Escape Room in a box (3 Game Bundle) Review

Reviewed  by Catherine Brown

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, many families are racking their brains for novel ways of treating their loved ones and enjoying time together as a group. Epic Escapes (epic-escapes.games) have come up with the perfect solution for people of all ages in the form of not just one but 3 escape rooms in a box. I had the opportunity to explore this with friends and family recently with great success.

Even before unpacking the sturdy box the kit comes in, I was impressed by the clever branding and design on the outside. The lock icon on the centre of the box imitates a maze, and the background graphics look like technical drawings. On lifting up the lid I was delighted to see it was packed full of fascinating objects to help create a really unique experience.

The three games which can be run using 3-6 players have varying levels of difficulty. Crime is the easiest level and follows the theme of being locked inside the safe room of a crime boss. Piracy is the middle level where you are trapped on a ship by the captain. The trickiest level is Hijack which involves working out the route of a plane which has been hijacked. Each game takes up to 60 minutes and there is even a link to an online timer to help you keep track of how close you are to completing the challenges within that limit.

The resources for each game are stored in a large envelope which contains a mix of clues to be hidden around the area by the host, accessories, hint cards and an instruction booklet. There is also an accompanying leaflet with extra information that can be used by the host to help lead the game. Each game has a distinctive coloured icon on all of the required resources so it is easy to see which object goes with which game if you inadvertently mix them up. There were a number of boxes which are incorporated into every game, each using versions of combination locks which need 3 or 4 digit codes to be opened.

I have participated in a few ‘real life’ escape rooms, so had a fair idea of what to expect in the challenges. The only unexpected difference with this ‘at home’ kit is the use of a host. One person is required to set up the room that you play in, including hiding different objects and setting the codes on various locks. I was worried that this would keep me, as the host, separate from the game. However, even though I had set up the codes given in the instructions, I was still able to support the team in working out how to get to them. The host is also in charge of handing over hint cards, which I do have to confess we used at some point in every one of the games!

I was impressed with the value of the materials; key objects and clues are printed on good quality paper or cardboard. Every game was suitable challenging for the group participating, who ranged in age from 11 up to 40+. The puzzles in the first too levels were tricky but not impossible to solve, giving a good momentum to the game. The hardest level was very challenging and I’m not sure we would have ‘escaped’ in the hour without the hints available.

Overall I would say this is an innovative gift for a Mum who likes puzzle solving in a family group situation. This would also suit being given as a present to friends or other family members who enjoy a challenge. While the items in the box were excellent quality, I’m not sure everyone would budget this much for a gift that has some limitations in repeat usage.

Rating:  I would rate this item 4/5.

RRP and Buy Link: This product can be purchased for £99.00 from here.