Escape Plan — Local services in London

My mum and I were looking for a last-minute game that wasn't too far from us, so we took a trip into London to check out Escape Plan. I had read good things about this company and games when checking reviews and the reality did not disappoint! Situated a couple of minutes walk from Shoreditch High Street the venue is easy to find and we were soon greeted by our friendly Games Master Sarah. We booked to play The Adventure Begins and Sarah gave an energetic introduction to the game to set the scene. As we have done a lot of games before, we were able to agree on a help system that meant we could get stuck in with the game and Sarah would only help if we asked or she could see we were completely off track with something. The game itself was well themed and you can tell alot of time and thought has gone into the puzzles that seamlessly met the narrative. It was a relatively linear game, but at times different puzzles could be completed simultaneously, which then lead onto the next puzzle. I liked that nothing was too high tech but instead lots of tactile mechanical puzzles that have been made with care and attention to detail, fitting the theme. There were some really clever puzzles I've never seen/done in the 60 games I've done in the past so that's always a bonus. After some tension (or excitement, depending which way you looked at it) in the last section of the game we managed to escape the Prisoner of War camp with 9 seconds to spare, which we were pleased with considering there was only 2 of us and it is quite a challenging game. The great customer service continued with Sarah post-game as we debriefed and discussed other games before getting our team picture. I look forward to returning to try the other games in the future, including the new one opening soon with a non-WW2 theme. I would definitely recommend to others looking for a fun, challenge of a game at an affordable price considering it's in the capital!

Update...August 2024 I was really looking forward to returning to Escape Plan to try their latest game Pushed for Time after playing 'The Adventure Begins' last summer and I was not disappointed. On arrival, we were greeted by Sarah, who was actually our games master last time and surprisingly she remembered us! This is very different to the other games on the premises that are all ww2 themed but I very much enjoyed it. The theming and attention to detail throughout was great and the use of the time travel machine is an exciting addition to the experience. In terms of puzzles, there are a mix of padlocks, tech, and tactile/mechanical puzzles, so this all provided variety as we worked through the game. The mechanical puzzles were something I praised in our last game, so I was pleased to see these had been included once again. The storyline was a fun one to play as we had a couple of objectives to complete as well as simply 'escaping'.

I really appreciate the thought that goes into the gameplay here at Escape Plan and would recommend anyone...

FIRST TIME PLAYERS Me and my partner always wanted to do an escape room and this was our first one. "THE ADVENTURE BEGINS" and straight after (because we had so much fun and because our game master, Django was so so good) "ROLL OUT THE BARREL"

The adventure begins Prisoners of war with a beautiful craft to the clues . As two first time players, we absolutely loved it . English is my partners second language but we managed to work together to divide up the tasks and puzzles. She handled numerical and logical, I handled imagery and worded codes aha . We absolutely smashed it , such a good feeling when we finished. (I will say this one has a few exciting twists to it with fun/ stressful plot line)

Roll out the barrel Booze driven ! Awesome logistics to the architecture of some of the puzzles . Always read the clues a few times, we got a bit stuck a few times but our GM, Django was brilliant and it totally felt like he was on our side and giving small hints, so we still felt like we accomplished loads.

If you're even slightly considering doing one I would seriously recommend it !! Definitely coming back to do the last one with a bigger team but what a brilliant first two...

Absolutely fantastic escape room experience, full of delightful moments that will surprise you and just fill you with joy.

We played Pushed For Time and then Roll Out The Barrel in a single afternoon - both were lovingly-made, completely bespoke, full of beautifully-crafted puzzles that were totally in-keeping with the theme and narrative. There are few LEDs or digital screens here - the puzzles are chunky, wooden, mechanical, and beautifully tactile to interact with, and fit with the WWII and Art Deco styles respectively. Our team of four all felt involved and engaged throughout and left buzzing with big smiles on our faces - these are "feel good", family-friendly games.

Escape Plan is located in the cool Rich Mix building that hosts some interesting community groups, a cinema, bar, and has all the characteristics of an independent, owner-run business that really cares for its customers - our host Charis was attentive and friendly and ensured we had a great time (and generously showed us behind-the-scenes and answered any questions afterwards). 100% recommend, whether you're an escape room addict, or just want some different...