RATING: 1 Key RESULT: Win REMAINING: 25:19
I’ve heard of some bad weekends in Vegas, but this one didn’t even include a hangover and significant gambling debt.
The story centered around a guy on vacation with his family in Vegas that has lost the family’s entire life savings. Our task is to find enough money to cover for him so his wife doesn’t find out and kill him.
This information was presented to us on a letter size piece of paper to start the game. I didn’t want to read the whole thing, as it was pretty long, but I did. As it turned out, it had a vital piece of information for the final puzzle.
Essentially it added nothing to the game otherwise and just ate up time.
The room is solid orange.
Just like Las Vegas.
Card tables hanging on the wall.
Just like Las Vegas.
A pool table and dart board – two of Sin City’s most highly requested gambling activities.
Just like Las Vegas.
It is clear that between myself and this game’s designer only one of us has actually been to Las Vegas.
There are very few puzzles of note in the room – mainly because the few vital steps it did have are inexplicably slipped under the door when it is time to reach them.
You read that right.
As we progressed, we noticed a piece of paper slide under the door. This held a necessary clue to continue game play. It only got worse as it kept happening. We were at the whim of when the game master felt like it was time for us to reach the next step.
It is tacky, cheap and insulting – and worse, it kept us from playing the game at our own pace.
It sounds like things have hit rock bottom, but then comes the math.
Math does not belong in escape rooms, and the end of this game is just that. They come the closest to having it fit in with the story – and although I don’t mind math in real life, I’d rather not do it as recreation that I have to pay for.
The first puzzle for One Way Out is getting into the building, as we came up to the locked door. There is a keypad on the side, but they didn’t put their number to dial to get in. As a matter of fact there is not a marquee on the building making it very difficult to locate in the first place.
The room looked like it was in disrepair and some vital puzzle aspects were literally in disrepair.
Did I mention they regularly slide pieces of paper under the door?
I am probably the least critical member of Escape Authority’s Core Team, but this game is terrible.
Venue: One Way Out
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Number of Games: 2
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 8 people
Group Type: Public / You may be paired with strangers.
Cost: $20 per person