RATING: 4 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 12:52
Throw back a beer, shoot some pool, and try not to get blown up.
The Pub 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 Can You Escape? in Fgura, Malta. To read our Pro-Tips on how to best enjoy this new Remote Play genre, click here.
Your friend is on a work trip in Malta. On the last night, he decides to head to the Pub. There’s no one except for your friend and a weird looking barman. Your friend orders a beer. As he takes the first sip, your friend realizes that the barman has also vanished. By the time your friend realizes there might be trouble, he finds a masked man pointing a gun at him. He locks him inside, stating he is a puzzle psychopath who has prepared a series of puzzles which need to be solved for him to escape. Before locking him in, he detonates a bomb which he says will explode in 60 minutes and which is impossible to diffuse.
Your friend video calls you. You are his only hope. Guide him through The Pub and help him find the way out. Your 60 minutes start now!
Some jobs have great perks. A trip to a beautiful island on the company’s dime certainly qualifies as one of those valuable benefits. A little bit of productivity to keep the boss happy – a lot of sight seeing, beach going, and relaxing to keep yourself happy. Oh, and of course the evil bar owner who likes trapping tourists in his pub and killing them if they can’t complete a series of maniacal puzzles. Almost forgot about that perk.
Luckily it is the year 2020 (never though we’d utter that phrase), and modern technology is available to help survive this small travel hiccup. Via Zoom, friends of the captive are able to assist in solving the tasks laid out by the psychopath. With only sixty minutes before a bomb detonates, it’s time to get to work! Just another Monday at the office.
The puzzle psychopath runs a pub that is made up of two sections – the bar and the billiards hall. The main space almost has a speakeasy vibe to it with a relatively small footprint, a three stool bar, and dark wood paneled walls.
Each side of the room is covered in art and decorative items. Everything from beer and wine advertisements to wildlife landscapes full of little animal figurines finds a home inside this peculiar pub.
Tucked away in a secure back room is the billiards table. This space is noticeably more stark than the main area, and as such the unusual wall decoration draws attention immediately.
Although The Pub has some scenic aspects that are out of place, such as a drop panel ceiling, when played remotely the forced perspective eliminates many of the minor details that would stick out in person.
The puzzle psychopath created many layers of challenges that will slow down his victim’s attempt to escape. Starting chained to one wall, the first such task is figuring out just how to free our friend from the restraints.
What follows is well balanced mix of puzzles that thankfully take the captives mind off his impending doom. Some of the hurdles he must overcome fit perfectly into the bar scene, utilizing items that would be found in any such establishment the world over. Others are entirely abstract and would be out of place if it weren’t for the fact that the not so kind gentleman who put our friend in this predicament was a self proclaimed psychopath.
A handful of simple tech is thoughtfully implemented throughout the game. Each step on the path to safety is logical and intuitive – giving hope that the puzzle psychopath at least wants his victims to believe they may live to drink another beer. With a clear progression from one task to the next, a quick pace can be built that carries through the entire experience. Approachable challenges for first time captives will also entertain those who have been handcuffed in a pub once or twice before.
Can You Escape? is presenting The Pub exactly how these remote play games should be delivered. An in character game host plays the part of the captive and sells the role from start to finish. The urgency is made clear from the rather large bomb attached to the door, and remote assistants will quickly understand the explosive nature of the threats made by the puzzle psychopath.
Entirely intuitive tasks flow together nicely, creating an appropriately fast paced game. The added benefit of an in character host to drive the action, as well the forced perspective of the camera eliminating some minor scenic shortcomings make this a game that is arguably more enjoyable to play via this medium than in person.
*Montu, Escape Authority’s VP, Dog Business™ and lead home game correspondent endorses the opinions found within this review.
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Venue: Can You Escape?
Location: Remote online play at home, broadcast live from Fgura, Malta
Number of Games: 3 (1 currently available via remote play)
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 8
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: €49.95 up to 2 connection / €74.95 for 3 or more
We thank Can You Escape? for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary access was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.