LOCATION: Crawley, England, United Kingdom
Photo above is property of Tulleys Escape Room
📝 ETR DECODER
🔑 GAME: Dodge City
📅 DATE PLAYED: May 1, 2023
🎬 GENRE: Western
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8.5/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 90 Mins (60Min in room plus 30min briefing)
💰 PRICE: £72-208 (pending on the group size)
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes
📖 THE STORY
It is the year 2127. You are a member of the Notorious "Barn Door" Gang and you have just fallen into the hands of the local sheriff in Dodge City. There's no hope for you here. The only way out of this hellhole is to rob the town's bank and escape.
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE
We enjoyed the separate start at the beginning as there were several communication puzzles that involved a unique way of transporting items to each other.
The way a prop was used in this room as a "key" to activate or open items fit perfectly with the theme.
This game gave a very clear objective as to what players had to do in order to get out. The systematic way of "collect and complete" was utilized in this room to eliminate the need for a timer.
At first glance, you might think this room is only going to be played in a narrow space but you'll be surprised by the hidden areas that will slowly open up as the game progresses.
The set design had a "Western saloon mixed with a touch of steampunk" look. Since the game was set in the future, it made sense to have some futuristic machines.
🧩 MISSED THE MARK
There was an area in the game where we could clearly hear the GM chatting which took away from the immersion.
One of the puzzles required us to know what certain items were called in the British way. Perhaps an added clue could be provided for foreign players.
There was a sound puzzle that was a bit finicky and ambiguous in terms of the starting point.
A machine towards the end was difficult to control. We weren't sure if it was intentional or if the prop needed some maintenance.
Some sound or light alerts would be great for items that had opened as we had to be informed by the game master a couple of times.
🏹 TAKE A SHOT?
Have you ever wanted to be a cowboy? "Dodge City" will let you become the baddest bandit in town! This is a difficult room for two people. As enthusiasts, we took a bit longer than 60 minutes to complete the game. There were a ton of puzzles and a bit of search and find as well. If you are looking for a challenge and perhaps some Gold as well, this might be your lucky day!
ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO
Ticket includes free parking on-site
Lobby area with seating available
Food & Drinks available for purchase
Merchandise available for purchase
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
Check out our interview with the owner to understand more on the development side of the game:
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
(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 Tulleys Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever.
