[187] Scram Escape Rooms: Motel of Madness

Date: 14/04/2024

Company Name: Scram Escape Rooms

Room: Motel of Madness

Cost: $60 per person (Team of 3)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.scramescaperooms.com.au/macquariepark

Location: 2/119 Wicks Rd, Macquarie Park NSW 2113

Best Parking: On-site parking

Succeeded: Yes with approximately 8 minutes remaining

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 7
• Room Quality: 6
• Immersion: 6
• Puzzle Design: 6 
• Fun Factor: 6

Overall: 6.20/10

Room Description: 

You and your team are on a road trip when a terrible storm hits. You decide to find accommodation for the night, but only one bed and breakfast is available in the area.

It is an unusual venue and the host makes it very clear that you're not to go exploring past any red doors.

But what do you do... you go exploring... And this bed and breakfast makes it very hard to go back.

Comments:
Motel of Madness was the second and final room our usual team, minus one member, tackled at the Scram Venue in Macquarie Park. This also marked the team's 29th room and my 33rd overall. As previously mentioned in our review of Murder in the Mob, this room notably deviated from the typical Scram-style rooms that we have grown to appreciate.

Throughout our experience in Motel of Madness, we found a noticeable absence of a strong, cohesive story. We were simply advised, "Don't go through the red door," with little consequence attached. The puzzles felt somewhat disjointed, requiring us to backtrack through rooms we had already explored, but they definitely pushed us to think more deeply than usual. While the set design was aesthetically pleasing and captured the desired vibe, the lack of a consistent narrative made it challenging to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.

Fortunately, we had the same Gamesmaster as earlier in the day, ensuring we were in capable hands. However, we did encounter a slight hiccup towards the end. Despite completing the majority of puzzles, we found ourselves missing one crucial item needed to escape. Our Gamesmaster handled the situation professionally, offering assistance and even providing us with a 10% discount voucher for our next Scram visit.

Overall, Motel of Madness ranked as our least favourite of the three rooms at the Macquarie venue. Nevertheless, our group still appreciated the enjoyable time and hospitality provided by Scram.

[187] Scram Escape Rooms: Murder in the Mob

Date: 14/04/2024

Company: Scram Escape Rooms

Room: Murder in the Mob

Cost: $60 per person (Team of 3)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.scramescaperooms.com.au/macquariepark

Location: 2/119 Wicks Rd, Macquarie Park NSW 2113

Best Parking: On-Site parking available

Succeeded: Yes with approximately 8 minutes remaining

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 7
• Room Quality: 7
• Immersion: 8
• Puzzle Design: 6 
• Fun Factor: 8

Overall: 7.20/10

Room Description: 

In an attempt to gain power over the city's underworld, you and your fellow gang members have broken into the hideout of the Castello gang and executed a hit on several key mobsters.

After your escape, you realise that you've dropped your glove, which could lead police straight to you! Go back, get the evidence, get out.

Comments:
Our team, minus one member, lined up for our remaining two rooms at Scram's Macquarie Branch. After being thoroughly impressed with our earlier encounter of The Witching Hour and considering Scram's solid reputation for providing high-quality rooms, we were beyond excited.

Our understanding was that Murder in the Mob was a room inherited from the previously owned Parapark and had undergone some tweaking. Nevertheless, it proved to be a solid room. The theming was spot on, maintaining a clear story as we progressed through the room, and the puzzles mostly aligned with the overarching theme. There was one particular puzzle that posed a challenge, requiring someone fairly tall or flexible on the team to navigate effectively. With Josh's contortion skills, we eventually managed to crack it. This puzzle was the only one we needed a hint for, but with the three of us working together, we successfully escaped with about 8 minutes left on the clock.

Despite the enjoyable experience, there was a subtle feeling that Murder in the Mob didn't quite have the distinctive "Scram-like" essence, which may be difficult to articulate but could be understood by those who have completed numerous rooms across Scram's venues, particularly at Church Street and Penrith. Our Gamesmaster added to the fun and welcoming atmosphere, and the pre-room lobby provided ample space and comfort. All in all, Murder in the Mob proved to be another enjoyable addition to Scram's repertoire.

[187] Expedition Escape Rooms: Mission: Identity

Date: 07/04/2024

Company Name: Expedition Escape Rooms

Room: Mission: Identity

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.expeditionsydney.com.au/gladesville

Location: U23b/33-37 College St, Gladesville NSW 2111

Best Parking: On-site parking available

Succeeded: Yes with approx 10 mins remaining

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 7
• Room Quality: 6
• Immersion: 5
• Puzzle Design: 6
• Fun Factor: 7

Overall: 6.20/10

Room Description: 

You have realised that your whole life and purpose as elite Section 9 agents has been a lie. To uncover your true identities and Section 9's darkest secrets you have evaded all security to Section 9's top secret underground facility. There lay the answers you seek. However.. Section 9 agents are searching for you. It is only a matter of time. This is your last chance. 

Can you expose the lies and escape with your lives?

Comments:
Our team spontaneously decided to tackle an Escape Room on short notice. With two of our four members having previously enjoyed Sabotage the Enigma from Expedition Escape, we opted for Mission: Identity. Upon entering the lobby, we were impressed by its charming antique vibe and ambient lighting. Our Gamesmaster was courteous and allowed us to begin early, as the previous team had just finished and we were eager to dive in.

While the room boasted a variety of puzzles and locks that seemed to align with the theme, I found the story to be somewhat lacking. We received a brief debriefing upon entering the room, but from there, it felt like a series of puzzle-solving tasks without much narrative depth. Towards the end, the experience began to feel somewhat repetitive. Despite this, the room was packed with content for a single room, and our team remained fully engaged throughout, staying busy with the multitude of challenges presented to us.

Overall, we had an enjoyable time, and given our positive experiences with Sabotage, we're eager to explore more offerings from the Expedition Escape outfit.

[Kyle] Scram Escape Rooms: Underland

Date: 03/04/2024

Company Name: Scram Escape Rooms

Room: Underland

Cost: $60 per person (Team of 3)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.scramescaperooms.com.au/church-street

Location: level 1/240 Church St, Parramatta NSW 2150

Best Parking: Street parking and/or Eat Streek Car Park was about a 5 Minute walk

Succeeded: Yes with approximately 10 minutes remaining

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 8
• Room Quality: 6
• Immersion: 8
• Puzzle Design: 7 
• Fun Factor: 8

Overall: 7.40/10

Room Description: 

The Queen of Hearts lost her heart to The Mad Hatter in a game of Whack-a-Hog. Distraught and angered by her loss The Queen has taken her revenge on the Hatter by stealing three things precious to him. You will need to travel through Underland and all its obstacles to ask the Queen for mercy.

Comments:
Returning to Scram's Church Street location, we took on Underland with a slightly different team this time, including a couple of newcomers to the escape room scene (each with fewer than five rooms under their belt). Despite the change, we had a blast navigating this room, finding that everything flowed seamlessly within the space.

Primarily featuring traditional lock-and-key mechanisms, Underland is an excellent choice for those new to the hobby. However, I did encounter a few minor issues. Some of the locks had worn-off lettering or numbers, which, combined with the ambient lighting, made them a bit difficult to read. Additionally, one of the final puzzles didn't seem to work as intended, but we managed to solve it with perseverance and some extra time.

Nevertheless, Underland was an enjoyable experience overall, and I would certainly recommend it to newcomers. As always, Scram continues to uphold its reputation for producing high-quality rooms.

[187] Next Level Escape: The Artefact

Date: 22/03/2024

Company Name: Next Level Escape

Room: The Artefact

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 75 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.nextlevelescape.com.au/rooms/artefact/

Location: Lower Ground, 23 O'Connell St, Sydney, NSW 2000

Best Parking: Wilson Parking - 2 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000 (On the corner of Kent St. just before turning onto Phillip Lane)

Succeeded: Yes with about 16 minutes remaining.

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 9
• Room Quality: 8
• Immersion: 8
• Puzzle Design: 8 
• Fun Factor: 9

Overall: 8.40/10

Room Description: 

Your team of investigators has been conscripted by the CIA to investigate an alien artefact they’ve discovered. Sure, the artefact is doing strange things, but you’ll have a non-malevolent, smart-ass AI to help you out. What could possibly go wrong?

Comments:
The Artefact was the second room our team of four tackled that night, and the 187 Escape Artists were still buzzing from our recent completion of End of the Road. After grabbing a satisfying meal at Stacked (just around the corner), we were fuelled up and ready to dive in. Our Gamesmaster, Stuart, took on the persona of the cheeky AI Bot HAL, leading us on our next adventure.

We started off a bit sluggish—I blame the hearty dinner we indulged in—but around 10-15 minutes in, we found our momentum and began making significant progress. While the room initially felt a bit bottlenecked, once we hit our stride, we surged ahead and finished with a strong flourish, escaping with about 16 minutes left on the clock.

As always, the Gamesmaster played a crucial role in our experience, and in The Artefact, Stuart was no exception. We had a blast, sharing moments of pure hilarity as we danced, sang, celebrated, and laughed together. The theming was top-notch, and the puzzles posed a satisfying challenge, even for a semi-experienced team. The high-tech elements in this particular theme at Next Level were executed brilliantly, but they also cleverly incorporated some low-tech puzzles that seamlessly fit the theme.

Next Level consistently delivers immersive and well-designed experiences, and we're already looking forward to our next visit to this exceptional establishment.