[187] Next Level Escape: End of the Road

Date: 22/03/2024

Company Name: Next Level Escape

Room: End of the Road

Cost: $55 per person (Team of 4)

Time Allowed: 75 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.nextlevelescape.com.au/rooms/end-of-the-road/

Location: Lower Ground, 23 O'Connell St, Sydney, NSW 2000

Best Parking: Wilson Parking - 2 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000 (On the corner of Kent St. just before turning onto Phillip Lane)

Succeeded: Yes with about 26 minutes remaining.

Rating: 

• Hospitality/Gamesmaster: 9
• Room Quality: 8
• Immersion: 8
• Puzzle Design: 7 
• Fun Factor: 10

Overall: 8.40/10

Room Description: 

You’re the new recruits the guys plucked from the city, to accompany the transport containing a cure for the zombie outbreak, right?

…right?

Well, it’s fine if you’re not competent. Your one job is to guard the ingredients and the cure synthesiser with your life like the cannon fodder… uh, brave survivors, that you are! It should be an easy first mission, all you need to do is hop into the transport and ensure everything gets to the outpost. You’ll probably be in the 0.05% of rookies who return. Just don’t get infected along the way, and you should be just fine*.

*The team makes zero promises about this.

Comments:
End of the Road is Next Level Escapes' newest room, and true to form, they never fail to impress. On a beautiful Friday night, it was our team's first of two rooms at Next Level, marking the 25th for the team and the 28th for me personally. Our Gamesmaster, Zac or Simon (one of whom was in training), set the stage before we entered the room, picking us up from the elevator already in character. His performance was absolutely fantastic, and we thoroughly enjoyed how well he embodied his role.

At Next Level, we've come to expect that the Gamesmaster isn't just there to observe and guide; they're integral to enhancing the entire experience. Despite being their first day on the job, our Gamesmaster was phenomenal, exceeding our expectations with their performance.

The room made excellent use of the available space. Despite being designated as a 75-minute experience, our team was exceptionally sharp tonight, managing to complete it in just 48 minutes. There was a wealth of activities to keep us engaged from start to finish. The theming was outstanding, with every puzzle and lock seamlessly fitting into the environment, ensuring a fully immersive experience. It's important to highlight that while the room may cater to newer escape room enthusiasts, it certainly shouldn't deter those with more experience. There was always a task or challenge available for each team member, maintaining engagement throughout. Once again, Next Level has proven itself with another top-notch, high-quality room.