January 2022
Escape the Game-Bovey Tracey
Escape By The Bell
Overview
This was our first visit to Escape The Game in Bovey Tracey. There is a small car park on site, plenty enough for visitors so you should never have a problem parking up. There wasn’t really a waiting area, we were greeted in the corridor and were given our brief before being taken into our room. Our host was warm and welcoming though and they have done the best with the space they have.
The room was like stepping back in time into a 90’s classroom. It was well decorated and all the added extras and props helped to immerse yourself into the experience of being back in school. There were posters on the walls, stationary, posters and a good old fashioned projector which really did bring back memories of being in school.
There was nothing groundbreaking in the puzzles of this room….. padlocks, with some more padlocks! We have never been in a room with so many padlocks. The one negative to have so many padlocks is that there is no linear aspect of the game at all. Once you got a code we had to run around and enter it into a vast number of padlocks. Whilst this did keep all of busy in the room, in wasn’t the trickiest of rooms for us too complete and was just time consuming. However, for an entry level team or a children’s party, I am sure the room would have been really good fun. For us though, it was quite frustrating. In terms of the end game, we really aren’t sure how we completed it and we are sure that we just ended up guessing the last number on the code to be able to get it. Reading other reviews, we aren’t the first ones to say this so it might be something the owners consider looking into?
Our games master did end up giving us a hint on a certain puzzle hand way through the game that I don’t think many people would get as it didn’t make a lot of sense to us but the hint was clear and the bell rang to let us know that a hint had been given. We didn’t ask for any help in this room but judging by how quick the games master was to give us a hint, I am sure that if we needed one, it would have been forthcoming.
Round Up
Escape By The Bell is most definitely aimed at entry level teams and children. The puzzles themselves did not really trouble us at any point but the sheer amount of padlocks you need to try any given code is something that we think anyone can do. Whilst we did enjoy the difference of a complete padlock room, as we have matured as a team, it just wasn’t challenging enough for us. Give it go if you want to get into escape rooms or you have house full of children you want to entertain, we would no recommend this for any serious escape room teams.
Team: 4 Players
Time Escaped: 48:00
Success/Failed: Success
Company Details:
January 2022
Devon Escape
Death on Dartmoor
Overview
This was our first visit to Devon Escape even though half the team only a few hundred yards away……….. I know, I know. The reviews for all 3 rooms at Devon Escape had really good reviews and we were really looking forward to giving them a go. Devon Escape is tucked away in a side street in Newton Abbot, we visited on a Sunday where you can park on the road but during ‘normal’ business hours you will have to park in a nearby pay and display car park. There are plenty of those don’t worry. We were warmly greeted by Emma, who was clearly very enthusiastic about what they had to offer. A special mention to Devon Escape who were due to be closed on the day of our visit but this was a re-arranged date for us as COVID stopped our original date. The visit was for a birthday surprise of one of the team and Devon Escape went above and beyond in helping us out, so thank you We walked into the reception area and even though it is cosy, there was still enough space for a health and safety brief. We were told that this was technically the second room of their 3 but it was not an issue that we hadn’t done their first yet, Diamond Heist. We were given a good back story into the Death on Dartmoor room before we entered and we had to track down the kidnappers who were somewhere in Dartmoor. One of us was chosen to be the lead investigator, given a brief case with extra information and props, again, a nice touch.
As soon as we walked into the room, it was very different from what we have experienced previously and in a good way. The props popped out and gave a very moody atmosphere. It was a little dark but not an issue at all that we couldn’t see what we were doing, plus we also had BRAND NEW torches given to us just in case. There was a screen in the corner, standardly on with a timer and to used for any hints in case we needed them. We knew there would be another room to enter with a door coded shut so this gave us extra incentive to crack on knowing where we had to get to. There were lots of local information plastered all over the wall which made it feel nice and relevant.
There were a number of objects scattered across the game, most were needed and some were there to lead us slightly astray. These weren’t like some rooms we have previously done where you are lead to complete ends, the objects that weren’t needed still gave the room a nice local feel and were all kind of relevant to the theme. This game wasn’t overloaded with padlocks, thank god!! A lot of rooms still stand by this and it is frustrating to a degree where you are sending so much time with 20 odd padlocks to escape but not in this game. A nice combinations of coded locks and searching for clues gave it a nice flow throughout. We we were so close to beating the room record, 2 minutes in fact. If it wasn’t for us over complicating the last puzzle and if we had gone with our guts, we would have had the crown but never mind.
Emma could see that we were flowing quite nicely throughout the game and gave us only 2 slight hints when we ever so slightly stuck on working out the combinations of a couple of games. The hints were ever so subtle and did not reveal the answers in any way, which was a welcome change to some games. When we did need a little bit of direction, there was a nice addition of a talking button system on the main console. This made a nice change from the standard walkie talkie system adopted by most. We were given hints when asked but not so obvious that it stopped us thinking and not overly cryptic either, which was welcomed. There was a tv on the main wall with the standard timer on it. When hints were given, a noise played in the room and the screen lit up, all pretty standard really.
Round Up
We can’t believe we haven’t visited Devon Escape before and we will definitely be back. There are 2 other games where Emma explained they are both linked with the story but have very different types of puzzles in each. Professor Enigma is due to shut in March 2022 so we will come back and try it before it is revamped. We really enjoyed Death On Dartmoor and this game is easily in our top 3 that we have done.
Even though Devon Escape is tucked away in the South West, for any team based down this way of the world or if you are visiting on holiday, make sure you come here!!
Team: 4 Players
Time Escaped: 47:00
Success/Failed: Success
Company Details:
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