Secret Clue GmbH - "Steampunk"

LOCATION:  Bülach, Switzerland

Photo above is property of Secret Clue GmbH

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Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝  ETR DECODER

• 🔑 GAME: Steampunk

• 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 30, 2025

• 🎬 GENRE: Mystery

• 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 6/10

• 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-5 ppl

• 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins.

• 💰 PRICE: CHF 100-175

  ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private

• 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes (41:52)

📖 THE STORY

Step into the world of Sherlock Holmes and face his greatest adversary, Professor Moriarty! The criminal mastermind has devised a sinister steampunk machine capable of destroying the entire city. Your mission: infiltrate his secret laboratory, decipher his cryptic codes, and shut down the deadly device before it’s too late. As you race against time, Sherlock Holmes is in pursuit of Moriarty, who is once again slipping through the shadows.

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

• Walking into the room made an immediate impression—the design transports you to a shadowy London alley, complete with red brick walls and a cobblestone floor. A few small puzzle-related props help bring the space to life, preventing it from feeling too minimal.

• The game kicks off with a narrated introduction from Sherlock himself, setting the stage for our mission. However, Sherlock’s American accent was a bit jarring—probably unnoticeable to most, but as an English speaker, it stood out to me.

• Throughout the game, Sherlock continues to provide updates, a unique touch that keeps the story alive without being intrusive. These moments added depth to the experience, though I occasionally missed what was being said. Thankfully, the narrative was more for immersion than delivering crucial game clues.

• The room also featured some special effects, including lasers and smoke, enhancing the atmosphere. The lighting struck a great balance—dim enough to set the mood but never so dark that it became frustrating.

• While the room wasn’t overly packed with props, it made up for it with a selection of dress-up items. This added a fun, whimsical touch, especially for the post-game photo!

• The highlight for us was the final puzzle. It stood out not only because of its creative use of props but also because it required all three of us to be engaged both mentally and physically—a truly satisfying conclusion!
  

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

• While the puzzles were well-designed, logical, and enjoyable to solve, there simply weren’t enough of them. The entire game contained only seven puzzles, which felt too few for an escape room experience.

• Another shortcoming was the lack of strong thematic connectivity. Moriarty’s machine never truly felt menacing, and the space didn’t quite capture the essence of a criminal mastermind’s lair. If not for Sherlock’s narration, we might not have realized we were in the Sherlock Holmes universe at all.

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

Despite the disconnect between theme and story, this escape room is still a solid choice, particularly for smaller or less experienced teams. The beautifully crafted set is immersive, and the lower puzzle count means a higher chance of success.

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

• Parking is not available on site. Free parking is available in clearly designated spaces around the side and back of the building.

• There is a lobby area with comfortable seating, lockers, and a few cold drinks for sale.

• This game is wheelchair accessible and disability friendly

Photos above are property of Secret Clue GmbH

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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 Secret Clue GmbH for providing us with a media discount for this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.

#RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Mystery #SecretClueGmbH #Bulach #Switzerland