RoomsQuest – Jailbreak

THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED
Location: Chester
RoomsQuest – Jail Break.
Game Date 11/10/2016.
Team: Amy & Ian

I heard about RoomsQuest quite a while ago, but the 3 person minimum had stopped me booking it (as we generally play in a team of 2!) but when a Groupon popped up for them I took the bull by the horns and booked!

RoomsQuest is situated above Chester Train Station, meaning it is excellently place for train and bus travel, and there is plenty of parking (some of which free after 6pm) if you wish to come by car.

The entrance is a little bit hidden, and inconspicuous, as the buildng is grade 2 listed this impacts the amount of signage RoomsQuest can have, but it adds to the mystery, and makes you feel like you’re entering a very exclusive club!

The waiting area is small, but clean and tidy, with puzzles to play whilst waiting and a big comfy couch to chill on!

Theme:
“It’s another lively night out in Chester for you and a group of your friends when it slowly dawns on you that one of your party is missing! Walking the rows calling their name you find them trapped in the cloakroom of the club you just left – caught napping as the last security guard vacated the building! You now have one hour to aid in their escape before the time delay alarm is set off and all hell breaks loose.”

Normally, I will read the blurb on an escape room’s website so I am fully up to speed with the theme of a room when we go in to it. NOW… for some reason, I didn’t with RoomsQuest! (slaps wrists) So when we were told we were playing the “Jail Break” room, I was expecting a prison cell, not an office! Having read the story now, it all makes sense!!

The theming was lovely, all the bits and bobs you would expect from an office & cloakroom and it was thoroughly decorated with trinkets and decor everywhere, kitschy but cute! It gave lots of places to look in and things to look at and was quite immersive.

Game Play:
This game was strictly non-linear (waauughhh you hear me cry) with an ABUNDANCE of 3 digit locks, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many 3 digits before! It was very much a “search & find” room, with a couple of puzzles… 2 of which we really enjoyed, 1 we needed MASSIVE help with (cause time is pressuring us always) – as the game was “searchy” codes and keys were everywhere, but we still managed to miss obvious things!
Definitely a game for more than 2 players, (I would recommend 4 minimum) we didn’t STOP for the entire time we were in the room! An enjoyable room with no linear elements, totally different from what I normally like too!
This really reminded me of the old computer escape games where things were hidden in obvious, but not obvious places!

Clue System:
Clues were delivered on the screen, with no limit to the amount. The one downside is that RoomsQuest do not have an “alert sound” so you find yourself almost glued to the screen waiting for clues (or at least checking it every 2 seconds!) – However, Ian liked this aspect!
The clues were incredibly helpful, RoomsQuest’s clues really do feel like having an extra team member at some points!

Game Host:
Ellie was our game host, and she ran the game SO very well, giving us hints and nudges at exactly the right time! She was friendly and chatty, and clearly enjoys her job very much! We also met Rob (the owner) who clearly is passionate about his games, as he creates them all himself! (I always love places that create their own games rather that big franchises!) We could have stayed all night chatting about Escape Rooms!

Did we escape?
Yes! YES! We escaped a non-linear room! I feel a real sense of achievement as most of the rooms we have failed at have been non-linear! I was beaming!

Website: http://roomsquest.co.uk/
Price:
3 Players £48
4 Players £60
5 Players £70