Quaint World, Escape Room Review

Quaint World

Oslo, Norway

Wonderland: The colors have been kidnapped and locked away. Our goal was to free the colors and escape before time ran out.

Pros: The set design was very unique and creative. We felt like we had entered the strange world of Wonderland. The game master was very polite and helped us navigate our way through the puzzles. The hints were tied to the story of the colors and freeing them.

Cons: A few of the mechanical parts of the game could be improved for better overall flow and game play. Aspects of the game seemed counterintuitive to experienced escape room players. However, we enjoyed the opportunity to challenge ourselves in this way and rewire our brains to think a bit more creatively and out of the box. This was quite the challenging experience and recommended for those wishing to try a room that is a bit out of the norm.

http://quaintworld.no

AdventureRooms Oslo, Escape Room Revie

AdventureRooms Oslo

Oslo, Norway

The Original Swiss Game: This game is modeled off the original AdventureRooms game in Bern, Switzerland.

The Black Queen: Fleeing from the clutches of the Black Queen, we had to find a way out before she caught up with us.

Pros: This was a very nice escape room experience from beginning to end. The game masters and owners were hospitable and kind. They clearly explained the rules and introduced us to the games. The rooms themselves had multiple puzzles with a logical game flow. A few red herrings distracted us at times but we progressed rapidly regardless. Overall this game had far fewer distractions than the average games we play. We encountered some unique puzzles and enjoyed the opportunity to use tools we had never seen before. We really enjoyed the experience.

Cons: A storyline in the Original Swiss Room could add to the experience. The hodgepodge of props and puzzles could fit a variety of themes. This is a great room to introduce newbies to a variety of puzzle types without being too overwhelming. If you are in Oslo, we definitely would advise you to check out AdventureRooms.

http://www.adventurerooms.no

The Escape Games, Escape Room Review

The Escape Games

Oslo, Norway

10 Millions of the New York Gangsters: The notorious Chris Donovan gang is on the run after hiding nearly 10 million dollars in cash. We had to search their hideaway and escape with the money.

Mystery of the Pirate Ship: Our band of unruly pirates boarded Captain Duke's ship in search of the Golden Amulet of the Seven Seas.

Pros: The storyline and set design in these rooms immediately drew us into the game. The attention to detail and subtle added surprises helped keep us on our toes throughout the game. The electronic puzzles really added to the fun. All the puzzles tied to the theme making for a clearly connected narrative. The game master watched our moves closely and intervened when were way off track. We escaped both rooms with time to spare.

Cons: The puzzles felt less like puzzlss than simple tasks to be completed. Once we figured out what to do, the next task was presented. An excellent place for newbies to learn about the basic concept without delving too deeply into the muck of solving complex puzzles. Recommended for those new to escape rooms or escape room addicts who like to see various approaches to set design. We highly commend them for the creativity in set design.

http://www.escapegames.no/en/

Escape Bryggen, Escape Room Review

Escape Bryggen

Bergen, Norway

Hanseaticus: A group of smugglers have hidden their precious treasure. We had to locate the treasure and escape undiscovered.

The Crimson Hotel: A haunted hotel room housed dark secrets. We had to find a way out before we met our doom.

La Diva Supernova: An opera star has become the target of attack when a bomb is planted in her room. Our group had to find a way to defuse the bomb.

Pros: Escape Bryggen has three games in two different locations. The room in the heart of the historic district on the wharf was located in one of the old buildings in a back alleyway. This immediately added to the ambience. We arrived in Bergen in the morning and went straight to play the rooms. We had been awake for 32 hours and were exhausted from jet lag. We played all three games in a row with only about 15 minutes in between. We found our minds were foggy as we struggled to wake up enough to focus on puzzle solving. The rooms were particularly challenging, multi linear with lots of puzzles and locks. We slogged through the first game making slow progress and stumbling awkwardly as a result of the lack of sleep. We were not able to escape the first game. We did successfully escape the next two games as the adrenaline kicked in and we gained a bit more clarity with each game. The sets were basic but tied to the themes. The puzzles are all very logical, the game masters offered help as needed and the storyline of each room was outlined in the beginning. 

Cons: There were so many puzzles in these rooms that it was difficult for two people. Three to four would be ideal here. Other than that and our need for sleep, these were solid escape room 
experiences. So far Norway has scored an A on escape rooms! 

http://www.escapebryggen.no

The Room, Bergen, Escape Room Review

The Room

Bergen, Norway

Dark Wizards Room: Dangerous sorcery is afoot. Some creepy magic was happening in this room and we decided to escape rather than find out what happens next.

Pros: This was the fourth escape room we played in Bergen. Thank goodness we had finally slept. Our brains were definitely flowing much quicker through this game than they had been the day before. We made good progress at first. The logical nature of the puzzles made for quick work. This room also had numerous puzzles at once. We needed no hints for the first 40 minutes and progressed at a rapid pace. The last fifteen minutes or so we felt like we hit a wall and requested our hints in rapid succession. These helped move us along but in the end we struggled on the very last puzzle. We literally shouted out the solution as the game master walked through the door. Unfortunately it was much too late. Overall this was a solid room escape with clear logical puzzlss and great game flow. The game master was ready to offer help as needed.

Cons: The room was decorated to theme but we did not know the storyline. Afterwards we were able to read the story on the Internet. It may have helped a bit playing the game and added to the experience. Otherwise this was a very enjoyable experience. When in Bergen, be sure to play at The Room.

http://www.theroombergen.com