Escape Reality Stoke-on-Trent: Bank Job

By | March 31, 2019

by Escape Reality Stoke-on-Trent (website)

Unit 6A, First Floor Lymelight Boulevard, 98-104 High Street, ST5 1PT

Stoke-on-Trent

2-6 players

60 minutes

closed
An elite team of highly skilled and experienced bank robbers has been assembled. Assigned with the task of infiltrating the security at one of worldโ€™s most protected bank vaults, you must steal the worldโ€™s most valuable diamond. You are the chosen few who must accept this challenge. Other members of your notorious organisation have entered earlier that night, but their efforts proved to be unsuccessful. Working with the clues they have left behind, and your extensive plan to gain access to the high security areas, your team is ready. All security cameras have been disabled for the next hour. You have 60 minutes to locate and steal the diamond before the cameras turn back on and you are caught!
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Overall rating

Rated between 2 and 3.5 out of 5 (estimated, based on ratings for other versions of this game)

estimated score
not from direct reviews

Your review

Player reviews

spbc expert rated this:Rated between 1 and 1 out of 5
Played: 20 Oct 2021 Team size: 4 Outcome: Successful escape!
broken techpoor hostingneeding tlc
Anonymous expert rated this:Rated between 2.5 and 2.5 out of 5
Played: 23/05/23 Team size: 4 Time taken: 54:00 Outcome: Successful escape!
broken techoverpricedplain

We were told on arrival one of the puzzles was broken but to "use our resources" 

Several rooms, one puzzle per room for a while, very dull and dingy and felt a little like a waste of space. Puzzles were ok, lots of spaces and items were very "well loved" and really need replacing. 

I think as a game it's a little tired and we didn't really enjoy this one on the whole but our host was lovely.

๐Ÿค˜The Pick of Destiny expert rated this:Rated between 2.5 and 2.5 out of 5
Played: 30 Apr 2023 Team size: 2
broken techquite easy

Okay room but some puzzles were not working correctly and our GMs had to enter the room several times. 

MerseyMarauders expert rated this:Rated between 3 and 3 out of 5
Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
originalcleverfamily friendly
roberts0502 expert rated this:Rated between 2.5 and 2.5 out of 5
Played: 22 Sep 2022 Team size: 2 Time taken: 50:00 Outcome: Successful escape!
great hosting
kman expert rated this:Rated between 2.5 and 2.5 out of 5
Played: 20 Dec 2018 Team size: 2 Time taken: 38m 00s Outcome: Successful escape!
Jen Wells (Get Wells Soon) expert rated this:Rated between 3.5 and 3.5 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!

Lots to do in here and some clever puzzles that worked well with the theme. We stormed through it because it flowed well, so although it's not the hardest room, it is an enjoyable one.

Siรขn O'Brien experienced rated this:Rated between 2.5 and 2.5 out of 5
Played: 12 Feb 2022 Team size: 5 Time taken: 57:40 Outcome: Successful escape!
family friendlybroken techpoor hosting

Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao Ciao Ciao!

Theft was on the mind after watching Money Heist on Netflix, so we were excited about this room! 

Unfortunately the room is quite dated now. We had fun, but some things were made difficult by the state of disrepair; draws that don't open, objects held together with cellotape. 

One major aspect of the game had us waste about 15 minutes, to find it wasn't working. Worst still, it was missing it's QR, so hints were unavailable. This would have been only our second hint, so as a measure, I would say this is a fairly easy game. 

On calling the GM into the room to help, he confirmed it was broken. He then couldn't manually release it, so he had to skip the challenge inside. He then gave us a hint towards the next challenge, so in total 15 minutes were lost and 3 challenges!! So actually, it put a real damper on the whole experience; skipping 3 challenges is a big chunk of game play.

When I requested a discount on a future game, our GM said no. He said they don't have the power to do that. I was really gutted.

I've always disagreed with the way Escape Reality is managed, given you've got one member of staff on the desk, seeing people in, delivering the briefings, monitoring your game on CCTV, seeing teams out, answering the phones, covering the desk, selling drinks, resetting rooms... It's just too much.

I get the impression there's a backseat manager somewhere just enjoying the money roll in, while starving the place of any investment, so I'm not sure how much longer Escape Reality will last. Oddly, I had enquired in here a week prior about bringing in a large party, which I thought would be of interest given they claim to host corporate events on their website, but the staff told me no - they don't do large parties that require hosting multiple rooms. I get the feeling there's a big disconnect between management and the staff here.

๐Ÿ”James Bloodworth expert rated this:Rated between 3.5 and 3.5 out of 5
Played: 16/10/2021 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
Scotus0 expert rated this:Rated between 4 and 4 out of 5
Played: 26/02/2019 Team size: 2 Time taken: ~50:00 Outcome: Successful escape!

More Bank Bustinโ€™

This was another occasion where I introduced a newbie to the wonderful world of escape rooms. Heโ€™s since been hooked, and so this one must have done a good job of enthralling him!

Story

Steal a big shiny diamond from a bank.

Puzzles

There was lot of calculating and translating numbers into codes, as well as a couple more interactive puzzles. A fun mixture.

Mise-en-scรจne

There was a very lifelike and absorbing start and finish to this room, lending a sense of flow and progression to fit in with the story. From the big main features such as furniture and room layout, to the minor details like the smallest props, this room was on the money in terms of design.

Final Comments

Four-stars is a fair difficulty rating, but this room could be enjoyed as a pair or in a group of three to four. Another diamond to add to my collection.

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Reviews by escape room review sites

We were disappointed with this game, it wasnโ€™t very immersive and felt very frustrating at times.

See also

Other copies of this game in other locations:(Different copies of the same game sometimes have significant differences.)