.
➖ Two late-game sections were under-designed, especially given what had come before it.
➕/➖ There were a lot of glyphs in Denderah’s Secret. They were different enough that we could distinguish them. That said, with the escape game’s age, some had started to lose their definition and could have used a touch up.
➖ Denderah’s Secret‘s gameplay was dated. It included a long process puzzle that jammed gameplay, multiple trick locks, and the standard pitfalls of the one classic Egyptian trope. It also asked us to interact with the set in a way that seemed… unwise.
➖ We were disappointed to rely on laminated paper cluing within this gorgeous set.
➕ Although the reveals weren’t surprising, they looked great, which added excitement.
➖ While we appreciated Sauve Qui Peut’s early foray into allowing players to affect the game by making a choice, it wasn’t refined. It was easy to unknowingly make a choice before uncovering enough to make an informed decision.
Tips For Visiting
- There is metered street parking.
- This game is entirely bilingual (French and English).
Book your hour with Sauve Qui Peut’s Denderah’s Secret, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Sauve Qui Peut comped our tickets for this game.
