Timed Trap – The Great Escape

Timed Trap – The Great Escape.
Location: Preston
Game Date 05/03/2017.
Team: Amy, Ian, Jackie & Will

THIS GAME HAS NOW CLOSED

Whilst we were at Timed Trap for Treasure Theft Kal mentioned that Jackie from Exit Games Scotland was coming down to play the 2 rooms, but needed to make a team of 4 to play The Great Escape (as it is a 4 minimum) since we had already bought a Groupon for Serial Killer, we decided to give Jackie a message and met up with her to play The Great Escape.

Theme:
“A makeshift prison is set up in a research lab complete with cell, bars and surveillance cameras. For 2 weeks participants are recruited to play prisoners and guards. The prisoners are locked up and have to follow seemingly mild rules, and the ‘guards’ are simply told to retain order without using physical violence. Anyone is allowed to quit at any time, by forfeiting their payment. In the beginning the mood between both groups is insecure and empathetic. But soon quarrels arise and the warden employs more drastic actions to show his authority.
You only have one hour to escape before your plan is discovered. You must break all the inmates out of their individual cells, before escaping through the infirmary. If you are caught, you will no longer be part of a research project, you will be an actual prisoner.”

Such a great premise of a theme, based on the Stanford Prison experiment… There are orange jumpsuits to dress up in, which does help the theme.
We were the prisoners and the game host was the prison office, this was quite a good start to the room, but then the execution of the theme fell just a little short.
The room suggests “prison” With cells and graffiti adorned walls, but that was as far as the theming went… it was nicely decorated, clean and well finished but it wasn’t entirely immersive.
The Infirmary room was sparsely decorated and felt more like a bedroom than an infirmary but again, the decoration was clean and well finished. Maybe this was intentional as the Stanford prison experiment was a mock prison set up in the basement of Stanford University… but how many people are going to know this off-hand and are going to pair up Timed Trap’s story to the Stanford Prison Experiment (even though I had prior knowledge of this I had to read more to know where and how it was set up) – I do think a more in-depth prison set may have made more of an impact to the theming.

Game Play:
This game is a minimum 4 players as at the top of the game, you’re put into your own individual cell. It’s a matter of time and luck as to who gets out first and how long the others are stuck for. As it so happened, Ian and I were out within the first 5 minutes of the game, Unfortunately, we played a lot of the game before we figured out how to get Jackie and will out and they spent probably half the game locked up, which is a bit unfair really, I feel that if players are locked up, all of them should be out of the cells before the game really gets going! (Ala Cell Block C in Manchester!) Game play was linear and it’s possible to complete almost all the game before getting all your team out, we had solved a fair few puzzles between Ian and I before Jackie and Will got out… the puzzles were ok, a mixture of searching, code breaking and blacklight searching but nothing too exciting or challenging. The last puzzle of the game was good, I enjoyed solving that as it did take some critical thinking. An enjoyable room, there was nothing I hated, but at the same time there was nothing I loved.
I would think enthusiasts may find this room OK, and I would not take any more than 4 players. Newbies may want to take more to increase the brain power on the tricker puzzles and searching.

Clue System:
Clues were delivered via the game host coming into the room. (maximum of 4)

Game Host:
Ahh I forgot to get our Game Host’s name, but she was very friendly and delivered the story tot he room very well, and gave us good hints when we called for them.

Did we escape?
Yes, with 4, minutes remaining using 3 hints!

Website: http://www.timedtrap.co.uk
Price:
2 Players £44
3 Players £60
4 Players £76
5 Players £85
6 Players £90

Timed Trap quite often run groupon/living social deals so keep a keen eye out and grab a bargain!