Break Escape: Mystic Sword (Nottingham)

Magical Family Fun

Tucked away lies a mysterious hidden shop… and at the very back, a sealed vault few have ever entered.

Rumours speak of a legendary sword locked inside protected not just by heavy security, but by something far more dangerous. Strange symbols, scorched markings, and the distant sound of wings suggest the vault is guarded by dragons.

Do you have what it takes to reach the vault and escape with the sword before time runs out?

Nottingham has been on the UK Escape Room scene since pretty much forever – and with good reason. The city is home to multiple venues (Cave Escape, Cryptology, and Escapologic just to name a few), and the majority of them are sporting games that range from very good to exceptional. And now there’s a new venue in town: Break Escape.

Now, Break Escape aren’t exactly new. The company started in Loughborough, and their venue there was home to some good games, like Enchanted Forest. It’s been four years since we played at Break Escape in Loughborough, so when we decided to tack a trip to Nottingham onto a visit to Brighton (don’t ask, we know they’re nowhere near each other), we were intrigued to see how the company has evolved since their expansion and our last visit.

Break Escape Nottingham is very conveniently located near the centre. But they are upstairs, and depending on the game you play, there may be a lot of stairs. We arrived at the venue bright and early to get started with our full day of escapes, and managed to tackle the steps without any mishaps. Upon reaching reception we were very warmly welcomed by our GM. I am sad to say I missed her name, but she was lovely; welcoming, chatty, and friendly as she gave us our health and safety briefing.

But eventually, it was time to leave the boring world, and enter a world full of magic. We stepped through the doorway portal, and found ourselves in a different world.

*We played this game when it had a different name and story, but we believe the underlying game is still essentially the same*

IMMERSION/ROOM DESIGN

Mystic Sword is so much more than just the street where it begins. Break Escape have clearly taken what was learned in Loughborough and expanded upon it, as the set is lovely, and the game itself just seems to flow.

Mystic Sword isn’t particularly heavy on the narrative side, but the underlying story did give purpose to the tasks at hand. The ambient noises and music help to keep players focussed on the world in front of them, rather than the world outside, as The Mystic Sword leads players on an adventure. With each space we entered, there was a sense of discovery, complimented by several “Wow!” moments, to give the game a magical feel.

The game kept a steady pace in our hunt for the Mystic Sword, never slowing, or allowing us to become bogged down. And with each new discovery, we pushed forward, until the game finally culminated in an ultimately satisfying, and slightly magical, finale.

PUZZLES

The puzzles in The Mystic Sword were pleasing to solve and thematic. At least they were for me, as I just sort of clicked with them. Gord, less so. But for me, the telegraphing was spot on, and the puzzles were fair. They weren’t overly complex, but there were a few that had us pondering for a moment, at least until we had another look around the space, and were rewarded with a moment of realisation.

While there were a few padlocks about, what wizarding room wouldn’t be complete without a little bit of magic? Wand waving, spell casting, potions, and of course, logical deduction, team work, communication, observation and a bit of lateral thinking were all things we encountered on our quest to recover the Mystic Sword.

GM/CLUE SYSTEM

A wizarding room isn’t complete without a wizard to guide you when you stumble. The Professor is just that. Of course, he is sleeping, so if you should need help, you will need to wake him. Thankfully, we didn’t need to disturb his slumber, as most things seemed to just make sense, so long as we actually took the time to think about them.

Of course, we all know it wasn’t just the professor keeping an eye on us throughout our adventure. Our GM was keeping a close eye on us, and was there to greet us when we emerged victorious with the Sorcerer’s Sword

ANYTHING ELSE

Break Escape Nottingham have lived up to the company’s Loughborough reputation, with a solid offering of games. The Mystic Sword is a fun and satisfying game, particularly if you’re a fan of wizarding worlds.

Success/Failed

Final Rating:

Team: 2 players

Address: 9a Market St, Nottingham NG1 6HY

Website: https://breakescape.co.uk/nottingham