East Grinstead, Aug 2017
Of all the names you could give an escape room, “Rundown Locker Room” does not suggest a polished and sophisticated experience. So it was with expectations kept firmly low that we signed up to play it.
The game is, appropriately, located in a sports centre, with the premise that you’re the star players on a sports team, and the opposing players have locked you in an hour before the match. In an unusual twist your bags or other belongings are confiscated before the game starts and locked in the room as part of the final goal. It also starts with a search in the dark for a way to turn the lights on, which I rarely like but which was here fairly inoffensive and I guess justified by the story.
The decor is simple, though the fact that the game is genuinely in a sports centre helps here. I’d had visions of the game consisting of nothing but a huge bank of lockers to be opened one after another, but that wasn’t the case. Sports themed items provide the bulk of the game’s props and clues, plus – of course – a small set of lockers.
I was expecting a fairly primitive, low tech game, and it’s certainly quite simple and traditional in style. But there’s a surprising amount of technology used, including some fun pieces of equipment. The puzzles too are satisfactory, with some basic hidden number style sections but also plenty of more interesting ideas. The last code is something you build up in pieces from the various other strands, giving a nice non-linear structure that comes together for the final unlock.
Locker Room looks and feels a little basic, but it’s an entirely acceptable escape game with several touches that I enjoyed. If you’ve played a fair number of games already you won’t find it stand-out, but if you’re in the area anyway with a space in your schedule it’s fun to play through. 
