Are you ready to enter the unknown?
Be the first to test a pioneering new technology, in an experiment that will change the course of human history.
Welcome to Frontier Engineering — a private research and development company working on nuclear transmutation, quantum tunnels and the applications of dark energy.
Team 1 – Simon, Stu, Mark, Jackie
Team 2 – Ster, Ni, Rachel, Ben
(Reviewed by Ster)
Clockwork Dog
This room is currently in residence at The Panic Room in Gravesend but it was a pop-up when we played, operating out of a shop in North London. The small premises with just the one game on site meant that the experience was immersive from the start and our hosts opened the door in character, which was a great touch that we really enjoyed.
After the game both hosts were very friendly and happy to talk about the game with us. It was really interesting discussing the elements that we found intuitive or really tricky and then being told how other teams found the same puzzles. We were also given a report of how long we took to achieve the different puzzles which was great fun for comparing our experience with our other team that had already played this escape.
The Room
It’s difficult to say too much about this room without giving away spoilers so I’ll talk about things in fairly vague terms! The room was quite sparsely decorated but the puzzles were clear to find and we managed to solve one of them in the fastest time that they’d ever had – an achievement that I put down to three of us in the room being teachers!
Overall there weren’t loads of puzzles and we tended to find ourselves either in two groups tackling a couple of problems simultaneously or in some cases all crowded around one puzzle and working it through together. The small number of puzzles was in no way a negative for this game though, each one was complex and well thought out with no elements of just stumbling across a key and seeing which lock it fitted. They were puzzles that required careful thought and there was a lot of different elements packed into them which we really enjoyed.
The tension really built as we worked through this game and I think those of a nervous disposition could be in danger of panicking as they get to the end! There is also a section that involved the whole team in a confined space which was essential for the story of the game and led to a very unique and clever twist but that not be suitable for those who suffer from claustrophobia.
Stu – This game concept is unique and very clever. Without saying too much, the game throws a huge curveball in just at the right time. As the game goes on your urgency to escape increases more than it would in every other game. The concept and structure are the highlight of this game, though the types of puzzles vary they aren’t overly complex for an experienced escapee.
Simon – I loved this game! A fantastic mix of puzzles and loads of different ‘technical equipment’ to play with, which is something I particularly enjoy. The room was very tense and part of the gameplay helps to ramp up that tension even further. Throughout the room we all seemed to have something to do and everyone felt involved in the end. A great room, highly recommended.
Score
The Loop was fun and fast-paced but the puzzles required deep thinking which really helped us to be completely immersed in the experience. The story of the game really added to our enjoyment especially as in quite a few escapes that I’ve played the story is mostly irrelevant to what you are doing and seems just tacked on the end but in The Loop, the story is a central part of the experience. It was a great, uniquely thought out game and I’m really glad that it has found a permanent home so that more people can experience it.
Completely Clueless 
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