“All four of us agreed we had a fantastic time.”
On Saturday 26th April, my partner and I and two of our friends headed to The Escapologist at the White Rose Centre in Leeds for a slightly different evening out.
We booked into The Butchering Room – billed as one of their hardest and scariest escape games (15+ recommended). None of us was an escape room expert, with just a handful of games amongst us, so we weren’t entirely sure what to expect, especially after kicking things off with a round of cocktails, including a particularly memorable smoking strawberry daiquiri. With hindsight, starting with a drink might not have been the wisest decision in our case!
The Bar
From the moment we entered the game we realised the experience was designed to be unsettling. We were blindfolded, led into the room and chained to various parts of the gruesome, blood-spattered set. After an introduction, which for us was not long enough, we removed our blindfolds and faced the challenge ahead.
The room itself was impressively grotesque, filled with fake body parts and a macabre atmosphere that made the stakes feel high. Initially, we struggled to figure out what we were meant to do. Finding keys or codes to free ourselves from our chains was our first priority, especially as we were limited with what we could do being stuck in place. However, this took longer than expected, and we needed more hints from the helpful staff.
We enjoyed working through the puzzles, but it took time to get our bearings. For me, a storyline would have helped with the flow, but once we started getting into it, the evening . The puzzles were challenging without being impossible, and the adrenaline of the setting added to the fun. Eventually, teamwork kicked in, we got into the challenge of figuring out codes and finding keys, and we managed to escape, with just three minutes to spare.
Overall, we had a great time. The setting was immersive, the puzzles satisfying and the time flew by. It’s early days for this impressive Escapologist team, of course, and I wonder if a story could be woven into the experience. For example, perhaps uncovering the identity of the ‘Butcher’s’ victims, or piecing together a backstory as we worked through the clues, would have made the room even more gripping than it already was and at the same time, given the puzzles extra meaning.
We all agreed we had a fantastic time. It was also great that as the Escapologist is based in the White Rose, we were able to do some window shopping around the mall beforehand and then grab some much needed food after we had completed the game.
Whether you’re an escape room newbie or a seasoned pro, The Escapologist offers a really fun evening – and you don’t have to choose the most difficult challenge to begin your adventure like we did ! Just maybe save the cocktails for after you escape.
You can find out more about the Escapologist’s rooms and bar on their website here.
