RATING: 4 Keys          RESULT: Loss          REMAINING: X:XX

It’s one of the strangest interviews we’ve ever been on, and we’re not quite sure if landing this job is good or bad.

It has been rumored, billionaire antique collector John Croft holds one of the world’s richest collections of privately owned artifacts.  You and your team of highly trained thieves have been hired by a rival antique collector, Alexander Ford, to penetrate Croft’s museum and steal his most prized possession, the staff of Tut.  A disgruntled ex-employee of Mr. Croft has been paid off to describe the security systems in detail.  Mr. Ford has identified a window of 60 minutes in between guard shifts for your team to get in, find the coveted staff, and escape without being caught.   The staff is for Mr. Ford, but any other treasures you find along the way will help the success of your mission.

It’s been quite a while since we were called in to burgle something of great value, but we have accepted the challenge. If our efforts pay off, not only will we have the exhilarating opportunity to hold the staff of Tut in our very own hands but will earn our place among a notorious band of thieves famous for acquiring the most sought-after treasures imaginable. While that notoriety is not quite something we can include on our Linked In page, accomplishing this mission will help us prove our mettle in thievery.

The Raid on Mr. Croft’s Museum is a very charming experience that begins from the moment players are introduced to their game master, a hilarious and excellent character actor totally committed to immersing us in the story of our mission in a most refreshing and entertaining way. She was even dressed to fit the part, complete with a little mask, a fedora, and an oversized trench coat that created an ensemble reminiscent of Spy vs. Spy. The storyworld is skillfully continued throughout the entire journey in the museum, with every puzzle and artifact you encounter only adding to the realism and overall enjoyment of the game.

The Raid on Mr. Croft’s Museum takes place in … well, a museum. Glass display cases contain beautiful and seemingly authentic treasures, while artwork and sculptures are exhibited as only a collector of historical artifacts would see to it.

All of the museum props are of convincing quality and help sell the location and setting. Egyptian, Greek, and Mayan relics shine from all corners of the room, spotlighted in studio lighting. Of course, Croft’s most prized possessions are hidden away safely in a secret vault separate from the main gallery area, protected by lasers.

Though the scenery is simple, it is perfectly appropriate for what a collector’s personal gallery might look like.

All of the puzzles in the room relate well to the story. Each challenge ties in respectively to the artifacts encountered in the museum. One task in particular put a unique spin on a classic we see a good bit in rooms by layering on another task that must be done in tandem. This challenge not only requires coordination, but also a definite dose of teamwork. Another trial that would please any diehard trivia fan added up to a new puzzle type for us.

While not every puzzle was the best in show, most were enjoyable and stayed true to the theme. A few clues of the laminate variety did not exactly feel the most polished, but others were quite creative and more than enough to make up for it. One very clever and beautiful prop required a mathematics solution that aligned with the story really well. Since we are not known for our love of math-related tasks, we deferred that challenge to the third member of our group to tackle. Another puzzle featuring a miniature model of the city of Tenochtitlan was a personal favorite.

The Raid on Mr. Croft’s Museum consists of multiple chambers chock-full of treasure lovers’ trinkets, all locked away securely by various puzzles that provide a satisfying challenge. There was more than enough to keep our group of three active, and in the end, we were a close single step away from accomplishing the mission.

Escape MSP does things a little differently. Their mission-based rooms use a system of points, awarded based on the success of your objective, number of clues used, the number of people playing and the time remaining. In addition, players are tasked with not only the main mission of the room, but also asked to retrieve and collect additional artifacts along the way to gain extra points. While we didn’t retrieve that main artifact, we racked up on the secondary artifacts that added to our overall point total.

During our visit, we also got a sneak peek at their submarine game, Captain Segal’s Meltdown. We were certainly impressed by the detailed and expansive set hidden within. Sadly, we only had time to play one game on our visit, but know we now have a reason to dive back in the next time we’re in town!

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Venue:   Escape MSP

 Location:  St. Paul, MN

Number of Games:  3

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity:  10 people

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

Cost:   $29.95 per person