Escaperoom De Morfinekluis - "The Morphine Vault"

LOCATION:  Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Photo above is property of Escaperoom De Morfinekluis

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Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝  ETR DECODER

• 🔑 GAME: The Morphine Vault

• 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 8, 2024

• 🎬 GENRE: Heist

• 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 7/10

• 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl

• 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 90 Mins.

• 💰 PRICE: €150/ group

  ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private

• 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes

📖 THE STORY

The site of this operation is the old Zwitsal research facility, long used to produce cocaine, morphine, and similar painkillers - for medicinal purposes only, of course. In 2009, a new derivation of morphine was developed - MX10. Shortly thereafter, the building was shut down and all samples were destroyed - save one. Mr. X has hired you and your team to break into the abandoned factory and retrieve the final sample. Can you evade the guards, find your way into the vault, and escape with the final sample without getting caught?

Video above is property of Escaperoom De Morfinekluis

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

• This game changes up the convention of a typical escape room in a couple of ways to amp up the immersion and make this experience feel like it is really happening. While it has a bit more physicality than the average, you don’t need to be a Cross-fitter to make it through.

• The way the game kicks off gives you the feeling that you are actually doing something covert, not just being led through another escape room by a GM. The pre-event communication makes it clear as to when and where the adventure begins, so there is no ambiguity related to 'Can we start now?'.

• Some of the set is rather mundane, but in a good way - you are breaking into a pharmaceutical site, not a wizard's castle, so it feels real.

• The lighting varies as you move through the game, alternating between regular, nerve wracking, and fun.

• The hint system is fun and unconventional (in a way) - very much a part of the world you are working within.
  

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

• We played the English version, and spent quite a bit of time working on information that was clearly relevant, but not translated. We thought they were hints to other puzzles we hadn't finished, while they turned out to be well intentioned Dutch-only signposting. This caused some frustration and slowed our progress. We are hopeful they can add English variants of these extra Dutch components so other teams can remain immersed in the experience and continue progressing, without getting waylaid by elements unrelated to their forward progress.

• There were also a few red herrings, adding to our sense of uncertainty over what we had or hadn't completed.
  

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

If you are a native Dutch speaker, an adrenaline-filled adventure awaits you! This is not your usual art heist, as there are guards afoot who will be keeping a close eye on the facility..you must avoid them at all costs (which led to some very entertaining moments for our team). If you are playing the English version, be aware that you may end up confounded by some of the Dutch-only components. Our advice would be to ignore elements that are in Dutch but appear to be clues, or perhaps wait for a more fully developed English version - as this has the potential to be a fantastic experience for English speakers! Once they work out the kinks, this will truly be a highly entertaining game for anyone who dreamed of being part of Ocean's Eleven and pulling off the big one.

🔎 HINT

Maps have a lot of information on them!

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

• We had no problem making our way to the location and getting started.

• Although the beginning is a bit unconventional, there are bathrooms, as well as storage space for your electronics.

• There is no formal waiting area, but that is not something that should be viewed as a negative given the nature of this experience!

• After you book, you will receive further instructions as to where you need to go and how to get started. (Although, they do have a secondary protocol in place should you be unable to receive the communication that is sent shortly before the event begins.)

• Also, be sure everyone on your team has sufficient agility to crawl and climb, as you'll need to do that (and a bit more!) in order to complete this mission.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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BOOK NOW

(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank Escaperoom De Morfinekluis for providing a media discount on the tickets for this game. Although discounted admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever.

#DaveBristol #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #DeMorfinekluis #Heist #Apeldoorn #Netherlands