Central London, Aug 2024
Every time someone asks for London recommendations, there’s always a chorus of replies suggesting Escape Plan, and for good reason; it’s one of a very small number of London venues that consistently wins over experienced players as well as beginners. Pushed For Time is their fourth room, and the first one that departs from the WWII theming that links their others; instead it’s a time travel story, where you’re taking a possibly one-way trip to the 1920s.
Part of Escape Plan’s appeal is that their rooms are the polar opposite of an impersonal chain’s prefab game designs. Like the other games from this company, Pushed For Time is full of handmade mechanisms that work without electronics, painstakingly crafted and hand painted. Where there is tech use, it’s mainly for one very obvious central point, where it’s used in a way that’s highly appropriate for the story.
Not just the physical construction but the logical design of the puzzles is in several cases refreshingly original too. Particular shout-outs go to an early task that was surprisingly tricky, both to realise what we had to do and then to do it, and to another one mid-game that was striking for how many different pieces you need to bring together to reach the solution.
I’d say this is a room that’s more about puzzles than story, but there is a clear narrative and a clear goal, or goals, and choices you make affect the game experience in small but satisfying ways. Helping set the scene was the energetic and skilful hosting, which gave us an entertaining briefing and was involved at certain other points throughout.
From past experience I was confident of a good time at Escape Plan and Pushed For Time didn’t disappoint. I think it narrowly edges the other rooms there to be my favourite of the four, although it’s a fairly close run thing; they share similar strengths, although being quite distinct in style. Presentation and hosting makes it thoroughly beginner-friendly, but the sophistication of some of the puzzles, as well as the amount there is to do, should mean enthusiasts don’t feel shortchanged; I have little doubt it’ll join its sibling rooms in the list of standard recommendations for the top games in London. 
