RATING: 4 Keys          RESULT: Win          REMAINING: 24:20

It’s a wonder that airship travel fizzled out in a steam-powered past. The grandeur, the majesty, the… oh, we’re crashing? Well crap.

You are a team of treasure hunters who have been invited to work with the most influential organization in the industry. After a long journey, you have finally boarded the airship that is supposed to take you to their headquarters, but a terrifying storm has crossed your path, and now you will have to take control of the airship yourselves.

Zeppelin has a short, free online game as a prequel (Imaginarium), but treasure hunters will get up to speed before starting if this is not done beforehand. Upon entering the steampunk airship, the team quickly learns this storm is taking a toll on the ship and no time can be wasted to make some critical fixes. Luckily, there is time to glide in the sky before crash landing below. 

The mission won’t be easy: restore the power, fix some controls, and safely steer the ship to headquarters. The story stays true to form and everything done along the way will help resolve problems in the vehicle. In this sense, Zeppelin has similarities to the industry’s classic Submarine-themed escape game, but Conundrum Escape Rooms has put a refreshing and enjoyable take here.

During the first minute aboard the airship, an urgency is felt to get it running back to normal. It is not the biggest space, but the room is sized for 2-4 players and there is plenty for everyone to explore. It is great to see a business putting an appropriate upper limit on a room. There is an excellent eye-catching piece on the wall that is a treat to look at. The game progresses around the airship to the pilot’s control panel and the set stays consistent and true. Nearly everything feels like it belongs, except one modern office piece being used as a container that feels totally out of place. The outside world of the Zeppelin is delivered through a digital screen in the pilot’s cockpit, adding a kinetic component to the world.  

In terms of lighting, the set is on the darker side, but not enough where visibility is an issue or a flashlight is needed. There are some missed opportunities to use light to guide treasure hunters along, especially when it isn’t clear what happens when a puzzle is completed. Visually, this airship looked awesome and not only encouraged but embraced hands-on exploration.

Zeppelin’s puzzles are generally straightforward and have a nice mix of tactile elements and logical solutions, each of which helps the mission along. The inputs are thematic and satisfying. One puzzle simply completes itself if it is not done within a certain amount of time and it was not clear if this happened to us or if we had solved it. Strangely, our game master wasn’t sure either. 

Repairing the ship is done linearly, and though generally, it is clear what to focus on, there are some tech-driven moments where treasure hunters may be unaware of what they achieved. The mission is enhanced with a few surprises and creative puzzling elements in the Zeppelin.

Conundroom Escape Rooms has a lot of games spread across multiple locations. Guests should be mindful that they arrive at the correct location where their game resides, which fortunately is well communicated upon booking.

Zeppelin is a nice twist on a classic theme having a solid set full of unique puzzles. It would be cool if long term they make a sequel to develop the narrative further as there is a lot of potential in the storyworld. Conundroom Escape Rooms has established itself as a dominant force on the Eastside being in business since 2015 and we are excited to watch their games evolve for the years to come. 

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Venue: Conundroom

Location: Redmond, Washington

Number of Games: 3

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 4 people

Group Type: Private  / You will not be paired with strangers.

Cost: $41 per person