Escape Quest – Curious Encounters

THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED
Escape Quest – Curious Encounters.
Location: Macclesfield
Game Date 20/07/2016.
Team: Amy, Ian, Eddie & Julie

I was SO EXCITED to go to Escape Quest, I had heard many, many good reviews and nice things about them, and the themes of the rooms on the website really piqued my interest! So, as a bit of a different challenge, I brough my parents along for the ride, and their first ever escape room!
Escape Quest are based in Macclesfield, and are the nicest couple, running their escape rooms themselves. They only ever book one game at a time, so you really have their entire devotion for the time you’re there! They have 3 rooms (soon to be 4) and we chose their “classic” room “Curious Encounters”

Theme:

“Have you always wondered what it was like to live in the past? Would you like to see with your own eyes?  Here is your chance.
‘The Professor’ has invented the worlds first time machine. Powered with six rare ‘time echo’ crystals, the machine is able to transport between 3-6 people to any time and place in history.
You have volunteered to test the Professor’s invention and will be transported to Victorian England in 1873, where you will arrive at Mr Copplestone’s curiosity shoppe.  Solve the puzzles, mysteries and clues in this emporium of wonder to find your way back to the present day.
The travelling vortex created by the ‘time echo’ crystals will stay open for one hour, during which time ‘The Professor’ will stay in contact with you.  Before the 60 minutes is up you must find all six time-echo crystals and re-enter the vortex to return to the present, or face being trapped in the past forever.

Themeing started during the briefing, with Elaine sowing the seeds of the curiosity shop firmly in our mind! We were then whisked to 1873 in a puff of smoke and imagination. The room itself was decorated beautifully, with all the furniture appropriate to the time period! Fantastic job, Ooo I must also mention the sound track, which was lovely and featured fab classical music!

Game Play:
The game had a good mix of padlocks and keys, I would say it lent more towards keys but this is perfectly in keeping with the 1873 time period! There was a great, really great selection of puzzles and brilliant search and finds, without which the game can’t be completed! It also had a very unique element I’ve not seen before! The flow of the puzzles was lovely, felt organic and everything made sense (which is one thing I look for in an escape room!) There certainly was enough to keep us very busy for the hour!

Clue System:
Clues were delivered through a very nicely themed screen, with a sound clue to alert!

Game Host:
Our game host was brilliant, delivering clues at the perfect timing, and with enough wit & cryptology to make us think for ourselves whilst nudging us in the right direction!

Did we escape?
Yes! 49:43, a good time!

Website: http://www.escapequest.co.uk/
Price: For all the 60 minute games the prices are:
3 players – £57
4 players – £72
5 players – £80
6 players – £90

Thank you, Elaine & Michael for running a fantastic game and for being so warm and welcoming! We look forward to having a mini-binge next time!