RATING: 5 Keys          RESULT: Win          REMAINING: 14:39

The realities of war can be sombering, but some carry such profound worldly consequences that you just have to get involved.

As you may have noticed, Adolf is about to win the war and your group of Allied Spies have been captured. Great job… You, and the rest of the Western world, will be dead or enslaved by the Nazi Empire if you don’t do something to stop them.

To accomplish this, you must first escape from this jail you are in. You must think like a spy and detour the nuclear weapon that Adolf deployed two hours ago. In your room, you have every single tool necessary to make this happen. Remember, in 60 minutes, any further attempt to complete your mission will be absolutely futile. The fate of the Free World is in your hands!

Agent takes place right in the middle of one of the darkest periods in our world’s history: World War II. With Hitler still in power, we must do anything we can to try to stop the travesties he continues to commit each day.

Our experience begins as captives in a Nazi bunker. Just beyond arm’s reach from our cells is the ability to save the world and stop a German nuclear attack. We must find a way.

Stark, filthy concrete walls surround us, clearly holding back who knows how may feet of earth. It’s evident from the second our eyes adjust to the dim light levels we are in an underground bunker, held captive by the cold steel bars of the jail cell that confines us.

Tattered flags boldly emblazoned with swastikas adorn the walls. The mood is tense, gritty and real.

Agent’s storyworld is one that is easy – albeit uncomfortable – to become immersed in, hearkening back to a time where our planet laid witness to its greatest atrocities.

But this is no history textbook. We’re now trapped in this world, and we just need to look around us at the propaganda posters and war paraphernalia to recognize the very real consequences that await should we fail.

Agent has perhaps the most unique batch of puzzles of any game we experienced within Escape Hotel. Some incredibly cool physical steps at the start of the game instantly evoke the mood of an authentic secret agent adventure, as we make use of our surroundings in a desperate play to free ourselves from captivity.

From the opening moments, Agent flows smoothly from one puzzle to the next. It’s easy to feel momentum build behind us as we progress further towards our goal of stopping Hitler’s next attack.

There is one puzzle in this game which, while we appreciate for its realism might be carry a bit too much gravity for some audiences. It’s an accepted part of the horrors of war, but may catch a more casual escape game player a bit off guard.

Agent’s finale puzzle involved an incredibly cool way of averting a security system that was both unique and fun.

Agent provided us a stark dose of realism that, though caught us off guard, certainly did work within its context. It’s an edgy game that focuses heavily on a sensitive subject matter, and for that reason alone it may not be suitable for all audiences. Theme not withstanding, as a game alone, Agent was certainly one of our favorites at Escape Hotel.

This venue is so inherently unique – creating an over-arcing theme that ties each room together while allowing each room to be starkly contrasting of one another. It works surprisingly well, and is most certainly memorable from start to finish.

One bit we will share consistently across each subsequent Escape Hotel review is that of the very cool check-in process and unique take away each player receives. You’ll be issued a literal passport, complete with your personal information and photograph, in a high quality, gold foil embossed sleeve perfectly reminiscent of an official one that could have been issued by the United States government. In it, you’ll collect custom stamps for each room you successfully escape in the Hotel – an absolutely brilliant means of promoting return visits and making for one of the coolest escape game souvenirs we now proudly own.

Escape Hotel really does aim to redefine what an escape room venue can be, and has ambitious plans for growth. They’re so very interested in feedback from all players – not just experienced ones like us – that there’s simply no question that everything about their operation will get better with each passing day, making them one hotel we definitely plan to check in to again the next time we’re in town.

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Venue:  Escape Hotel

Location: Los Angeles, California

Number of Games: 7

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 6 people

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

Cost: $39 per person

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