We knew little of what to actually expect when we booked Extremescape's Viking room other than it is one of the best rooms in the UK as voted for on the Escape The Review website so we were keen to find out why it had been so popular, despite being lesser known in the escape room community. We arrived and parked up and found ourselves essentially in the middle of no where. There were beuatiful views but no obvious signs that there are three escape rooms here other than the sign at the car park. We got out, scouted the view and saw a sign leading past some stables and down some stone steps into a side building on this farm based location. We arrived super early as we had travelled 5 hours to experience this room (as well as a three other rooms and a scare event) but our host (and one of the owners whose name we didn't get unforuntately, i'm sorry). was amazing in accomodating us and letting us in slightly earlier. She explained the story of our room:
"Vikings you have been summoned to Asgard. You have entered the Kingdom of the Viking Gods & you are sat in the House of Thor. In an attempt to prevent Thor’s succession to the throne of Asgard, Loki, Thor’s menacing brother, has stolen & trapped Thor’s weapon in the golden rings of Aesir. The ice giants have got word of this, and they know Thor is helpless to protect the human race without his enchanted war-hammer. The giants are on there way, there mission to defeat Thor and destroy earth. You must find the Gods and return them to Asgard as they will help you in you quest. You must find the thunder hammer and put it in the sacred place to create a storm like no-one has seen before. You must release Thor’s Hammer from the golden rings and return it to Thrudheim where it belongs If you fail you will be the first to die! The giants are coming, you have 75 minutes to return the hammer"
We were led into the room, the lights came on and what greeted us was something very special.
WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD
The room was stunning. It was highly themed around a viking house and every nook and cranny had been themed. We were in awe. Our host explained that the room is automated so everything will happen if we get the puzzles right. She told us to sit at the table and wait for the story explanation to finish before starting. We sat, listened and our game then begun. The attention to detail on every aspect of this room is incredibly high and we don't just mean in the way the room looks. The room plays so smoothly and each puzzle was just a joy to do. There were a great mix of hands on and mental puzzles and the fact there was only two physical locks in the room, one of which is so unqiue and never before seen in an escape room, it really added to the immersion of the room. There are a few surprises throughout this room with one moment which is hilarious but takes a very dark and sinister turn quickly that its both disturbing and amazing in equal measures. I would go into detail but its a moment you need to experience. There is also a lot of humour with one pyhsical thing being just hilarious for all the right reasons and for gays like us, we loved the pun. The way the puzzles connect with each other is so effortless that we just wanted to keep playing. We never at any point felt bored or overwhelmed with any of the puzzles. The use of symbols, traditional items and physical puzzles was just fantastic.
This room really is the room that kept on giving too despite only being one room. Once you think you've finished the room, it will throw one last surprise your way that is epic and something i've never seen in a escape room. When we say they use every nook and cranny we aren't lying. I really want to tell you all but trust me when I say this is a surprise that is best saved to experience for yourself. It was an incredible moment that had my mouth wide open. It also throws one last magic trick your way as you finish the game that blew our minds. It was just the most perfected finale to any room i've ever had the priviledge of experiencing. But the question is, did we return the hammer or did we die? We escaped with 19 minutes 10 seconds left on the clock of this 75 minute room.
Honestly, we were just blown away with this room from start to finish and its gone straight into my top spot as my favourite ever escape room. It was just a magical experience and one that I won't forget for a very long time. I just want to say a huge thank you to the owners for creating this incredible room and if you haven't played this room than we can not recommend enough to go and experience it. It was phenomenal.
Extremescape have three rooms in total in Viking, Lost Tomb and Pirate Ship. For more information and to book spacs you can visit the Extremescape website.
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