Captive, run by Cipher Escape Rooms, was our first foray into the cryptic world of room escapology. The premise couldn’t have higher stakes: trapped in a cell by a psychotic serial killer, we had to solve a series of puzzles that would allow us to escape his grasp. The ticking clock told us when he’d be back for our heads and on the phone he haunted us with his taunts and boasts. Before seeing the room, we rated it 7 out of 10 gets on the hype scale, based on the premise and the threat of death as a motivator. Coming out the other side with our throats unslit and the #1 time, we give it a final score of 8.2/10.
Fun: 8
We definitely enjoyed this room, which offered us twists, turns, and puzzles of all different kinds. Captive was professionally done: each puzzle functioned perfectly, hints were available via a red emergency phone, and the variety made everything step feel fresh. There was no staleness to the room.
Theme: 6
Being held captive is somewhat of a standard among escape rooms. Being in the cell of a killer is something of a twist, but in general, the surprises weren’t in the theme. That said, the theme was executed very well. The high quality design of the room to incorporate the serial killer motif (cell bars, blood, and even, at one gut-wrenching point, body parts) showed a high level of creativity, one of the major characteristics we look for in quality escape rooms.
Puzzles: 9
The puzzles are where Captive shines. First, they were all analog puzzles - you won’t find finicky RFIDs here. We appreciate when an escape room values tactile puzzle solving, because that’s what we want in a live escape room experience. Second, the sheer number of different puzzles, each with a unique design, kept us and the other sleuths occupied for nearly the entire hour. It is not feasible to brute force these puzzles, as with some of the less complicated rooms - real problem-solving and critical thinking are required for this experience.
Customer Service: 9
The customer service was stellar. The Cipher representative explained how the Escape Room worked, chatted with us while we waited for the time to begin, and offered us bottled water when we finished. They were very polite and attentive, answering any questions we had and congratulating us on our escape. Escape rooms, as an industry, thrive on word of mouth, and customer service is critical to repeat attendees. And, as a sign of how much we enjoyed ourselves, we did return to solve their other room.
Website: 9
While less important than our actual experience in the room, navigating the website and booking the tickets is the first impression we have of the company. Cipher’s website is very clean and easy to use, and booking was a snap.
Score: 8.2
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