Escape Hunt Liverpool: The Last Vikings

Absolutely baffled this has so many high ratings - I'd say it's the worst of my 85 games. Poor theming, illogical puzzles, we had to rely on clues far too much which suggests a lack of signposting, half of it is broken and shoddy. Nah.

I always go to escape room chains with a bit of apprehension as those usually don't offer that sense of uniqueness or discovered hidden gem that you can find in local escape rooms. But Escape Hunt Liverpool offers a real warm welcome and immersive atmosphere that Liverpool Breakout or Birkenhead Clue HQ lack. First of all, the Albert Dock location is really cosy and you feel welcome straight when you pass the door. Our host Jenny was everything you want for in a host: friendly, warm, funny, best friend material and theatrical from the introduction to the escape. She was a bit clue-heavy despite our request for no clues but she kept in character throughout with all clues given in a tone suggesting that a god was speaking to us, or a story narrator was guiding our steps; that really was a + point for the immersion. The room itself was a perfect example of how to maximise the space, a perfect proof that you don't need a massive room to do an effective escape game. There was absolutely no padlocks throughout the game, only a couple of keylocks but even then those were offering more than the chance to open a box as they were instead unlocking a new puzzle to solve. The atmosphere was really accurate, no heavy action movie soundtrack but instead a more ambiency and sound effects background that really fitted the room. The puzzles were smart and hands on, and the story was well respected. The Last Vikings is taking you on a journey! The room itself is quite small and with a bunch of clues we escaped in 45 minutes so I would not recommend it for more than 4 players as it can feel a bit linear at times (but in a good way as it serves the story). It was a real pleasure and refreshing to escape from this adventure. The Last Vikings is a great addition to the rooms available in Liverpool. You should definitely give it a go if you are around. I'm looking forwards to try their other rooms in the near future!

The first half of this room was super fun, with logical puzzles and a great set design. Unfortunately, as the room progressed, the puzzles became slightly more sporadic and less linear. The GM was also aggressive, and (jokingly) swore at the youngest member of our group- she is 16! This was unprofessional, and despite being at the end of the room, when we were taking a picture, it put a damper on the whole experience.