RATING: 5 Keys          RESULT: Win           REMAINING: 1:16

Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show – The Holy Grail awaits only those who can escape this daunting castle!

To earn their place among the knights of legend, a seat at the round table, Galahad (Starring: James Kelly) and his companions (Starring: You) embark on a quest in search of the source for immortality, the fabled Holy Grail.

Chalice seekers will be faced with many difficult challenges in their attempt to escape this castle with the coveted item in hand. Gaining access to the castle is trivial, getting out… not so much.

While the Holy Grail is an incredibly powerful item, the main entryway to this foreboding palace has powers of its own. If the cup passes through the front doorway, it will lose all of it’s mystical qualities.

Therefore, it is imperative that Galahad and his companions not only locate the Grail’s hiding place in the castle, but also find a new way out once it is in their possession.

Galahad’s strongest asset is its scenic quality. From the moment grail seekers step foot within the castle walls they are fully immersed in a beautiful world.

A large, circular chamber greets visitors in an impactful way. Not only does the space look incredible, it actually smells realistic as well. A faint scent of freshly baked goods can be noticed immediately, almost as if the central fireplace was crackling with bread cooking inside of it.

Atmospheric lighting plays a part in setting the mood within the castle. The glow of daylight sneaking in through the window and skylight makes the space feel even larger than it actually is.

All of the set pieces in Galahad fit the world perfectly. They are aged, but in perfect working condition. Every inch of the adventure, from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, is themed and well designed. It is clear that great attention was paid to making this game a visually impactful experience.

Galahad is a large escape game with plenty of puzzles to conquer. Upwards of 10 companions can attempt to steal the Grail, and while at times that would be physically tight, there are enough challenges needing eyes and hands to keep a large group engrossed in the story.

The game play is fairly linear as a whole, but teams can simultaneously work on smaller goals as they progress through the castle.

Grail seekers start their quest in the rotunda, and the sheer number of puzzles crammed in to this area can be daunting. However, with clear indicators that progress is being made, the potentially intimidating nature of this difficult game instead turns into a well paced and exciting adventure.

Every step along the journey to find the Grail and escape stays within the storyworld. Physical challenges, mental puzzles, and some… inside the box thinking that leads to a very cool mid-game reveal create a well-rounded experience. There is one step that proved to be a bit more difficult with only two people playing, but it is still certainly solvable.

Grail seekers will encounter a math-based puzzle on the quest. This required simple addition of four digit numbers, and a notepad is provided. An entire group of math averse adventurers may find difficulty at that point in this game, but it is not a reason to shy away from this fantastic experience.

Galahad is an escape game worth going out of your way to play. It’s just plain fun. An incredibly detailed set design pairs with a large number of challenging tasks to create a memorable experience.

In some bad escape games it feels like time crawls by. In many good adventures it seems like an hour expires in the blink of an eye. Galahad is the rare unicorn of a great game, so fully transporting Grail searchers to another world that by the end of the sixty minutes it’s believable they had been in the castle for much longer than they actually had.

It is important to note that part of this adventure requires at least one of Galahad’s companions to crawl through a low space. A group with mobility issues should let their Game Master know beforehand so a workaround can be put in place.

Each game at Venture Escape Room casts the guests as a starring (or supporting) role in a feature film. This unique take on theming games to be movies opens the door for some really creative experiences. With plans and plenty of room to expand, we here at Escape Authority are certainly excited to see what cinematic masterpieces will be showing at Venture Escape Room next!

Venue: Venture Escape Room

Location: Haddon Township, NJ

Number of Games: 3

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 10 people

Group Type: Public / You may be paired with strangers.

Cost: $28 per person

We thank Venture Escape Room for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.