LOCATION: Zürich, Switzerland
Photo above is property of Hidden Games Zurich
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
📝 ETR DECODER
🔑 GAME: Murphy's Pub
📅 DATE PLAYED: November 3, 2024
🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 8.5/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-7 ppl
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: 30 CHF/ pp
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [59:37]
📖 THE STORY
Dublin Harbour in the early 60s. Murphy’s Pub has been a fixture for years, but something’s not right, despite only a few patrons, the pub never seems to struggle. Scotland Yard suspects there might be more than meets the eye to this story, with shadowy figures slipping in and out at all hours. As top investigators, you have just 60 minutes to gather evidence before Murphy returns. Will you uncover his secrets before it’s too late?
🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE
The unique story and setting were what initially drew me to Murphy’s Pub at Hidden in Zurich. Spending an hour locked inside a pub sounded like a recipe for a great time! After finishing the game, the team agreed, this was the most successful of the three games at this location, in terms of overall theme portrayal and execution. The room looked the bit and even contained a few elements of surprise which we all found to be cool, offering something the other rooms lacked.
The story did actually develop as we explored more and more of the pub, soon the evidence of gambling and other illegal activities became apparent. Uncovering this ourselves added to the sense of discovery, making the story feel more rewarding than if the clues had been out in the open.
Alongside the room’s story and theme, we were also impressed by the outfitting of the space. There were plenty of pub-related items to interact with and discover, many of which were also successfully incorporated into the theme-based puzzles.
As with the other rooms at Hidden, Murphy's Pub offers a strong variety of creative puzzles. We interacted with everything from the piano and gambling tables to the bar and even a phone. While the room follows a linear puzzle format, we weren’t always certain what the next step would be, which kept us on our toes and made this room more challenging than the others.
🧩 MISSED THE MARK
While the room successfully evokes the look and feel of a small Irish pub, the quality of materials and lack of special effects diminished the overall immersion. Some props felt like they could have been more authentic or detailed to enhance the experience. For instance, the karaoke stage initially seemed promising, but it turned out to be just part of the decor rather than the adventure.
🏹 TAKE A SHOT?
"Murphy’s Pub" is the ideal game for team’s really looking to be challenged. The less straightforward flow and demanding puzzles require both attention to detail and outside of the book thinking, making it a great choice for experienced players or larger groups, although there aren’t really any team-based puzzles to complete. We were lucky to have escaped and only did so because of a number of hints towards the end.
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO
Parking is available on site.
The escape room is found within a bowling alley. The bowling, is however, owned by another company that follows different opening hours. During our first game the bowling was not yet open, nor was the restaurant. So, snacks and drinks may not always be available during your visit, if the bowling is closed. The escape room company do not have any food or drink for sale.
There is a dedicated seating area for people attending the escape room.
Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
(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 Hidden Games Zurich 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.
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