Escape Room Amsterdam - Sherlocked — Attraction in Amsterdam

I've played over 50 escape rooms all across Europe and trusted Sherlocked for the longest time after playing The Architect.

For me, The Architect is a truly special room. It has the perfect storytelling, full of dramatic surprises and unexpected plot twists that simply blow your mind. I finished the room with tears in my eyes, as no escape room I've experienced before was nearly as theatrical and spectacular as The Architect. Top-notch story writing that left me speechless. Five stars forever.

After a lot of waiting and anticipation, me and my friend finally got back to Sherlocked to try their latest experience, The Alchemist. The room was four years in the making, so expectations were through the roof. As a team of two (despite the larger group requirement), we expected to be overwhelmed by the level of detail and play area we were told to be challenging to explore. Despite the warnings, we escaped in 70 out of the 90 minutes.

The game had potential when it first started and, knowing Sherlocked, we expected it to evolve in unexpected ways. And it did for the first ten minutes until we reached the main room of the game. As a two-player team, the space felt heavily underused, with only one puzzle feeling truly designed for the room and aligning with the alchemy theme. Apart from that, the puzzles felt VERY generic and could easily be swapped with other themes, so nothing felt designed especially for this room. And considering the four years in the making, we did expect something more than the first and last puzzle.

The puzzle validation often felt unsatisfying, with no instant answer validation. It did feel like everything was manually validated, which is a bit outdated from an escape room in 2025.

The attention to detail was often lacking, with visible wires, poorly printed elements, worn-out props, and questionable design choices that felt like they had nothing to do with the room.

The second part of the game was the biggest disappointment, both in terms of puzzles and decor. The theme was poorly implemented, despite understanding the story progression. It felt like an improvised escape room, not a 229-euro premium experience.

Overall, the room felt like it had nothing to do with an alchemy theme- it felt underwhelming and was full of generic puzzles with unnecessary repetitive logic for the sake of appearing complex. No puzzle sparked interest or encouraged creative thinking. More like point-and-click games. Having such a large play area and wasting it with such poor puzzle selection left me disappointed as an escape room fan.

The Alchemist is a two-star for me, which brings my overall rating to 3.5 stars. But what brings the rating even lower is the customer service that did not reflect the expected premium brand. As a team of two, we had to confirm the team size before the game. We called the two provided phone numbers 16 times with no answer. Upon sending our feedback to the email address we used to ask our questions before booking, we received no reply whatsoever in over 44 days. To me, this means they don't really care about feedback as long as you've visited them, as they promptly replied before making the booking.

Unfortunately, we don't have any plans to return to Sherlocked, despite our experience with The Architect. We had other expectations from them creatively and professionally, but we hope that will change...

To My Esteemed Fellow in the Society of the Crossed Keys,

If you have not yet embarked upon the ritual known as “The Alchemist,” I urge you to prioritize this endeavor at the earliest opportunity. Sherlocked has crafted an experience that stands unparalleled among the many tests and trials I have undertaken. It is not merely an “escape room” but an immersive journey into the heart of alchemical lore—a true masterwork of ingenuity, storytelling, and craftsmanship.

The rituals of Ascension themselves are artfully designed, not overly complex, but seamlessly woven into the fabric of the mysteries that we all encounter in our daily lives, consistent with the deeper learnings revealed to those of us who have been initiated in our Society (“booked” the “escape room”). Each element you encounter serves a purpose, enriching the journey of ascension and unlocking layers of the mysterious past of our Society. The attention to detail is astounding; nothing feels arbitrary, and everything feels alive with meaning.

Unlike the hurried improvisations one might encounter in a less refined gathering, the presentation of “The Alchemist” is meticulous. Imagine, if you will, the most elaborate LARP you’ve attended, but with years of refinement and a budget worthy of the most dedicated alchemical patron. The set pieces, the mechanisms, the sounds—all are crafted to draw you deeply into the world of the ritual. Even those elements that posed a real physical challenge carried an air of controlled danger, a necessary tension befitting the stakes of our mission.

What impressed me most were the moments of revelation, those instances where the veil was lifted, and the true genius of the creators became evident. More than once, I found myself shouting aloud in triumph or gasping at the elegance of a solution. This is no ordinary test of wits; it is a celebration of the alchemical spirit, a challenge to both mind and heart.

And an important one — if our Society is to succeed at its goals, to safeguard our future and the wellbeing of life on this precious planet, we must needs complete this ritual, and you may be vital to the cause.

If you are a true seeker of wisdom and adventure, do not hesitate to take your place within “The Alchemist.” Gather your most trusted companions and prepare yourselves for a journey like no other. I trust we shall meet again, perhaps at a future convocation of the Society, to exchange tales of the challenges faced and overcome.

Yours in the pursuit of the Great Work, Doctor Wylder

P.S. Those who successfully complete the ritual may find themselves longing for a sequel. I, for one, will eagerly await the Society’s next summons. Until then, may your path be illuminated by the light of the...

I recently visited Sherlocked to try out "The Alchemist" after having an amazing time with "The Architect." Unfortunately, "The Alchemist" didn’t quite live up to expectations, especially given the €229 price tag.

We played with just two people, even though the room is priced for three, and we managed to finish in about 70 minutes. Despite playing with fewer people, the puzzles weren’t really that challenging. We got stuck on the first puzzle for a bit, but the rest felt fairly straightforward and not as immersive as we’d hoped. Some of the puzzles seemed like they could’ve been from a printable escape room rather than a live experience.

The overall design didn’t quite match the premium feel we were expecting. There were a few technical details that took us out of the experience, and the thematic elements didn’t come together as strongly as we thought they would. The alchemy vibe felt underdeveloped, and the story didn’t quite tie everything together in a cohesive way.

What really frustrated me, though, was the lack of response to the feedback I sent over a month ago. I reached out after the game with some honest thoughts, but never heard back, even though they were super quick to answer when we asked about playing with two people beforehand.

For me, this review is a middle ground between the 5-star experience we had with "The Architect" and the 2-star experience with "The Alchemist." Considering the price and everything we experienced, there are definitely better escape rooms out there for under €150. Sherlocked has potential, but "The Alchemist" really needs a lot of work to...