Studio Escape 本店 ｢欲望のダイヤモンド｣｢女王と国のために｣「マダム・ルクレールの交霊会」 — Local services in Osaka

I recently played this escape room, and while I enjoyed it overall, I have some mixed feelings.

Positives: The set design is very well done in terms of immersion. The elements are consistent with the theme, and you can tell they are well-produced. The technology and effects are well-coordinated, adding to the overall experience. Another thing I really liked is the storyline. Every decision you make during the game ties into the narrative and helps move the story forward, which I found engaging. The immersion begins as soon as you step into the venue, as there isn’t a typical introduction from the Game Master. Instead, they give you the briefing within the context of the game, which really pulls you into the experience right from the start.

Negatives: That said, I found the puzzles to be lacking. While this might be a personal preference, I value challenging puzzles as a core part of the escape room experience. I’d rather have good puzzles and a poor set design than the other way around. In this case, the gameplay felt too easy. This made it feel less like a traditional escape room with difficult puzzles and more like an immersive movie experience, where you advance the story as you go along. I understand that this might be the intent—to offer a more cinematic, immersive experience—but I don’t think that should come at the cost of having engaging challenges. It’s possible to balance both: progressing through a narrative while still having puzzles that make you think.

Additionally, the hint system, while immersive and fitting with the theme, felt too intrusive. If we got stuck for even 10 seconds, a hint would pop up almost immediately, which took away from the challenge. It felt like we were being guided too much, with little room to stop and think for ourselves. In the end, I felt like anyone could finish the game, regardless of skill level, simply because the system didn’t allow for much independent problem-solving. I think it would be better if the game gave players more time to figure things out on their own.

As for the Game Master, while polite, he lacked enthusiasm. I understand that there might be a language barrier, as he may not speak English, but I don’t think that should prevent him from being more engaging. I’ve been to other places in Japan where, despite the staff not speaking much English, their body language, enthusiasm, and overall demeanor made them great hosts. Even with limited language skills, it’s possible to convey excitement and energy, and I felt this was lacking here. The Game Master just greeted us, started the game, and took a photo at the end without much interaction or excitement, which didn’t contribute to the overall immersion.

Additionally, after we completed the game, there was no opportunity to discuss the experience. They simply took a photo of us, and that was it. There was no conversation about the room, no chance to ask questions or discuss any specific details about the puzzles or the story. It felt like there wasn’t anyone to share the experience with besides the people I played with. I would have appreciated having the option to discuss the game afterward, as that’s often part of what makes the escape room experience feel more complete.

Overall, while the production quality and storyline were great, the lack of challenging puzzles, the overly hand-holding hint system, and the unenthusiastic Game Master left me wishing for a more...

This escape room is worth a special journey just to visit. I've done 20+ rooms and the best two ever are both here. Well worth the time & money and a return visit for future rooms (WATCH THIS SPACE!). A definite must-do family-friendly activity when in Osaka, whether you're into escape rooms or not.

The Dame & the Diamond is high-production value, immersing you in a film noir experience with a well-crafted story. You'll be whisked away to a detective story with great theming and meticulous props; all of which support an intuitive experience that doesn't require any significant pause for help or intervention by the Game Master.

Audio clues nudge you along without giving anything away, while the visual and audio prompts provide good pace and urgency when needed. With you playing in character, every puzzle and challenge is there to support the story; none of which are gratuitous. As the story turns, so does the room, as if you were changing movie sets. You stay immersed in the story without the pressure of a countdown clock and the frustration of overly challenging or linear puzzles or red herrings. You'll find many of the clues very amusing and worthwhile reading over a delicious cocktail at the bar after you complete the room.

More worthwhile was our friendly conversation with Edd, the co-owner, who shared the inspiration and particular Easter Eggs in the room. He and his team with their background in comedy and magic, really understand the ideal escape room experience and bringing it to life in Osaka. It is a distinctive escape room experience for Japan, rivalling many of the best anywhere in the world. It was so good, we spontaneously did a second room.

For Queen & Country is a spy adventure is even more immersive as the story and soundtrack heighten the tension and pace. Every activity and challenge is designed to make you feel like Agent 007 on an espionage, code-breaking, world-saving mission. Same movie feel with good pace and scene changes, but greater emphasis on the tasks and less on the story. The prompts and nudges are still there, but again, helpful without ever giving anything away. More tasks and challenges than puzzles or codes, they are a varied curation of all the best types I've done in other rooms and have been creatively embedded into the story and the set.

I would have loved to do the third experience, Madame LeClaire: Mystery at the St Regis!, but simply couldn't fit that in. This one has you playing a detective in real life, in an actual hotel room set up for the story! Edd and his team have ambitious plans for future rooms and I look forward to my next visit to Studio Escape. My tween-age son and I thank him for making our Japan trip even more...

Studio Escape Osaka — The Best Escape Games We’ve Ever Played

Scenery & Props: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Story & Immersion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Puzzle Design: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Creativity & Originality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Staff & Hosting: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a British married couple, we love escape rooms and try to do at least one in every new city/country we visit. Over the years, we’ve played a lot around the world, but Studio Escape in Osaka stands out above them all.

We first discovered Studio Escape last year and played Dame and the Diamond — we were absolutely blown away. The attention to detail, the props, the story, the puzzles — everything was exceptional. So when we returned to Japan in 2025, we knew we had to come back. This time, we played For Queen and Country, and once again it completely exceeded our expectations.

From start to finish, the experience was flawless. The set design, the story, the atmosphere — everything felt cinematic. What really sets Studio Escape apart is how the story is actually woven into the gameplay. In most escape rooms, the story feels like an afterthought; here, it’s an essential part of the experience. You’re not just solving puzzles or escaping a room— you’re living a clever narrative that drives every action you take.

We loved For Queen and Country so much that we immediately booked their other two games for the very next day (Shadow Zen and Madame LeClaire). Booking more than 1 game isn’t something we normally do, but we just couldn’t enough! Each one offered a totally different theme and experience, but all maintained the same high standard of creativity, immersion, and clever design. Every moment felt carefully considered, and the flow of each game was seamless — no awkward stops or breaks in the story, just pure, immersive fun.

It was also a real pleasure meeting Ed, one of the owners and designers, whose passion and creativity clearly shine through in every detail of these games.

Thank you, Studio Escape, for giving us some of our favourite memories from our time in Osaka. These are, without question, the best escape games we’ve ever played. We hope to return to Osaka one day to play your future games.

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