A very special preview: Escapologic – Curio

Escapologic – Curio. Game Date 25/10/2016. Team: Amy & Ian

We were invited by Escapologic to preview their new room “Curio” Please be aware, this review will review the game at the time I played it, the room will develop and be perfected (not that it wasn’t pretty damn perfect when we played!) for when it opens – Curio opens to the public on November 3rd, to get a taste of what the room is about, check out the full trailer below:

We arrived at Escapologic and I felt a pang of fear looking at the shutter to where 13utcher takes place! We said our hellos to a very busy foyer and headed over with Simon (Escapologic’s owner and creative genius!) Who was going to be running our game! In an unusal twist of events, Simon would actually be in the room with us, but this is just as the camera system was not fully finished!

Theme:
“Be careful what you wish for

An Englishman’s home is his castle. Or his curio if he’s a treasure hunter who’s spent a lifetime collecting trinkets from all four corners of the globe. Alexander Curio was a true eccentric. A legendary explorer who left no stone unturned in his search for gems and gimcracks. To him, life was a gamble, with fate to be decided on a whim or a flip of a coin. A mysterious loner who loved to raise the stakes until they could be raised no higher.

Alexander’s life was one big puzzle. Only a select few ever got beyond his front door. You’re about to join their exclusive ranks. At first glance, Curio looks like the home of an explorer whose passion for chasing treasures has taken him from the Thames to Timbuktu. But the clue lies in the name. Secrets lie within her seemingly innocent walls and trinkets hold the key to untold riches. Fortune favours the brave but riches come at a price.

Who is the man behind the enigma? Was his death the result of some cruel, cosmic irony? And does he really want to share the treasures hidden away within the labyrinth he calls home?

This is no ordinary home. Alexander is anything but an ordinary man. Now he’s inviting you into his world. But once you enter, there’s no going back”

Theming was immaculate, and fitted the character of Curio very well, it was as eccentric as he is, and as barmy as his adventures around the world. Escapologic  hit the nail on the head with theming every time, and each corner of the room held trinkets and tokens from Curio’s adventures and contraptions from his eccentric mind! Immersion was absolute, and I really felt like I was snooping around Curio’s home rather than trying to escape a room! Another phrase I could use is “taken to another dimension!”

Game Play:
Game play was 100% intrinsic to the room, a very linear room. The puzzles were varied, brain-teasing and most of all HEAPS OF FUN,  I don’t think I’ve laughed as much in a room in a while! Requiring lots of team work, with a team of 2 this meant we didn’t stop for the hour, the room is jam packed with puzzles which will test every facet of your brain. The beauty in the puzzles is they all have that AH-HA moment, when suddenly the way becomes clear, and the answer seems to smack you in the face!
There is also a very special element to Curio, which I have NEVER seen before (and I doubt will ever see again) which I will NOT spoil for you… safe to say you have to play this game!!

Clue System:
Clues will be delivered via a shipping forecast, for the sake of our game, our clues were delivered via a Simon-Cast.

Game Host:
Simon was our game host, and was ever the gentleman. He gave us nudges in exactly the right way and moment, and didn’t interfere in any way whilst being in the room with us during our game. We couldn’t have asked for anything more! (again, this is not the norm. When open, the Game Host will be outside the room like with all Escapologic’s other games)

Did we escape?
Yes, and we were the first team of 2 to ever do so! Wahoooo!!

Website:
Price:www.escapologic.com

Off Peak Prices
2 People – £ 40.00 (£ 20.00 pp)
3 People – £ 57.00 (£ 19.00 pp)
4 People – £ 70.00 (£ 17.50 pp)
5 People – £ 80.00 (£ 16.00 pp)
Monday – Thursday
11:30 – 19:00

Peak Prices
2 People – £ 50.00 (£ 25.00 pp)
3 People – £ 69.00 (£ 23.00 pp)
4 People – £ 84.00 (£ 21.00 pp)
5 People – £ 100.00 (£ 20.00 pp)
Friday, Saturday
10:00 – 20:30
Sunday
11:30 – 19:00

I can’t recommend Escapologic enough, it’s a MUST do for any Escape fan, they turn the escape game on its head… rather that just getting out you really are transported to another world for an hour! Get over to Nottingham as soon as Curio opens! (November 3rd!)