Create your very own escape room experience with a series of puzzles/challenges and real locks in your very own home with this Epic Escapes box! This Epic Escapes box does not contain any board or numbered cards, unlike other escape games. Inside the box, it is packed with codes, hidden messages and clues as well as physical props and gadgets, including real lock boxes and padlocks!
Epic Escapes are suitable for three to six players included one game host. The game host is not supposed to be involved in the gameplay at all. He/She may choose to stay to give a clue or to leave the players to it. The Game host will need some time to set up the scene. It took me 20 minutes to set up the ‘Crime’ storyline as I have to set the codes and hid the clues! So do leave yourself plenty of time to set up. Epic Escapes recommend 24 hours before you wish to play so that you can get in touch with them, if you have any questions. Only the game host is allowed to open the sealed envelopes!
Watch my unboxing here and check out how to set/reset your padlocks here: https://youtu.be/CimZLQlzCcY
This game set comes in a durable sturdy box and contains many useful items like the UV pen, UV torch, awesome dictionary safe and proper quality padlocks. Whenever we buy any new gadgets, I tend to security mark it with a UV pen to mark my property, in case it was stolen. So this UV pen is not just good for the game, but in real life too!
I love love love the dictionary safe! It looks so real my children didn’t even realise it’s a safe! They kept asking why I left the dictionary in my drawer! They also provided three quality padlocks with codes. You will only need two locks. They have provided an extra, just in case. The locks are very easy to set/reset. They also provided instructions (on cards) on how to set/reset the locks.
If any items are written on or damaged during the play, you can contact the Epic Escapes. They can either post you replacement parts or send you a version you can print on your printer.
This box set contains three escape rooms at varying difficulty levels, and they are Crime (Easy – beginners), Piracy (Intermediate – novices) and Hijack (Hard – hardened escape room veterans). Players are given an hour to solve the puzzles and escape the room. So dim the lights, set a timer, play some tense or eerie music to taste and you all are good to go!
We started with the easy level, which is the crime storyline. You are asked to house sit for your friend while he is away in Italy for the weekend! It turns out that he is a mafia boss and you are locked in his panic room! Now you have to use your logic and lateral thinking to escape before the oxygen runs out. I, as the game host, opened the sealed envelope and set it up. It took me 20 minutes to hide the clues around the room. Even though I know the codes to unlock, I don’t have the full understanding of the game flow or how to solve the puzzles. So I found interesting just watching my husband and children trying to solve it. This game might be easy level, my family still took over 45 minutes with plenty of hints given to solve the clues! So it is not really that easy!
For the second game, it is the piracy storyline, and your captain has locked you in his quarters. He is diverting the ship to a warlord and delivering a dangerous cargo into lethal hands. You and your team have to escape the room to save the ship and stop a catastrophe. The last game is the hijack storyline where you have been locked in the hijacker’s house. Figure out his plan to save the plane and to escape the room. We haven’t played the other two games yet, but it will be definitely challenging and fun! I am hoping to play with our family friends when we are allowed to have friends inside the house (COVID restrictions are still in place)! Can’t wait!
This game setting is refreshing and fun to play, especially with physical props and gadgets. It challenges us on many levels with head-scratching puzzles. There is also plenty of satisfaction in-store when you manage to crack the code! There are many hidden clues on the cards and it is important to inspect each clue carefully. It can be frustrating when we fail to grasp the designers’ train of thought. We kept asking why and what to do next!
Once you complete all three games, you can get the expansion packs (coming soon). The game and the items are great value for money, so it is worth getting this game to play with your family and friends. This game can be purchased from https://www.epic-escapes.games/
Disclosure: We received the sample for the purposes of writing this review, however, all thoughts and opinions remain our own.