Review: Hour Escape - Diamonds in the Rough

RATING: 2 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 6:43

There are no hidden gems to be found in this pawn shop.

Story

You’ve found a laptop and thought it was a good idea to pawn it for cash…

Little did you know there were diamonds inside that computer! Now you’ve got people looking for you and you’re desperate to get out of trouble. You’ve snuck into the pawn shop to try and recover the goods. Hurry, the thugs are closing in on you! Can you find the diamonds before it’s too late?

Although the storyline presented on the company’s website appears quite captivating, it quickly fades away upon playing the game. The goal set out at the beginning is clear, and it guides mischievous thieves throughout their adventure.

Besides the end goal, however, there is no plot progression or logical journey present whatsoever. Robbers will simply believe they are completing a series of menial tasks for no apparent reason in order to achieve their ultimate goal. A series of small nudges and reminders of the plot line sprinkled throughout the game could go a long way in improving its storyworld.

Scenic

The space that holds Diamonds in the Rough is truly bare bones. Upon entering the one small room which contains the entire experience, there is no indication that one has entered an escape game. Rather, it feels more like a room in a barren office suite, with tile flooring and intense overhead lighting shining down on robbers throughout their journey. There are very few decorations hanging from the walls.

A couple large-scale and somewhat impressive props bring Diamonds in the Rough to an acceptable level of scenic design, counterbalancing the plainness of the space. The first of these interesting props is a giant pawn shop display case, which feels highly authentic. The other attention grabbing prop is a massive safe which sits ominously in the far corner of the room. Besides these two set pieces, there is really not much more to mention about the scenic of this game.

Puzzles

Almost all of the puzzles in Diamonds in the Rough are of the padlock variety. The gameplay highly focuses on search, so if thieves do not have a good scavenger on hand, they may be in for a rough time. At several points, we found it necessary to summon clues simply because we could not find an item that was critical for our progression in the game.

When robbers are not off hunting for keys or other items, they will likely be determining combinations for three or four digit numerical locks. A major flaw in the puzzle design here is that since there are so many locks around the room, criminals are forced to enter a newly-found combination into every single one of them, until one hopefully opens.

Another issue with the puzzle design is the presence of locks that are not a part of the game, in spaces where it would be logical for them to be fair play. While these untouchable locks are marked with small stickers, it is easy to get confused and attempt to open them, thereby wasting valuable time.

Not everything about the puzzles in Diamonds in the Rough is negative, however. We found every step in the game highly logical and intuitive, and were able to move from one task to the next with relative ease. A group of inexperienced players would likely be able to succeed in this game just as well as a pack of seasoned veterans, because the puzzles make sense on a fundamental level.

Overall

On the whole, Diamonds in the Rough at Hour Escape is a solid and enjoyable entry into the robbery escape game genre. That being said, it plays out as a very basic and generation one game. While newcomers will likely find themselves thoroughly satisfied by the game, enthusiasts will probably find themselves yearning for more.

This game could be improved greatly by a bit of sprucing up in the scenic department, and a clearer integration of the storyline. Although the game lacked innovative uses of technology and relied too heavily on padlocks, it flowed logically enough to remain entertaining throughout.