Review: Cipher Escape - The Brewery Escape

RATING: 3 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 2:08

Take one down, pass it around. 60 minutes of time on the wall…

Story

You were informed from by one of the brewery workers that the head brewer is leaving the business and wants to steal the Brewery’s Secret Beer Recipe. Your mission is to find the Secret Beer Recipe and escape the brewery before the guard returns in 60 minutes.

Word travels fast when beer is involved, and the word on the street is that the head brewer at the Cipher Escape Brewery is leaving in a huff. As if that weren’t bad enough, he plans to steal the secret beer recipe to use it to start his own competing brewery. While we’re pretty sure he’s not a good thief if he’s telling people what his nefarious plans are in advance, we’re glad he did so that we can help stop this heinous beer crime. Nevertheless, we have been called in to protect the brewery’s most important valuable asset – the recipe – before he absconds with it. Essentially, we must steal the recipe before he steals the recipe.

Cipher Escape has created a fun, little story that is one of the less commonly seen themes. Players are definitely and constantly immersed within the storyworld of the brewery’s inner workings from the time The Brewery Escape begins through to the end of the beer-themed adventure.

While we personally do not indulge in beer all that often, we found this theme to be a refreshing one.

Scenic

The scenic environment of The Brewery Escape is dissected into two areas: the main, customer-facing taproom and the back room where the public isn’t allowed. The aesthetics of these spaces differ and are very distinct, as they would be in any real-world setting.

The bar chamber is appropriately decorated with all the odds and ends you would expect to find in any self-respecting brewery. The sudsy, bubbly wallpaper print leaves a little to be desired, but does fit the theme and gives players the feeling that they are inside a glass of beer for whatever reason. Having the different beverages on tap was a nice touch and added to the authenticity and immersion of the game.

Once you proceed into the back room, all fluff and frivolity is tossed aside for the sake of functionality and maintaining the tightly-run business that is brewing. The walls are plain and the setting is appropriate for a space that contains all the various supplies that one needs to run a successful brewery.

Puzzles

The Brewery Escape’s puzzles stay on task and true to the theme. We saw it as somewhat of an educational experience and learned a little about the process, which isn’t a bad thing. Learning is fun, right? In a room with a fairly uncommon theme, it certainly is.

The first chamber is the most memorable of the two as far as puzzles go. Our favorite challenge dealt with the different flavors that were on the taps, which is a truly authentic and direct application of the topic to a puzzle. A great attention to detail really comes in handy in this first area, and makes for a speedier progression into the next room. You’ll need to keep your eyes sharp and work together to make the correct associations in order to advance further in the game.

During our time in the backroom area, we had to complete tasks by locating and utilizing the ingredients of the secret recipe. You’ll also need to accurately weigh items, which always requires following directions and a sprinkle of patience.

Overall

This a great room for beginners and small groups of six or less. It is not only fun, but also informative and provides a decent opportunity for you and your teammates to have a good time while learning about beer.

Overall, it is a good experience that satisfies both the desire for something a little different and for an entertaining challenge that can be tackled alongside your friends or family. So grab a glass and pour a few cold ones because a unique adventure is on tap in this brewery!