RATING: 6 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 10:00
This review is brought to you by Poltergeists Uncovered™.
“Poltergeists Uncovered™: Of all the ghost hunting shows on TV, we’re one of them!“
Cabin in the Woods is a slightly modified version of the existing, physical escape game at the the venue’s brick and mortar location – retrofitted to be offered as a live, online remote play experience. Although altered slightly to better flow in this new medium, the game is, at its core, essentially the same as what guests will find should they visit Escape World in person. To read our Pro-Tips on how to best enjoy this new Remote Play genre, click here.
You are lost in the woods together with your friends. Due to the bad weather you are looking for a suitable place to sleep. After a 4 hour tiring journey you suddenly see in the distance a log cabin, an ideal place to hide! Once inside, it seems not to be such a good idea … You are hearing eerie noises, you feel the presence of mysterious forces and inexplicable things happen. All families who have been here before, found dead after leaving. There is a curse on the cabin and it’s up to you to chase the ghosts before they catch you by surprise! Since we have 2 identical Cabin in the Woods rooms, it’s great for teams to compete!
The story of Cabin in the Woods, on its own, would be chilling enough to captivate even the most experienced paranormal investigators. It is, however, through the Remote Play medium that this game is able to transport itself to a whole other level.
Framed as a live broadcast of a not-so-famous ghost hunters TV show dubbed “Poltergeists Uncovered,” Escape World instantly justifies the storyworld hole of why we’re sitting at home, watching through our computer screens. From the moment the live feed begins streaming, the story begins with a bang (and a great laugh.) “Welcome back to Poltergeists Uncovered, I’m your host, Psychic Ricky, and today, we’re taking calls from you, our dear viewers, as we investigate this Cabin in the Woods!” Presenting guests as viewers of a TV show is, perhaps, the most brilliant narrative connection we’ve ever felt in one of these remote play games, instantly making it feel not only real, but purely authentic.
Psychic Ricky’s quick wit and improvisational skills add another rich layer of quality to an already top tier experience, infusing the thrills and suspense with several laugh-out-loud-funny moments of comic relief that would not otherwise exist within the brick and mortar version of this game. Here’s just a taste of an actual interaction we had: “Dear viewers, I simply have no idea how to get inside this cabin – what do you think?” “I think, with respect, that you might not be a very good psychic then.” “This is embarrassing to admit, but ‘Psychic Ricky’ is actually just a family name.”
It won’t take much more than a quick glance at Escape World’s website to see they are truly masters at the art of creating authentic-feeling scenic environments. Each one of their games looks completely real – and Cabin in the Woods is no exception. Perhaps most important of note – those photos absolutely translate to this Remote Play medium. What results evokes the flavor of being inside a Hollywood blockbuster movie, directing the action as it plays out in real time.
Beginning outside the Cabin, in the Woods (see what we did there?), paranormal investigators are surrounded by trees – and tombstones – that glow against the eerie moonlight. The cabin itself holds an ominous presence over the scene, looming as a foreboding warning of things to come.
Once inside, every detail is authentic, from its wood walls, aged stone fireplace, and even worn, creaky floorboards. Clearly, this is a place that was once warm and welcoming, but those days have long since passed. Beyond the cabin, even more secrets await deeper in the woods – some of which may have grave consequences on investigators’ hopes of surviving a night in this cursed place.
The Cabin in the Woods is full of mysterious secrets – tasking explorers with finding a way to break its curse, lest they never again see the light of day pierce the forest that surrounds them. Challenges throughout this paranormal investigation feel logical and organic to the storyworld. Many of them rustic in flavor, puzzles make use of items that would naturally be found in and around the old cabin to further both the narrative as well as the game’s progress itself.
Well hidden tech-based puzzles add an evident flare of the supernatural, bringing with them a sense of certain urgency and consequence. They’re all brought to (after)life by the host of our show, Psychic Ricky. His bumbling persona makes him come across far less like a gamemaster, and much more a member of our team dependent on our guidance if he has any hope of surviving. It’s clear that he’s seeing everything with us for the first time, and that he’s “never” been here before – all important presentation skills to add mystique to a Remote Play experience.
Appropriately, Cabin in the Woods builds to a paranormal climax, involving summoning – and exercising the demonic spirit which has cursed this old shack years ago. It’s another tech-driven tour de force that adds both laughs (thanks to Psychic Ricky’s reactions) and a solid “wow!” moment that becomes the exclamation point at the end of an epic storyworld come to life.
Escape World quickly drew us in with images of epic scenic throughout each of their games – but simply put, it takes much more than nice sets to make for a top-tier caliber attraction. There needs to be a compelling story, an organic connection that immerses players into that story, and clever, outside the box puzzles that tie everything together in the total package. Not only does Escape World deliver on all of those aspects, but they do it so solidly that scenic – the single thing that caught our attention in the first place – ends up becoming the least memorable component for viewers who tune in to an online episode of “Poltergeists Uncovered.” And given just how good their scenic really is, that is perhaps the ultimate compliment.
Cabin in the Woods is a fantastic game, but most interestingly, it’s one of the few that might actually transcend its brick and mortar experience, offering an even higher caliber of immersive entertainment in this Remote Play medium. The added character layer, expertly brought to life by Psychic Ricky – rich in quick-witted jokes and well-timed comic relief transforms Cabin in the Woods from an already great game to one of the most memorable experiences we’ve had in quite some time.
It’s important to note, being located in another country, that everything within this game is available in English, and the venue’s team are able to speak so fluently and clearly that it will become quickly easy to forget they’re talking to you live from The Netherlands. We don’t typically “name drop” any of a given venue’s team members within their review, because it is always our goal to keep these posts about the attraction itself. That being said, Psychic Ricky so quickly, so organically, and so authentically becomes a core piece of this experience that we cannot imagine it playing out any other way. We highly recommend that when booking, you, too, request Pepijn as your host.
*Montu, Escape Authority’s VP, Dog Business™ and lead home game correspondent endorses the opinions found within this review.
Show your support for Escape Authority and get social with us:
Venue: Escape World
Location: Remote online play at home, broadcast live from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Number of Remote Play Games: 1
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 6 people
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: € 59 per group
We thank Escape World for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary access was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.