Escape Plan is a thoroughly well-named escape room in the Rich Mix cinema over in Shoreditch.
And being in a cinema, they’ve picked the perfect film to draw inspiration from: The Great Escape. Thus, all their escape rooms are themed after World War II, with a sort-of narrative that runs through each of them in turn. If you play all three, you’ll start out in a German prisoner camp, before eventually ending up single-handedly winning the war. You know, if you solve all the clues and such. The lineup is as follows:
The Adventure Begins
You’re a P.O.W. All you’ve got is the desire to break free, and the diary of the only inmate to have ever done it. Using his clues and a bit of physical prowess you need to think, decode and crawl your way to freedom.
The Battle For Britain
It’s August 1940, and it seems that ol’ Johnny Luftwaffe has decided to play silly buggers again, and started bombing the daylights out of the country. As the only survivors in your airbase, you need to mobilise the remaining shattered fragments of the RAF, and somehow thwart the imminent second attack.
Roll Out the Barrel
Having defeated the Luftwaffe and essentially won the war, it’s time for a knees up. Except those dastardly champagne Charlies at top brass have hidden all the booze. Luckily the Air Commodore is away on business and whilst the cat’s away…the mice have 60 minutes to break in to his office, find the stash, and roll out the barrel.
There’s excellent attention to detail, the puzzles are well balanced (and never particularly hard) and the hosts will give juuust the right amount of guidance so as to make sure you have a lightbulb go off in your head, without them just giving away the answer. And most importantly, the ending always feels very tense.
All told? t’s a great piece of escapism.
NOTE: Escape Plan is open now, seven days a week. You can find out more, and make a booking at their website right here.
Rich Mix | 35-47 Bethnal Green Road
Fancy a drink before/after? Head to one of the best bars in Shoreditch…