The Final Door Escape Room Columbia - "Blackout"

LOCATION:  Cayce, South Carolina, USA

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📝 ETR DECODER

🔑 GAME: Blackout
📅 DATE PLAYED: July 13, 2024
🎬 GENRE: Horror, Kidnapping
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 5/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-4 ppl (Ages 16+)
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins.
💰 PRICE: $32.99/ pp
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes

📖 THE STORY

After getting kidnapped by the notorious "Columbia Killer", you and your friends wake up disoriented and trapped in a cold, dark cell. There's no light, and the only sound you can hear is the distant rumble of thunder outside. You're stripped of all personal belongings, and the eerie silence of the cell makes it clear that you're completely alone... for now. The only sliver of hope comes from the flashes of lightning outside, illuminating the room for just a few seconds at a time.

A violent storm is sweeping across the area, and it seems like fate is giving you a small window to make your escape. The power is out, and with the Columbia Killer gone, you have no idea when he'll return. Time is running out, and the storm will only last for so long. You and your team must navigate the pitch-black room, find clues, and outsmart the trap you've been placed in before the killer comes back to finish what he started.

The challenge is clear: use the few tools you have, rely on your teammates, and trust the lightning strikes to guide your escape. Every second counts in this tense race against time. Can you outwit the killer, or will you fall victim to his twisted game?

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🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

The room is played in near-total darkness, which adds an intense layer of realism to what you would imagine a true hostage situation to feel like in an abandoned house. The way light is used in this room design is both innovative and essential, immersing players in a way that many other escape rooms fail to replicate. It’s a design decision that enhances the atmosphere considerably, making the setting feel eerily authentic. The scarce use of light, often relying on flashes from the outside storm, adds to the tension as you navigate your way through the game.
There’s also an initial interaction with an actor at the start of the game, and our game master did an outstanding job portraying the necessary character without giving too much away. The performance felt realistic and immediately set the tone for the rest of the experience. The actor’s presence contributed to the rising tension and made the situation feel all the more intense, which left us on edge right from the start. It was a wonderful touch that deepened the immersion and got our group engaged with the stakes of the game from the moment we began.
While this is a game you could complete without diving deep into the backstory of the Columbia Killer, there are plenty of design and story elements scattered throughout the experience that encourage teams to uncover the narrative. For those looking for something more than just puzzles, the game invites players to become fully immersed in piecing together the dark history behind the killer. It's designed in such a way that some groups may find themselves genuinely invested in figuring out the complete story, adding another layer of immersion that makes the overall experience more gripping.

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

In this room, obtaining an alternate light source happened fairly quickly, which made me wonder if incorporating a few more blackout-specific puzzles could enhance the experience further. Given the intensity and immersion created by the darkness, having puzzles that truly take advantage of this mechanic could make for a more engaging and unique gameplay experience. Stretching out the initial phase of the game where you are left in complete darkness could increase tension and better align with the overall theme of being a hostage in a blackout situation.
The game itself leans towards the simpler side of escape room experiences, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it does mean that certain puzzles could be easily overthought by more experienced teams. One puzzle in particular was more of an observational challenge than a logic-based one, and it stumped our group for quite some time. The puzzle’s simplicity was deceptive, and its placement in the room design seemed slightly out of sync with the more intense atmosphere the rest of the game aimed to build. While this observation puzzle added variety, it felt like a bit of a roadblock that interrupted the flow, especially for teams more accustomed to puzzles requiring deeper deductive reasoning.

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

"Blackout" is a wonderfully immersive experience that places you in a high-tension scenario where you are attempting to escape from a killer. The game masterfully captures the eerie atmosphere of a kidnapping, with dim lighting, minimal distractions, and an unsettling sense of urgency throughout the experience. One of the highlights of the game is a key element introduced at the very beginning, which plays a major role toward the end. It was an absolute blast to interact with and brought a sense of full-circle completion to the storyline.

While the game could have benefited from more puzzles that require teamwork to solve in the dark, the overall presentation allowed ample opportunities for everyone to participate. The way light was incorporated into the gameplay was effective, creating an added layer of suspense. The balance of interaction, both in the dark and with the environment, kept the experience lively, even if some puzzles didn’t require total immersion in the darkness.

For those who appreciate deeper narrative elements, "Blackout" offered a great example of how to integrate lore and history without detracting from the actual gameplay. It’s not a particularly difficult room, but its unique design and suspenseful setting more than made up for some of its more straightforward puzzles. Despite a few shortcomings, our group had an incredible time, and Blackout stands out as a game that players should definitely seek out for its atmosphere and distinct experience.

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

Crawling is required for at least one member of your team
Strobe lights and low lights are used in this room (controlled by customer)

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Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, an interview with the owner, the room(s) (no puzzle spoilers) and more:

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