Nothing dirty about this game – certified Fresh!
After months of detective work, you have been led to Sudz Laundrette, which we believe is linked to a money laundering gang.
We have the main suspect, “The Don”, in custody and only an hour remaining before he is released.
As investigators, you have this hour to secure the evidence before it is too late.
The whole operation rests on you…
*Since playing this game the venue has been taken over by new owners – who are equally as wonderful as the previous*
Knockout Escape Rooms in Reading always seem to go a little bit under the radar when we see people asking for recommendations, but they really shouldn’t! Reading is full of fantastic independent escape room companies, and Knockout games are no exception. Maybe it’s because they’re not located in the town centre, but with on site parking for drivers, and only being a 15(ish) minute walk from Reading station for non-drivers, it’s worth making the effort to visit. Fun Fact: it was a visit to Knockout Escape Rooms to play The Mad Scientist back in 2018, that spawned the team name we occasionally use when playing with friends.
On this visit, however, it would not be Better Than Halloumi playing. Instead it would just be Team Review the Room tackling the newly opened Dirty Money. The walk from the town centre was easy enough, and we found ourselves outside the entrance the requisite 15 minutes early and made our way up the stairs to reception.
It’s probably a good thing we were a bit early, as we did spend a fair amount of time just chatting with the owners (and nibbling on a few of the rather addictive sweets available on the tables) before we decided it was time to get down to business. Once we were fully briefed on all things health and safety, and, of course, what it was we were there to do, it was time to get down to business and launder some dirty money.
IMMERSION/ROOM DESIGN
The door opened to the Sudz Laundrette, and immediately we were hit with the smell of fresh laundry. It’s little things like this that go a long way towards setting the scene, and this little detail, along with the music, and the actual industrial washing machines that immediately reminded me of every laundromat I’ve ever visited. However, an hour in Sudz Laundrette is infinitely more eventful, and 100% more fun, than an hour spent in any of the others.
Like any true laundrette, the space was brightly lit, and full of the things you might expect to see: washing machines, dryers, soap, and of course, clothes. The space wasn’t massive, but it didn’t feel claustrophobic, and there was plenty to explore as we set about our mission to solve the money laundering mystery we were there to investigate. The open nature of the game makes it well suited to larger teams, or smaller groups of enthusiasts, and gives Dirty Money an excellent pace, building intensity as players progress through the game to the grand finale.
PUZZLES
Given that laundry itself can often be something of a puzzle (what do those little symbols on the tags even mean, anyway?), it’s not surprising that someone finally decided to create an escape room around it. And the puzzles within Dirty Money fit their theming perfectly. The game itself is very much a “classic” escape room, with plenty of familiar-styled puzzles: logic, pattern recognition, communication, codes, and (of course) a bit of searching, just for some examples.
Dirty Money’s puzzles rely heavily on more traditional padlocks to bar the way to the next stage of the game, but it’s not without some sneaky tech and surprises. Whatever the locking mechanism, the puzzles themselves were fair, and satisfying to solve. With the variety of the of puzzles on offer, there was truly something to suit the strengths of everyone on the team.
GM/CLUE SYSTEM
The team at Knockout are always welcoming, friendly, and on top of their game when it comes to GMing our games, and this visit was no exception. We were made to feel welcome from the moment we walked through the door, right up until our departure. Our briefing was somewhat different to what new customers can expect, as we only really got a briefing on the main health and safety points, and of course, the backstory of the game, but this was primarily down to the fact that we have played at Knockout once or twice before.
In previous visits to Knockout, clues were always provided using the tried and true method of text-based hints and nudges on a screen. And while textual clues are still able to be provided, Knockout have had a bit of a change up, and are upping their game, so to speak, with a more integrated style of in character voice over clues, to keep players fully immersed in their surroundings and the story, and taking their games to the next level.
ANYTHING ELSE
I’ve visited plenty of laundrettes in my life, but I think this might be the first time I’ve ever actually had fun trying to escape from one. Dirty Money is another excellent addition to the already fantastic games available to play at Knockout, and in Reading in general, especially for fans of a more traditional escape experience.
Success/Failure
Final Rating:
Operation | |
Puzzles | |
Room Design | |
GM/Clues | |
Excitement |
Team: 2 players – escaped in XX mins
Address: 75 Milford Rd, Reading RG1 8LG
Website: https://knockoutescaperooms.com/
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