Labyrinth Escape Rooms - Zen

Date: 09/02/2025

Company Name: Labyrinth Escape Rooms

Room: Zen

Cost: $60 per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://labyrinthescaperooms.com.au/escape-room/zen/

Location: 1B Victoria Rd, Parramatta NSW 2150

Best Parking: Street parking was best

Succeeded: Yes with approximately 12 minutes remaining

Room Description: 

You know that famous saying – YOLO – You Only Live Once? Well that’s not actually true. The truth is, you only die once. You’re living everyday. But are you really living? You wake up. Eat. Work. Sleep then repeat this over and over and over again every sad day of your existence until the day you die.

Is this what you call life? No.

But the team at ZEN are here to help! You start by entering an all white room and you have 60 minutes to bring the joy and colour back to everything and everyone around you.

Comments:

The team and I had a great time completing Zen. Having done a couple of rooms at Labyrinth before, we knew we were in for a well-crafted experience, and once again, they delivered. The staff were fantastic, the pre-game lobby was spacious and well-maintained, and their unique way of running through the rules via a pre-made video stood out—something we’ve only ever seen at Labyrinth.

The room quality was solid, though, given its all-white aesthetic, a fresh coat of paint in certain areas wouldn’t go amiss. The story was perhaps a little vague—some of our team felt like we were mental patients, while others weren’t entirely sure of the backstory.

Zen is a linear room with a strong task-based progression. The puzzle flow was smooth overall, though we did hit a couple of roadblocks that required us to use Labyrinth’s five-hint system. Once we got into a rhythm, we powered through the remaining challenges and escaped with 12 minutes to spare.

Overall, Zen is a great early-to-mid-tier room with enough interesting mechanics to engage even experienced players. We had a fantastic time and will no doubt be back to take on more of Labyrinth’s many offerings!

Social Escape Rooms - Paris Escape

Date: 02/02/2025

Company Name: Social Escape Rooms

Room: Paris Escape

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 3)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.socialescape.com.au/rooms.html#paris

Location: 62 Wyndham St, Alexandria NSW 2015

Best Parking: Street Parking

Succeeded: Not within 60 minutes - approximately 3 minutes over time.

Room Description: 

You are on holiday in Paris, staying in the most beautiful hotel. Your holiday is finally approaching the end and you are preparing to leave. You must depart for the airport in one hour, however you cannot locate your passport or your plane tickets!

Prepare to meet your worst holiday nightmare, a last minute chase in a beautiful setting, with the clock ticking. Can you find your tickets and escape to the airport in time?

This game is one of Sydney's best family friendly escape rooms, offering a great challenge for both first time players as well as experienced teams.

Comments:

Our second visit to Social Escape once again did not disappoint. After being immediately reacquainted with our former Gamesmaster from Ransom a few weeks prior, "Jesus" was again nothing short of brilliant, exemplifying just how critical the Gamesmaster is to creating an outstanding experience.

I’d describe the difficulty as medium, though our team was just a little off today. According to our data printout, we spent more time on the easier clues while breezing through the harder ones—something we’ve noticed tends to happen when we revisit rooms that lean on the easier side. Paris Escape is rated Social’s easiest room, so I think we may have felt like it would be too discreditable to our team to ask for hints. As it turns out, one of the easier puzzles (as per the data) was the one puzzle that ultimately cost us succeeding. So don't be us and ask for your hints!

The theming in this room is fantastic. Designed to resemble a Parisian boutique hotel, the space is filled with an assortment of recognizable French elements, creating an authentic and immersive setting. The décor strikes a perfect balance between charm and sophistication, giving the room a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Every prop feels thoughtfully placed, and the attention to detail is remarkable.

Beyond the aesthetics, the puzzles all worked flawlessly, with clear solutions that never felt misleading or confusing. There’s a well-balanced mix of high-tech and low-tech puzzles, with many of the high-tech elements cleverly hidden within the environment.

Despite falling just short of the time limit, we had an absolute blast and can’t wait to return for more!

Strange World Escape Rooms - Mrs Claws

Date: 17/01/2025

Company Name: Strange World Escape Rooms

Room: Mrs Claws

Cost:  $45 per person (Team of 7)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.strangeworldescaperooms.com/ourrooms

Location: 4 Flinders St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Best Parking: Scarce street parking - try and find what works best for you as close to the venue. 

Succeeded: Yes in 46 Minutes 18 Seconds (Unofficial 4th Pos)

Room Description: 

Christmas Eve has taken a dark turn at Santa's workshop... or what's left of it. Mrs. Claus has finally snapped. Fed up with Santa's laziness and a disfunctional group of elves, she's taken drastic measures - and it’s far from festive.

With Santa mysteriously missing, and his once-cheerful workshop becoming a maze of horror and broken toys, it’s up to you and your elf team to save Christmas.

The clock is ticking, and the fate of the holiday rests in your hands. Good luck - you'll need it.

Comments:

After hearing about Strange World and the growing popularity of their inaugural room, Mrs. Claws, we were eager to give it a try. Even though Christmas was long over and we were well into January, this room still delivered a festive and immersive experience that held up exceptionally well.

From the moment we walked in, we were transported by the music, the scent of gingerbread, and the overall theming, which perfectly captured a blend of fun Christmas vibes with a creepy twist. Our Gamesmasters, hosts, and live actors were nothing short of hospitable. They made excellent use of the space left over after the room itself, which is clearly the centrepiece as you enter.

The production value was outstanding. From the cozy wooden cabin atmosphere to the colourful objects, twinkling lights, and eerie props and ornaments, every detail aligned seamlessly with the Christmas horror theme. It was evident that a tremendous amount of thought and effort went into the design. With minimal use of traditional locks and padlocks, the experience felt fresh and engaging, which greatly pleased our team.

The puzzles offered a nice variety and fit perfectly with the theme and story. Opting for the scariest version of the experience, we encountered some well-timed jump scares that kept us on edge throughout. The room featured multiple areas and crawl spaces, culminating in an exciting and memorable final section. While these sections were cleverly designed, they weren’t particularly large, so our group of seven occasionally felt a bit cramped. For the best experience, I’d recommend teams of 4–5 as the sweet spot, though teams of up to six could still comfortably manage. With seven, I often found myself stepping back to absorb the experience while others worked tirelessly on tasks.

After the experience, we were fortunate enough to spend time with the masterminds behind it all. Tanner and Will graciously showed us how the magic worked behind the scenes and happily chatted about all things escape rooms. Their passion and creativity were clear, and it’s exciting to think about what they might create next.

Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with how Tanner and Will have pulled off their first room. Mrs. Claws showcases their ingenuity and attention to detail, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Strange World Escape Rooms!

Social Escape Rooms - Ransom

Date: 08/01/2025

Company Name: Social Escape Rooms

Room: Ransom

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 2)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.socialescape.com.au/rooms.html#ransom

Location: 62 Wyndham St, Alexandria NSW 2015

Best Parking: Street Parking

Succeeded: Not within 60 minutes - approximately 15 minutes over time.

Room Description: 

Disaster has struck; an unexpected disappearance of your loved one. How could this have possibly happened?

The delivery of a mysterious box, which contains a cryptic ransom note, will start you on a fast paced thriller that will have you gripped 'til the end. With great elements of action, a lot of suspense and intriguing puzzles, you will be kept on your toes for the entire 60 minutes. 

Prepare to be challenged as you work your way through the kidnapper's demands, all while unravelling the clues to save your loved one.

Comments:

Luke and I, embarking on our first escape room as a duo after completing numerous rooms in groups of four or more, were immediately greeted by a friendly Gamesmaster we affectionately remember as "Jesus." He was nothing short of brilliant, exemplifying just how critical the Gamesmaster is to creating an outstanding experience.

We absolutely loved the way Ransom unofficially began—it was such a unique and creative touch that set the perfect tone for the adventure ahead. As a team of two, we found the room packed with puzzles, keeping us both fully engaged and on our toes the entire time. While the experience is largely non-linear, there were a few bottleneck moments where we had to regroup, which provided opportunities for us to collaborate even more closely.

The theming and props were top-notch, with every puzzle feeling logical and seamlessly integrated into the space. The room itself was visually impressive, showcasing great attention to detail in its design and layout.

Ransom’s standout feature is undoubtedly its puzzles and game flow. With just the two of us, we were constantly on the move, working to solve a wide variety of challenges within the 60-minute time limit. Although we didn’t manage to escape within the allocated time, Jesus generously gave us extra time, allowing us to savour the sweet taste of success in the end. The puzzles ranged from familiar elements found in most escape rooms to some we had never encountered before. We faced an array of locks which was complimented alongside mechanical and high-tech puzzles. Each element flowed seamlessly, delivering clever and satisfying revelations throughout the experience.

As a duo, we particularly appreciated the subtle signposting, which kept us focused without feeling overwhelmed. While the theming and atmosphere don’t quite match the level of some of the very best rooms we’ve played (like Cipher), it’s worth noting that few rooms in Australia reach that level. Despite this, Ransom truly excels with its brilliant use of space, exceptional craftsmanship, and the sheer volume of puzzles that kept us thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

We’re already looking forward to returning and tackling some of their other rooms, like Bank Heist and Bellamy’s Booty!

TERPECA 2024

It's that time of year again! Head on over to https://terpeca.com/2024/ to see all the details of this years nominees and finalists. 

As most of you that may know, every year, people who have completed and documented 200 escape rooms or more have the ability to nominate their favourite rooms for the Top Escape Rooms Project (Terpeca). Those who have completed and documented 100 rooms or more have the ability to vote on said nominated rooms. 

Thus far, we have seen the Phase 1 results. I will list all the Aussie rooms that have made the cut this year. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying this, we eagerly await December 21st when the Phase 2 results are announced!

To find the full list, head here: https://terpeca.com/2024/#phase1rooms 

Our Aussie Rooms that have made it thus far are as follows:

New South Wales:

Torquay - Elude Escape Rooms (Australia) (Galston, Australia) My Review

Intruders - Mission Sydney (Sydney, Australia) My Review

Unstoppable - Mission Sydney (Sydney, Australia) My Review

End of the Road - Next Level Escape (Australia) (Sydney, Australia) My Review

Ex Libris - Next Level Escape (Australia) (Sydney, Australia)

Forest of Echoes - Next Level Escape (Australia) (Sydney, Australia) My Review

The Game - Next Level Escape (Australia) (Sydney, Australia) My Review

The Show Must Go On - Next Level Escape (Australia) (Sydney, Australia)

Ransom - Social Escape Rooms Sydney (Sydney, Australia)

La Rébellion - The Cipher Room (Sydney, Australia) #Ranked 67th 2022# My Review

Mr Pepper's Toy Shop - The Cipher Room (Sydney, Australia) My Review

The Cabin - The Cipher Room (Sydney, Australia) My Review

The Marlowe Hotel - The Cipher Room (Sydney, Australia) #Ranked 67th 2021 | Ranked 75th 2019# My Review

Seance - The Cool Space (Sydney, Australia) My Review

Victoria:

The Butcher Shop - Mayday Escape Rooms (Beechworth, Australia)

Mayhem Manor - Containaphobia (Geelong, Australia)

Fractured - Escape Room Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)

The Haunted House of Horror - Escape or Die (Melbourne, Australia)

Extraction - The Curium Experience (Melbourne, Australia) #Ranked 68th 2023#

Deep Space: Divinity & Dark (combined) - Ukiyo (Melbourne, Australia)

Deep Space: Divinity (played standalone without Dark) - Ukiyo (Melbourne, Australia)

The Crumbling Prince, Episode 1 (played standalone without Episode 2) - Ukiyo (Melbourne, Australia)

The Crumbling Prince, Episodes 1 & 2 (combined) - Ukiyo (Melbourne, Australia)

Nova: Mission to Mars - Locked In Escape Rooms (Australia) (Mornington, Australia)

Earthrise One - Earthrise One (Richmond, Australia)

Queensland:

Nuclear Enrichment - Area 1 Escape Rooms (Project Immersive) (Brisbane, Australia)

The Portal - Area 1 Escape Rooms (Project Immersive) (Brisbane, Australia)

Orphanage - Quest Room (Australia) (Brisbane, Australia)

Tekapo’s Temple - The Way Out (Gladstone, Australia)

Executioner's Toolshed - Seraphim Escape (Ipswich, Australia)

Knights Templar - Eclipse Escape Rooms (Surfers Paradise, Australia)

Retro Revenge - Eclipse Escape Rooms (Surfers Paradise, Australia)

The Flaming Pearl - Eclipse Escape Rooms (Surfers Paradise, Australia)

Dark Dungeon - Lost Locks (Surfers Paradise, Australia)

Mad Monster - Lost Locks (Surfers Paradise, Australia)

Canberra:

Curio - Escape Rooms Canberra (Canberra, Australia) My Review

The House on the Hill - Escape Rooms Canberra (Canberra, Australia) My Review

The Dungeon - Riddle Room (Australia) (Canberra, Australia) My Review

The Hotel - Riddle Room (Australia) (Canberra, Australia) My Review

The Mine - Riddle Room (Australia) (Canberra, Australia) My Review

South Australia:

A Deadly Dinner - Escaplex Escape Rooms (Adelaide, Australia)

The Collector - Urban Mysteries Co (Adelaide, Australia)

Western Australia:

Zenith Prime - Realmz Escape Game (Perth, Australia)

Pipeline - Red Vs Blue - Ultimate Roomscape (Perth, Australia)

Tasmania:

Diamond Heist - Evolo Room Escape (Moonah, Australia)

The Cipher Room: The Cabin

Date: 29/09/2024

Company Name: The Cipher Room

Room: The Cabin

Cost: $62 per person (Team of 6)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.cipherroom.com.au/ourgames

Location: 640 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Best Parking: Street Parking is best/Parking lot - 2-6 Princes Hwy, Alexandria NSW 2015

Succeeded: Yes, with about 2-3 minutes remaining

Room Description: 

You're a detective who's been investigating a serial killer case. One day your team gets a promising lead about someone acting suspiciously. They have been visiting an abandoned old cabin and strange noises have been heard coming from it. You obtain a search warrant and you and your team go in to investigate.

What is inside the mysterious old cabin? Have you finally found the killer? Can you discover their identity?

Comments:

Heading back to what might just be my all-time favorite escape room venue, The Cipher Room, we had a little shake-up in our team. With six of us on a mission—not only to tackle an amazing escape room but also to find parking in a jam-packed Newtown on a Saturday night—we somehow managed to snag a spot nearby. Small victories!

We kicked off the evening with a great meal and a few drinks at Buddy's Bar before heading towards the beautiful establishment that is The Cipher Room.

Luke and I were particularly excited for this one, as it marked our fifth and final badge (at the time of writing) from The Cipher Room. And let me tell you, the theming in The Cabin is next level once again. As self-proclaimed escape room enthusiasts, I couldn’t help but take a moment to wander around and soak in the ambiance. Every inch of the room is brimming with intricate details that draw you in. From the moment we stepped inside, we were transported from the busy streets of King Street in Newtown to a remote cabin in the woods. The immersive combination of sounds, lighting, and expertly crafted props transformed the space into something truly special. It’s clear that a ton of thought and artistry went into every single aspect of the design.

When it comes to puzzles, The Cabin delivers a fantastic variety. What really stood out were the handmade puzzles—many of which we hadn’t encountered before, even after completing close to 50 rooms! That’s a rare find for seasoned escape room players. There’s an impressive balance of low-tech and high-tech puzzles, with some really clever mechanisms woven throughout.

It’s worth noting that this is not your typical family-friendly room. The Cabin leans towards the eerie and creepy, but rest assured, there are no jump scares. It’s more about building a sense of suspense and atmosphere.

I’d rate this room as quite challenging. Our team did end up utilising a few hints to make it through within the 60-minute time limit. As always, the game masters at The Cipher Room are always ready to offer guidance and aid in any way possible.

I sincerely can't wait for what the future lies for The Cipher Room and genuinely look forward to any future rooms that may or may not be on the horizon. 

Update

Hey guys,

This is Kyle here today. I'd just like to take the opportunity to address the absence we've had in posting over the nearly 3 months. Without going into too much personal detail, we've undergone a little bit of a change to the team and unfortunately aren't all going to be out and about tackling rooms together - at least for the near future.

That said, you can probably see the blog has undergone a fresh lick of paint, I've spent a bit of time re doing it, fixing up the links, and most importantly, undergoing a name change. 

For the most part, I'll be running this blog and the spreadsheet as a sole operator. Only posting my own adventures with whoever I end up going out with. I will also be steering away from the dedicated ranking system and more so focusing on detailing my experience as best I can without giving away spoilers to the room!

As always, my main goal is to have a point of reference for all the rooms I've done, and if it's something anyone out there enjoys reading, all the more better. 

I do appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this, and I'll be sure to get some new content out there soon!

Kyle
Escape Artist Reviews

[187] Elude Escape Rooms: Torquay

Date: 13/07/2024

Company Name: Elude Escape Rooms

Room: Torquay

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://eludegames.com.au/escape-rooms/

Location: 11e Mid Dural Rd, Galston NSW 2159

Best Parking: On-site parking available

Succeeded: No (Yes with bonus time)

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 10
• Room Quality: 9
• Immersion: 9
• Puzzle Design: 8
• Fun Factor: 9

Overall: 9.00/10

Room Description: 

Travel to the English Riviera to help Emma find her grandfather’s fortune. The eccentric Major Gowen used to take his granddaughter to Torquay beach, he has set up a treasure hunt for her to find the gold bar. The only clue you have is a photo of Major Gowen taken at the beachside location of Torquay.

Comments:

Fresh off Perpetual Motion, we sat eagerly in the lobby, ready to head to Torquay. I must mention the exceptional hospitality provided at Elude, which definitely added to the overall experience—something you don't often encounter.

Given the heads-up from both Darren and Julia, we knew that to succeed in this room, we needed to average about three minutes per puzzle. We tried to pump ourselves up for the challenge.

Walking into Torquay, I couldn't help but mutter, "Wow." This room is absolutely beautiful, and without giving anything away, you must play this room to truly appreciate its gorgeous aesthetics. The colours and overall design are stunning, making us almost forget how cold it was outside.

After taking a moment to admire our surroundings and watching our mission brief, we (attempted to) hit the ground running. Torquay has a significant amount of content, even more than Perpetual Motion. The puzzles were challenging, unique, varied, and fun. More than once, we encountered puzzle elements we had not seen used anywhere else, which is rare these days. Thanks to subtle signposting, we were able to focus more on solving the numerous puzzles rather than figuring out which combination or answer went where.

Elude implements a hint system similar to what we encountered at Riddle Room in Canberra: you talk to the walls for any questions, and the monitor used for your time and mission brief provides a helpful push in the right direction. I quite liked this approach as it minimized miscommunication. However, the only drawback is that in a multi-room escape, you have to return to the first room to see the monitor.

With a bit of bonus time added—something we greatly appreciated as it allowed us to savour our sense of accomplishment—we managed to get through this beautiful room. Julia met us afterward and spent a lot of time with us in our debrief, discussing the room, their future plans, and escape rooms in general. We loved this and will definitely be back for the remaining two rooms.

[187] Elude Escape Rooms: Perpetual Motion

Date: 13/07/2024

Company Name: Elude Escape Rooms

Room: Perpetual Motion

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://eludegames.com.au/escape-rooms/

Location: 11e Mid Dural Rd, Galston NSW 2159

Best Parking: On-site parking available

Succeeded: No (Yes with bonus time)

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 9
• Room Quality: 8
• Immersion: 8
• Puzzle Design: 8 
• Fun Factor: 8

Overall: 8.20/10

Room Description: 

A revolutionary breakthrough is set to change the course of history as a local engineer claims to have invented a Capacitor which enables cars to run on tap water.  Following the sudden disappearance of the engineer, police received a ransom note from kidnappers. The only chance of saving him is to recover the Capacitor before time runs out.

Comments:

Our inaugural visit to Elude saw us heading out on a Saturday night to tackle two of their rooms, following the suggested order on their website. Traveling to Galston was a refreshing change from our usual escape room experiences in the city's CBD, and with a similar travel time, we enjoyed the trip. Elude's ample signage and on-site parking were a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the CBD.

Situated on a decent-sized acreage, Elude's pre-game lobby is as beautifully set up as their escape rooms. We were greeted warmly by Julia, and later Darren took over to prep us for our first room of the night.

Elude implements a hint system similar to what we encountered at Riddle Room in Canberra: you talk to the walls for any questions, and the monitor used for your time and mission brief provides a helpful push in the right direction. I quite liked this approach as it minimized miscommunication. However, the only drawback is that in a multi-room escape, you have to return to the first room to see the monitor.

Perpetual Motion was a linear escape experience that truly tested our team. The layout, props, and setting were absolutely amazing and looked fantastic. The room is well-designed and features puzzles that are as clever and challenging as any of the best escape rooms in the city. Although Perpetual Motion is more of a low-tech experience, this suits the room and its spaces perfectly. The flow of the room is well considered, with several puzzles unlike anything we have seen in other Sydney rooms.

The service provided by Darren and Julia was exceptional. After we escaped, with a bit of bonus time added, Darren spent time with us in the debrief, going over puzzles, explaining different aspects, and discussing areas where we got a bit caught up. Their passion for escape rooms is evident and greatly appreciated.

[187] Riddle Room: The Mine

Date: 09/06/2024

Company Name: Riddle Room

Room: The Mine

Cost: $45 per person - Riddle Room were kind enough to offer us $10 off per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 60 Minutes

Website Link: https://riddleroom.com.au/canberra/#rooms

Location: 8/160 Lysaght St, Mitchell ACT 2911

Best Parking: Street parking right outside the establishment or there is a complex out the back which has ample parking available

Succeeded: Yes. in 59 Minutes, 59 Seconds

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 9
• Room Quality: 10
• Immersion: 8
• Puzzle Design: 8 
• Fun Factor: 9

Overall: 8.80/10

Room Description: 

You meet your friends at the old abandoned Rutherford Mine. As you descend into the depths you find that you might not be the only ones... or things down there.

Comments:

After leaving Escape Rooms Canberra on the back of completing The Vault and Curio—both of which were absolutely astounding—our morale was high. Knowing this was our last room before heading home, we were all keen to make the absolute most of it. This was the team's 38th room overall, the 8th room in Canberra, and the last, but certainly not least, at Riddle Room. Once again, we were met with top-quality staff who were nothing short of friendly and accommodating.

As mentioned previously, Riddle Room uses a unique method of communication for Gamesmastering, utilising a version of the "Voice of God" system. Responses to our questions are displayed on a monitor that also keeps track of our time. I quite liked this approach as it minimised miscommunication. However, the only drawback is that in a multi-room escape, you have to make your way back to the first room to see the monitor.

That said, you can tell The Mine is one of the newer rooms around. The set design feels fresh and new, and the aesthetics are beautiful. At points, you can definitely feel like you're stuck in an abandoned mine. The attention to detail in the theming was impressive, from the realistic props to the atmospheric sounds that enhanced the feeling of being deep underground.

True to the majority of Riddle Room’s other rooms, The Mine sticks with their linear approach. While linear escape rooms usually aren't our strong suit as a team, the depth of the puzzles meant that our team of four all had plenty to do while working on the same challenges. The puzzles were strong, made sense in the space, and there were plenty of them in what was essentially a 2-3 room escape.

Luckily, we managed to scrape through with only a second to spare. As with all the other rooms at Riddle Room, your Gamesmaster provides your team with a breakdown of your times at certain intervals, which is a nice touch I haven't seen implemented almost anywhere unless we asked. Overall, I would rate The Mine as my favourite from Riddle Room, with The Hotel following very closely behind. The team had a lot of fun, and we will be eager to return if/when any more rooms open up!