Escape City - "Houdini"

LOCATION:  Zürich, Switzerland

Photo above is property of Escape City

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝  ETR DECODER

• 🔑 GAME: Houdini

• 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 3, 2024

• 🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8/10

• 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl

• 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: 99-210 CHF

• ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private

• 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [49:00]

📖 THE STORY

Step into the shoes of the legendary escape artist Harry Houdini! You and your team find yourselves chained, with water rising around you. But don’t panic—the spirit of Houdini is within you. Trust your logic, expertise, and teamwork to pull off the impossible: escape!

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

• The biggest win for this room has to be its theming. We loved how every puzzle related to some kind of trick or illusion, many of which I am sure Houdini performed himself. There were definitely lots of “oh cool” moments as we completed a challenge that resulted in something ‘magical’ happening.

• Talking of puzzles, many were team based, either by design or because collaboration was encouraged to solve the problem before you. Even when you start the game, you are all separated and have to solve different tasks either independently or jointly in order for everyone to free themselves. This set the tone for what would continue to be a very dynamic experience where prop interaction would be a key game element.

• The room’s décor, while minimalistic, reinforces the Houdini theme effectively. Classic Houdini posters cover the walls, and the props are iconic, from water tanks and sword boxes to cages, making for an immersive environment. Each prop not only looks the part but also plays a role in the puzzles, so the setting never feels just decorative.

• The room’s dark, muted aesthetic added a fittingly eerie, almost sinister vibe. Unlike many magic-themed rooms that lean toward bright, colorful designs, this room’s subdued tones amplified the suspense and mystery.

• The finale delivered a thrilling rush, with one of the most dramatic endings we’ve experienced in a long time. It capped off the game memorably and left a lasting impression on all of us.
  

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

• We found the general room design to be polarizing, because as cool as all the big chunky props and pieces of furniture were, they also made the room feel sterile and ‘cold’. There were no ‘soft’ furnishings or detailed touches to make the space feel less mass produced, which is a common complaint for these types of prefabricated escape rooms.
  

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

"Houdini" ranks as our third favorite room at Escape City, and we’d recommend it for players of all experience levels. The game offers some enjoyable special effects and challenging puzzles that will engage even seasoned teams. Magic and illusion fans, in particular, will appreciate the tasks that bring Houdini’s spirit to life.

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

• Parking is available on site. Parking is available around the escape room.

• The escape room is about a 10–15-minute walk from the train station, which is only one stop away from Zurich’s main station.

• There is a lobby area with comfortable seating and both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages for sale.
  

Photos above are property of Escape City

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BOOK NOW

(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure:  We thank Escape City for providing a media discount on the tickets for this game. Although discounted admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever.

#RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeCity #Mystery #Thriller #Zurich #Switzerland