RATING: 5 Key RESULT: Loss REMAINING: X:XX
How many times have I told Allen that his partying was going to get us all in trouble?! Now we are stuck in this swamp…..hey guys, why are there lights in that tree??
The legend of the Skull Witch has been told throughout the area in whispers and rumor. The story tells of a witch that slumbers deep in the darkness of the swamp. She awakens every year around Mardi Gras to lure bewildered party goers into the murky darkness to never be heard from again. Your group has tracked down some of your missing friends at a small cabin deep in the swamp. As you enter, the door slams behind you and you are trapped!
In addition, there is a nice video chronicling the efforts of Allen Parker, a captive of the skull witch, who has been able to slip out of his cage and has been trying to find his way out of her shack. The last thing he was able to do was record the video saying that someone needs to send help as he was about to try and escape but unfortunately for Allen, the last image you see of him is as he is being dragged away by the skull witch.
His fate remains unknown.
Enchambered is well known for having very immersive and detailed scenic, but The Skull Witch takes this to a new level! The moment you step inside the witch’s shack you are immediately put into the most detailed world Enchambered has ever created.
Aged wood surrounds you on all sides as a staircase protrudes out of the floor to a room that hides more puzzles and clues. A broom closest sits in the wall housing not only a broom but totem masks that look to be a part of some strange ritual. Through an empty doorway you see another room with strange rune markings on the wall that must mean something. Finally, there is a very ominous looking tree growing out of the opposite corner of the room, as if the witch used it as a pillar for the frame of her shack. Let’s take a minute to talk about this tree-
As we entered the room I looked up and was examining this incredibly detailed and realistic looking tree. The branches twisting and turning, looking as though they may be just as tortured by this witch as are her captives. At the end of 12 of these branches hung 12 green candles.
“What are those for?” I instinctively said aloud.
Ask and you shall receive, as suddenly the disembodied voice of the skull witch rung through the walls and told us that we had until all the lights in the tree extinguished to get out of her shack!
What an incredible timing mechanism! In every room I have played there has always been a clock somewhere in the room but this, this is truly unique and more importantly – It fits the theme even better than a clock in the room somewhere!
The tree is not the only piece of stellar scenic either, everything in this room is so incredibly detailed. There are shelves with dingy glass bottles with custom labels denoting classic potion ingredients. There are a lot of references to other items traditionally associated with witches as well. In addition to these fantastic touches, there are a couple of small easter eggs paying homage to a classic horror film that felt as though it was a clear inspiration for this room.
Once again Enchambered has delivered a Hollywood level scenic to fully immerse their victims….err I mean customers into an amazing storyworld.
The puzzles for The Skull Witch were incredibly intuitive and original. Being that the theme is based around a witch, magic is clearly at play, which lends itself to utilizing technology as a part of the gameplay. Lucky for us Enchambered is excellent with technology!
As is the hallmark of almost any 5 key room, the puzzles in The Skull Witch were not just puzzles for the sake of puzzles. You actually spend time interacting with different aspects of the room in order to move on.
Lights and sounds give a natural-feeling feedback as to you progress and once solved there is always a very obvious reaction from the room to showcase what you had just unlocked. There were at least three times in addition to the tree I referenced earlier that were pure “wow!” moments that came as direct result of solving a puzzle.
From the perspective of puzzle types, this room checks a lot of boxes. There were so many different styles that I found myself needing to change gears and think in completely different ways on the fly.
Physical puzzles, order puzzles, logic puzzles, permutation puzzles, audible puzzles and visual puzzles are scattered throughout this shack awaiting your attempt to solve them.
By now you should come to expect that while listing the puzzle types as I have done, does not mean they will be presented in the classic format. Enchambered has once again woven these puzzles into the environment in a way that feels so natural that I couldn’t help myself but to smile.
The one knock I have had about Enchambered had been that with their vast knowledge of set design, immersion and technology it was hard to have that immersion be broken when needing a clue, causing the game master to walk in. They solved that issue in this room – and again did it in true Enchambered style!
In the corner of the room is a spell book and when you open that spell book there is a magic screen with custom written programming that will allow for clues to be given to your team when needed. This incredibly clever clue system once again keeps the immersion level intact while providing customizable help for any players that need it!
Overall The Skull Witch had some rather large shoes to fill as the follow up to The Whispering Halls but I am happy to report the team at Enchambered hit another one out of the park! The use of tech was once again phenomenal and they were (surprisingly!) able to add more to the immersion with the new timing mechanism as well the clue system.
Combine those items with a dash of truly unique puzzles, a smaller six person maximum capacity and you have the potion for another stellar game!
It’s worth noting that this room is the first in the Sacramento area to use some jump scares. It needs to be said that these scares are very mild (Trust me, if I can handle them, almost anyone can handle them!) but in the event that you don’t want to have that be a part of your game, they can be turned off. This approach to customizing the game for individual groups is a shining example of how the team at Enchambered deliver exceptional customer service!
What more needs to be said? Enchambered already has a stellar lineup of rooms and the level of passion, knowledge and drive with this team is evident.
With a brand new lobby and recent expansion of their building you can expect a total of seven rooms to be housed at their facility in the future, and I personally can’t wait to go play them over and over!
The Skull Witch is another notch on a championship belt that Enchambered firmly has strapped around its waist.
Show your support for Escape Authority and get social with us:
Venue: Enchambered
Location: Sacramento, California
Number of Games: 3
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 6 people
Group Type: Public / You may be paired with strangers.
Cost: $35 per person