Hidden Games Zürich - "The National Bank"

LOCATION:  Zürich, Switzerland

Photo above is property of Hidden Games Zurich

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝  ETR DECODER

• 🔑 GAME: The National Bank

• 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 3, 2024

• 🎬 GENRE: Heist 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 6.5/10

• 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-7 ppl

• 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: 30 CHF/ pp

• ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private

• 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [44:57]

📖 THE STORY

Switzerland is caught in the ruthless grip of the Great Depression. Yet, within the Swiss National Bank lies something worth risking it all for. With skill and precision, your crew of expert burglars has breached its heavy security, slipping quietly into the bank director’s office. But just as you’re about to crack open the vault, one of your team turns on you. In a swift betrayal, you’re overpowered, chained, and left behind. Now, you must not only free yourself but unravel the mystery behind this treachery. If you’re quick enough, you might even escape with the gold. The clock is ticking - within 60 minutes, the guard will be back on his rounds, and you’ll need to be long gone.

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

• One of the most intriguing twists in The National Bank is the time-based challenge. Unlike almost every other escape room, where you get the full game time upfront, here you start with only 30 minutes on the clock. To earn the remaining 30 minutes, you have to solve a specific puzzle first. Although most teams will likely secure the extra time before the initial countdown ends, this mechanic adds a layer of suspense and urgency that we loved.

• The opening puzzle was the second most impressive element to the game. We found ourselves separated, and that each of us had to play our own part in order for us to escape our cuffs and begin the hunt for the remaining gold. After this, the puzzles become more independent, but the cooperative kickoff was a strong beginning.

• The puzzle variety is excellent, covering a broad range of tasks that kept us moving through the space, using different props and found information in interesting ways. This is something I often appreciate in older, less tech-heavy rooms, as many newer "prebuilt" rooms rely too heavily on simple "find and place" mechanics, which can feel repetitive. Here, each puzzle felt purposeful and engaging, making the experience much more rewarding.

• The level of difficulty of this room was well balanced. We encountered several quick puzzles that kept the momentum up, but there were also a few that challenged us to slow down and think things through. This variation made for a satisfying mix of easy wins and tougher hurdles.

• The room design was adequate for the setting, representing a bank office well enough to convey the theme. While it’s clear the room was built with a budget, the thematic layout of the office was effective overall. Some elements, like the vault door, could have used higher-quality materials, but it didn’t detract too much from the overall experience.
  

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

• The décor and props felt a bit underwhelming, especially compared to today’s more immersive, highly detailed escape rooms. The room lacks any special effects or extra touches that might have elevated the excitement and immersion, which would make it more memorable.

• While the premise of a team betrayal sounds interesting, it wasn’t fully developed in the game. The story could have benefitted from some twists or unexpected moments to reinforce the plot and make the betrayal feel more impactful. We didn’t get much insight into why we were betrayed or how we ended up handcuffed, which made the narrative feel thin.
  

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

This room is a step up in complexity compared to The Secret Hideout, however, still one which is going to be most suitable to beginner or less experienced groups. I think that teams who have played a lot of games might be underwhelmed by the look of game, although it definitely has some worthwhile puzzles, which even after 700 escape rooms, I still found rewarding to complete.

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

---

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 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.

#RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #HiddenGames #Heist #Zurich #Switzerland