Escape Reviewer

Design: ✭✭✭✭✭ 4.8

     Idea: 5.0

     Details: 4.5

     Features: 5.0

Creativity: ✭✭✭✭✭ 4.8

     Novel: 4.5

     Comprehension: 5.0

     Surprises: 5.0

Puzzles: ✭✭✭✭✬ 4.7

     Challenge: 5.0

     Logic: 4.5

     Abstract: 4.5

For the past half year, Escape Games has been elevating their craft to deliver movie quality sets and game experiences that play with the established concept of the escape room model. The Haunting of Noriko and The Unknown were both unique games that are currently the highest reviewed here on Escape Reviewer – they have the feel of a “second generation” of escape rooms that few facilities offer. So when Escape Games announced that they were replacing their aging Le Voleur De Diamant room with a new, tech-driven adventure, expectations were certainly high.

 

And man, were those expectations demolished! While The Unknown still stands apart from other escape rooms for its different nature, Syndicate: Relic Heist is a worthy follow-up to The Haunting of Noriko. While Noriko offered a balance set of tasks, puzzles, and searching, Syndicate removes the emphasis on searching almost entirely. Like Noriko, the set looks great; the level of linearity allows for flexible choices and splitting of the party, without ever leaving you stumped about what to do next. The puzzles are challenging without requiring any unfair leaps of logic.  There’s a lot of cool tech. The intro video’s great, and everything works the way it should, even in the room's first week of operation. Every puzzle and task is just really fun. Escape Games nails all the basics.

 

But what’s most interesting – and fun! – about Syndicate, is how Escape Games masters certain elements of room design that are often problematic, and how they play with what’s become the traditional team dynamic. Long-time escapers have probably seen two of the key mechanics in this room before, and they’re usually riddled with problems that wind up dragging a game down. Not here! You’ll know them when you see them.

 

But it’s really all about that team dynamic. If you’re used to balancing your teams between searchers, puzzlers, and lateral thinkers, you’ll find that notion is twisted here into something different. The intro video to Syndicate is chock full of information, so paying careful attention will pay off in the room. One of the most important points is that in the world of The Syndicate, operative teams are divided into four classes: Masterminds, Hackers, Gymnasts, and Lookouts. While different players will shift between those roles over the course of the game, all four really do matter, and experienced teams will probably find the dynamic refreshing. You can definitely bluster through Syndicate without specializing, but paying attention to the four-class division will pay off long term.

 

Communication’s highly important here, especially for the Mastermind. We won’t spoil the Hacker’s role, but what this entails becomes clear early on. Most players will be a little more physically active than escape rooms generally demand, so assigning your small and bendy members as the Gymnast will pay off. Lastly, the Lookout functions as a jack-of-all-trades, but this specialization becomes highly relevant in the game’s final phase. The Lookout class feels like a twist on the traditional “searcher” role, with similar demands of observation but a higher emphasis on memory.

 

While the minimum number of team members for this room is four, we’d recommend five as the minimum ideal, with more people giving you a stronger chance at a higher score. In another twist that keeps the room fresh, Syndicate uses an actual scoring system that’s explained in the intro video. It’s both a fun new play mechanic, as well as perhaps a clever solution to one of the challenges of operating escape rooms. Finishing the room is one level of completion. Finishing it within certain constraints earns you a score, and finishing it with a great score takes the game to a new level. The system is both approachable to newcomers, while offering a lot of incentive to veterans. Again, we’ll avoid spoilers, but the way the scoring element is implemented serves to create a level of tension that adds to every part of this game.

 

By perfecting the basics and innovating the metagame surrounding the escape room model, Syndicate: Relic Heist delivers a fun, and in some ways very different, escape.  It adds another unique feel to the Escape Games portfolio, ensuring that repeat visits offer the same quality, but also a wide variety of experiences.

Reviewed by Jason on June 19, 2015