Hell House is possibly The Panic Room’s most ambitious project to date, and it is quite a sight to behold. If you’re planning a visit to Gravesend, I would add Hell House to the “Not To Be Missed” list.
Kent
The Panic Room: Riddled (Gravesend)
If you’re looking for a game for stag/hen dos, this is it. This game obviously has a target market and I imagine it does really quite well for that market, I’m not sure what enthusiasts will think about it, but credit to Panic Room for doing something different.
Mythologic: Mr. Todd’s (Gillingham)
My favourite Sondheim musical is Sweeney Todd, so of course, my nerdy little musical-loving heart was in heaven in Mr Todd’s. The set was beautiful, the puzzles pleasing, and the story stuck very closely to the one I know very well, making this game a delight to play.
Mythologic: Needlenose (Gillingham)
I’m not normally a huge fan of horror/live-actor escape rooms as they seem to just be dark for the sake of it, but Needlenose was good fun and had a good sense of adventure. In terms of set design and build, it felt like a step up from their earlier games and I’d imagine this is a very popular game around the scary season!
Ctrl Alt Esc: Quick-E-Mart (Margate)
We enjoyed our time in the Quick-E-Mart, but it just felt a bit short. We were an experienced team, but for a 90 minute game, we didn’t expect to get out in less than 40 minutes. The experience was fun, just a little too short lived and left us wanting a few extra puzzles to bulk it out.
Unsolved Mysteries: The Cabin (Chatham)
Unsolved Mysteries have raised the bar for what I expect from an escape room with The Cabin. With satisfying puzzles and a surprising human element, The Cabin managed to be infinitely more immersive than a simple “serial killer” themed game
The Escapement: Atlantis (Broadstairs)
Atlantis ticked every box on my “Perfect Escape Room” list and then proceeded to blow my already high expectations out of the water (pun intended). In fact, I may even have new tick boxes to add to the list after our visit to Broadstairs. Honestly, if I were to pick a favourite game in the UK (possibly on the planet), it’s currently in Broadstairs.
The Escapement: WunderWaffe Operation Quartz (Broadstairs)
This game was a long time in the making, but I’m pleased to report that the wait was 100% worth it. The Escapement have created a game here that will surely go to the top of people’s ‘Top 10’ lists, we need to rejig ours, as this is firmly up there for sure.
Escape in the Towers: The Comms Room (Canterbury)
We can’t say enough how much we loved this room. We never felt like we were playing a game, it actually felt as though we were saving War-era Canterbury, and the epic conclusion here is one not to be missed!
TimeQuest: The Quest to Save Camelot (Paddock Wood)
Going into this room I didn’t expect it to be my favourite at TimeQuest, but it was. The outside-of-the-box thinking and the heavy search element made this very enjoyable for us, and the attention to detail was also refreshing.
TimeQuest: Saving Operation Neptune (Paddock Wood)
One of the most impressive aspects of the games at TimeQuest is the sheer amount of physical space devoted to each game, and Saving Operation Neptune was no exception. It would be possible to fit at least two games in the space given to Neptune
TimeQuest: Reset (Paddock Wood)
This is a very different offering to the others at TimeQuest and those looking for a tech heavy room that mostly steers away from padlocks should be in their element
Escape Hub: The Curse of Curawood’s Garden (Maidstone)
We have absolutely no reservations adding The Curse of Curawood’s Garden to the list of rooms that would be enjoyed by players of all ages, young and old alike. Play it, and get lost in Curawood’s world
Escape Hub: Inbound (Maidstone)
A massive step in quality over the earlier games at Escape Hub. Inbound has great set design, good puzzles, and a wonderful journey through the streets of ‘York’
Escape Hub: Mr Brenchley: Diamond Theft (Maidstone)
The weakest of the games we played at Escape Hub. With some much better games on offer in Maidstone, and at Escape Hub itself, I would suggest that teams keen to play all of the games play this one first and move on to better options.
Escape Hub: The Laughing Lair (Maidstone)
This wasn’t a bad room, and we actually had a fun time (especially with the ending). But with a few too many padlocks and a little too much wear-and-tear we feel like this room may be slightly past its prime.
Mythologic: Hypnos (Gillingham)
Hypnos is darker than their other room but has interesting and challenging puzzles. A number of padlocks around the place but a good use of tech breaks them up nicely and keeps it engaging
Mythologic: The Game (Gillingham)
Great fun for adults and kids, but between the theme, the set, and the types of puzzles and tasks throughout The Game, this room is one of our top picks if you’re looking for something the entire family can get involved with
Hysteria: Aftermath (Chatham)
For us, this room felt like an odd crossover between Jurassic Park and a zombie film – and it worked! Good puzzles in a variety of styles and great set design to boot
Hysteria: Motel California (Chatham)
Motel California is a fun room at a company run by enthusiastic and passionate owners. While there is nothing stand out about this room, we enjoyed every minute we spent in it.
Pressure Point: The Moonlit Wild (Ashford)
Pressure Point seem to have nailed developing games which manage to have not just good game play, but take you from the beginning, through to a peak, and finally a good, solid ending
Pressure Point: Broken (Ashford)
A solid room where you’re trying to barricade yourself in rather than escape. I preferred their other rooms but this was still a good room with decent puzzles and a solid ending.
Pressure Point: Murder on the Dance Floor (Ashford)
Pressure Point have designed a special game, full of humour and clever puzzles, with a fantastic set and fun music, and we’re just sad that we can’t play it again
Clue Cracker: Jail Break (Tunbridge Wells)
We don’t normally detour to venues with just one room, but as we’d heard good things about Jail Break at Clue Cracker we decided to make an exception and swing by Tunbridge Wells – it was worth it.
Escape60: Serial Killer’s Lair (Folkestone)
A fun room but generally nothing exciting to reflect on. Probably a good beginners room but enthusiasts will have seen better.
Escape 60: The Compactor (Folkestone)
The compactor had a very industrial feel, and was certainly visually impressive. There were a few surprises here and there, which kept things interesting, but generally it didn’t live up to expectations.
Get Lost Escape Rooms: The Abandoned Cottage (Dover)
Get Lost Dover currently have three rooms and each is fun in their own way. This was my least favourite of their rooms, but don’t let that fool you, it’s worth doing and does enough to keep you on your toes
Get Lost Escape Rooms: The World Fair Hotel (Dover)
Have you ever done a room where every puzzle just clicked for you? Like you were in the mind of the room’s designer? That’s exactly what happened for us in this room and we enjoyed every minute of it
Get Lost Escape Rooms: The Krevokar Programme (Dover)
Our first room at Get Lost Escape Rooms and it set the bar high for the others. This room felt like we were experiencing a Resident Evil in real life. A fun game from start to finish
Ctrl Alt Esc: Detention (Margate)
Detention was beautifully designed, with a good flow, and just simply, good fun, ticking all my boxes for a wonderful room.
Clever Dilemma: Dracula’s Chamber (Faversham)
A great room with welcoming hosts and a very good GM. Faversham is beautiful, but this room really makes it worth visiting
Ctrl Alt Esc: Frankenscape (Margate)
We thought their other room ‘Spacescape’ was great – this was better! A solid room with an impressive ending
The Escapement: Egyptian Exodus (Margate)
The team have clearly put a lot of thought into this experience, and Exodus is one not to be missed.
Ctrl Alt Esc: Spacescape (Margate)
A tech heavy room that has a very impressive ending. One of the many rooms that is worth doing in Margate
The Escapement: The Pit (Margate)
Even when you’re receiving the briefing for this room you know it is going to be something special. This isn’t just a 60 minute experience, this is a game changer.
The Escapement: Pirates of Polaris (Margate)
This room is beautiful, it really is, and when a room uses genuine artifacts there is no doubt you are in for a treat
The Panic Room: Defective Detective (Gravesend)
This room didn’t feel up to the same level as the other Panic Room rooms, and although it was fun, we left feeling a bit flat
The Panic Room: The Sacrifice (Gravesend)
A great introductory room for inexperienced players, or a nice little warm-up / cool-down after a long weekend of full length escape rooms.
The Panic Room: Prison Van (Gravesend)
For our final room of the day, we found ourselves back at The Panic Room’s Gravesham Market location, but this time outside, in a prison van!
The Panic Room: Wizard Of Oz (Gravesend)
Don’t be fooled by the theme, this room will give both families and enthusiasts entertainment, and is challenging enough for both.
The Panic Room: The Dollhouse (Gravesend)
Although this room is creepy, and it certainly is creepy, I wouldn’t really call it a scary room and it is definitely fun
The Panic Room: Old Father Time (Gravesend)
Of the rooms that we completed at The Panic Room, this was (in my opinion) the most beautifully designed room
The Panic Room: Mind Pod (Gravesend)
£5 per team 10 minutes of your life = a wonderfully relaxing alternative to a traditional escape room.
The Panic Room: Enigma (Gravesend)
While Enigma is lacking the WOW-factor of other rooms at The Panic Room, it is still a solid, and enjoyable room
The Panic Room: Loop (Gravesend)
What a room! This room is not just a must-do room in Gravesend, but definitely one of the top rooms in the country.
The Panic Room: The Don (Gravesend)
A solid room, which enthusiasts and new players alike will enjoy. A lot to do for a team of two, but plenty of space for larger teams
The Panic Room: Secret Of Pocahontas (Gravesend)
Although not the most advanced or impressive room in The Panic Room’s arsenal it’s still a solid room and one that’s definitely worth doing.
The Panic Room: Dino Land (Gravesend)
Dino Land was the perfect way to kick off an entire weekend of escapes, and lived up to all of my childhood dreams of visiting Jurassic Park.