RATING: 4 Keys          RESULT: Win           REMAINING: 9:13

Terrorists, and zombies, and missiles OH MY!

You are part of a Special Task Force Team know as the Revenant Corps. Your team’s mission is to break into the terrorist base. Stop the Zombie Warhead Missile from launching an infectious disease that will destroy the human race, but be alert, there is also a LIVE Zombie in the room with you

So here’s the deal; there’s a zombie outbreak. That’s not good.

There is also a missile containing a deadly disease that is capable of erasing mankind off the face of the earth. That’s pretty bad.

Said warhead is scheduled to launch in just sixty minutes. That really poses a problem.

The Revenant Corps must break into the lab, find a cure for the disease, and stop the weapon from being deployed. They also must complete all of these challenges while avoiding being infected themselves by a ferocious zombie. The chain attached to the zombie gets longer as time progresses… because escape room. This Special Task Force has its work cut out, but the entire human race is counting on their success!

An infected doctor is (digitally) confined in one of the Zombie Containment Units (ZCU). Teams must cure this doctor before they can successfully escape harms way.

A lab assistant accompanies the Revenant Corp team and acts as the game master. While their knowledge of what to do was certainly helpful, the fact that they were there but not able to actually help prevent catastrophe didn’t truly make sense in the storyworld.

Scenic quality is a strong suit at Solve It Sherlock. The team here understands the value of creating a believable, immersive environment, and has once again done just that.

Revenant Corps members will find themselves outside the laboratory in a dimly lit, brick walled space. The scenic makes it clear that this is a dangerous place to be.

Blood left behind from previous task forces, well used Zombie Containment Units, and, um… well, an actual zombie create an urgency to advance.

The inside of the lab maintains the same level of set design, successfully transporting guests into the world that Solve It Sherlock set out to create.

Quarantine blends set design and a quality background soundtrack to fully immerse teams in the zombie world.

It’s not uncommon to find sub-par puzzles and challenges in games that lean on a zombie to drive the action. That is not the case here.

While many of the tasks are easier and more straightforward than those found in traditional escape games, the added adrenaline of being hunted by a not-so-live actor ups the difficulty level noticeably.

It proved to be quite stressful, in a good way, to connect wires, navigate a maze, and input codes while being lunged at by a zombie. If the infected creature touches a member of the team, that person must go inside a ZCU for two minutes to make sure they are not infected.

There are a few clever ways built into the gameplay and set design that teams can distract the zombie. Wisely using what can be found around the space will prove helpful in both keeping task force members uncontaminated and in solving the puzzles quickly.

One unique feature found in Quarantine is the use of a laptop. USB drives provide helpful information in completing the challenges. But it’s best to keep an eye over your shoulder as your hunched in front of the screen.

The tasks flowed logically for the most part, with the exception of one sequence that required a lot of hand holding from the lab assistant to successfully complete. Simple math with the use of a digital scale should be easy enough… but we were pretty tare-able at it.

Quarantine is a great take on the “chained zombie” escape game theme. Fantastic scenic, high pressure tasks, and a quality zombie actor come together to create an intense environment.

The story falters slightly in that there is a lab assistant present who knows all of the solutions to save the doctor and prevent the missile from launching, yet they are not able to actively participate in the attempt achieve those goals. A great fix for this would be to have the lab assistant infected in place of the doctor, and in a ZCU that can see the entire game space. This way they can verbally assist as they do now, but their lack of ability to physically help would fit the storyworld much more.

Quarantine is a great game for anyone looking for an extra adrenaline rush added to their puzzle solving adventures. Both horror fans and escape game fans will find something to talk about after their experience in the lab!

Solve It Sherlock puts a lot of emphasis on their scenic, and it clearly shows here. With recently acquired space and plans for expansion, we are very excited to see what comes next for this exciting company!

Venue: Solve It Sherlock

Location: Neptune, NJ

Number of Games: 3

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 4 people (1-2 additional players may be added by calling and reserving)

Group Type: Public / You may be paired with strangers. (Private games available for an added fee)

Cost: $29 per person, $39 per person for private bookings

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