RATING: 5 Keys          RESULT: Win          REMAINING: 19:00

Ahhh a warm Florida afternoon. In Canada mid December. Nothing suspicious about that at all.

Operation Flamingo – Secret Agent is a remote play version of an existing, physical escape game at the venue’s brick and mortar location – retrofitted to be offered as a live, online experience. Although altered slightly to better flow in this new medium, the game is, at it’s core, essentially the same as what guests will find should they visit Looking Glass Adventures in person. To read our Pro-Tips on how to best enjoy this new Remote Play genre, click here.

You’re special agents and you and your team have one hour to find your way in a home, infiltrate the house of an elaborate mastermind and extract some mysterious and dangerous items. Be quick and be careful– nothing about this house is at is seems.

Florida man strikes again!

In the land of flamingos and hanging chads, nothing is quite as it seems. This ordinary, quaint little home holds some shocking secrets locked away behind its classic Americana exterior. It is the teams mission to break into the home, disarm the high tech security systems, and abscond with the goods.

Be quick, but watch out for the dogs, the pink chickens, and the neighbors who likely have shotguns…

Operation Flamingo – Secret Agent begins outside the suspects house. A quintessentially American lawn greets the team, complete with a picnic table grill, dog house, and of course a white picket fence.

The scenic takes on an almost cartoon-y aesthetic – which is perfect for a game that definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. Cheap plastic lawn flamingos perfectly round out the faux-tropical vibe that the homeowner is striving to achieve.

The exterior facade of the house is appropriately gaudy boasting colorful string lights and an oversized American flag. That’s exactly how one would blend in if they were trying to hide in plain sight in Florida, right?

The inside of this secretive lair starkly contrasts what Agents encountered outside. Laser beams cut through the air making for a treacherous entry for any potential intruders. The target object is locked away temptingly inside a glowing glass display case. The swirling lights and sirens quickly change the mood from casual barbecue outside to high-stakes heist inside – a reverse escape game mullet of sorts – party in the front, business in the back.

The one negative with scenic here is the drop panel ceilings above both sections of the game. While it’s not entirely egregious given that this game knows it is a cheeky escape adventure that pokes fun of itself in ways, tile office ceilings always take away from the immersion even if only slightly.

Operation Flamingo – Secret Agent makes very creative use out of unsuspecting objects throughout the entirety of the game. Items that appear completely normal on their face turn out to be really neat locks or triggers. This wonderfully sells the idea that Agents are breaking into a super spy’s secret hideout.

A combination of manual locks, high tech surprises, and fun logic will lead the team on a rapid chase around the yard. Agents will get to play with the friendly neighborhood dogs, pet the pink chickens, and maybe even do some bird watching!

Once inside the house, communication is key to shutting down the security apparatus and retrieving the target. Clever systems that interact in unique ways with the surroundings keep Agents on their toes from start to finish.

Operation Flamingo – Secret Agent is a delightful adventure into a caricature interpretation of a normal Florida home. From the scenic outside – plastic lawn flamingos, barking dogs, an obnoxiously large American flag, etc. – to the stand your ground level of home security inside, it is easy for remote Agents to convince themselves that they have conferenced into the Sunshine State as opposed to Toronto, Canada.

A entirely intuitive and logical puzzle flow keeps the game moving at a fast pace. The quirkiness of some of the interactions with the items found outside the home will absolutely delight both rookie and veteran Agents alike. Looking Glass Adventures has created a game that nicely contrasts their other two offerings and may be the perfect tropical escape during the cold winter months.

*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: Looking Glass Adventures

Location: Remote online play at home, broadcast live from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Number of Remote Games: 3

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 12 people

Group Type: Private  / You will not be paired with strangers.

Cost: $25 CAD per person (minimum 4)

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