Location: Greensboro, NC (There are locations nationwide, however.)
Price: $25.99 per person
Players: 2-7 (We recommend 4-5)
Time to Escape: 60 Minutes
Getting chained up with your friends has never been so fun!
Theme:
In the Kidnapping, you and your teammates have been abducted by a serial killer, chained to a bedframe, and left in a dank stone room. A video by the killer sparks to life on the wall, and he informs you that he’s decided to give you a sporting chance at escaping his dungeon, proving that yes, sometimes escape rooms are a tiny bit like SAW. If you enjoy light horror themes and rubber body parts are your thing, you’ll have a good time with this one.
General Thoughts:
Going in, I’d already been kidnapped by several serial killers, as it seems this is an epidemic among room escape enthusiasts. This was one of the better of that subgenre, though at the start, the room felt a bit sparse. Getting around at the beginning was, for us, a barrel of laughs, which surely lightened the mood a bit, so I wouldn’t worry overmuch about the room being scary, though if you’re hesitant about being blindfolded and handcuffed, this will happen at the start. It is, as usual, all in good fun. Puzzles were solid, but there were points at which the flow of the room was disjointed, as sometimes there was zero cluing pointing us toward what to work on. This was usually temporary, as Breakout has a policy of unlimited hints.
High Points:
Breakout puts out very well themed rooms and interactions, and the Kidnapping is no exception. The room felt dank, but had a deep dungeon-ish feel with it’s high black ceilings. The technology used in the room was fun, and held a few surprises that I really enjoyed. The searching was really well done, minus one item that was just sort of there. Everything was on theme and felt like it belonged in the room.
Low Points:
Early on, there was a search item that was hidden in a groan-worthy way, and the way it was found made little satisfying sense. One larger puzzle felt disjointed in it’s presentation, but the journey there and the puzzle it set up were fun, so it was a minor hiccup. The room was also dimly lit to begin with, but not in a bad way, but we were able to turn on the fluorescent lighting almost immediately, which took away from the mood considerably. It’s a minor gripe, however, and I know others will be delighted to know they won’t have to spend long in the mood lighting.
Verdict:
The Kidnapping is a solid room, with just a few speed bumps in the way. The puzzles and the theme are all on point, and customer service, is, as always, perfect. As Breakout is a franchise, their rooms are very polished and their GMs are always well trained in my experience. This is a great spot for beginners to get their feet wet, and enthusiast can have fun with the room, even if it hinges on the easier side of things. Book a Kidnapping at your local Breakout here!
8/10 (Great)
Escape Room Adventurer 