Escape in Time! - "Secret Studio London"

Updated: Apr 23

LOCATION:  London, United Kingdom

Photo above is property of Escape in Time!

📝 ETR DECODER

🔑 GAME: Secret Studio London
📅 DATE PLAYED: July 2, 2022
🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Haunting
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 ppl (Ages 14+)
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins.
💰 PRICE: £33/PP
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes

📖 THE STORY

In an unassuming corner of London, you’ve discovered a vintage B-movie studio whose productions have been plagued with problems. Is it cursed? Or haunted? Or just stuck in 1979? Now the photographer has disappeared, and you’ve got to investigate the studio’s darkest secrets.

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

There are many secrets, including the studio’s exact location. Armed with a set of specific instructions and a secret phrase (sent after booking), the intrigue and adventure begins before even entering the building. The minimal street presence and low-key entrance is cleverly integrated into the plot and sets the perfect tone for what lies ahead.
The "Secret Studio London’s" premise is original and cleverly executed. The 1970’s slasher movie production company is brought to life with cool retro movie posters and authentic objects, like a functioning rotary dial phone and a film projector.
There are discoveries to be made and twists and turns as you progress through the game. Of course, I don’t want to divulge any secrets... but one use of appropriate technology came as a fun surprise. The room’s unexpected elements will delight players, and may get their adrenaline up.

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

There was one area of the room we were told not to touch. Rather than awkwardly instructing players at the start of the game, the room could have been structured so those items could be seen but not directly accessed, e.g., by putting them on the other side of a window, for a smoother experience.
Because the theme and props were so true to the 1970’s time period, the one on-screen puzzle stuck out. This anachronistic puzzle also frustrated us because it was difficult to accomplish with only two players. Once we fully understood what needed to be done, it took many repetitions to accomplish. We literally needed an extra hand.

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

Although a few of the puzzles didn’t seem entirely logical or may have benefited from better in-room clueing, the game is a ton of fun. And after playing, it was also fun to reflect on the ingenuity that went into the design of the experience. "Secret Studio London" is great for active players who are up for an adventure. There are creepy elements, but it’s not an over-the-top horror-themed room. We might have shrieked along the way (well, one of us did!), but we left laughing.