Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Players: 2-7 (We Recommend 2-3)
Price: $27 per person
Time to Escape: 60 minutes
Once again… welcome to my house.
Theme:
A team of Victorian investigators, you’ve been looking into a string of disappearances plaguing your city. You’ve not made much headway until you receive a missive from a mysterious contact, inviting you to dinner to discuss what he knows about the case. Intrigued, you meet with your mystery contact, who seems cordial, until you pass out from something he slipped in your drink! When you awake in an old library, you’re met with a note explaining that you’ve been kidnapped by Dracula, and have only 60 minutes before sunrise, when he’ll return!
First Impressions:
The lobby is very nice, and includes a comfortable couch, along with a guest book to write notes to future captives! Props along the wall got us excited for our post room picture, and the staff was engaging and courteous. The briefing delivered the rules and story in a concise manner, and allowed us to get to the puzzling quickly.
High Points:
The later parts of the room felt more like the library and lounge of a Victorian Vampire, and the searching around the room was satisfying. Several ah-ha moments granted good closure to many of the puzzles and were overall interesting. Props were tactile and fun to play with, and the story setup was well delivered. One particular puzzle helped bring in a sense of realism by delivering a tactile interaction that felt natural for the room that it occurred in.
Low Points:
The library itself was incredibly sparse for such a well funded and aged vampire, and many props were off theme for the time period. The final puzzle was extremely unintuitive, and inexact. Too many possible solutions and a reliance on murky logic spoils what should be a climactic moment. Again, as in Charlotte’s Attic, it is a very linear room, which is alright for a small group, but many more than 3 are going to have people standing around waiting for something to do. The hint system here is unfortunately the same as in the Attic, breaking immersion due to the failure to include the now standard cameras and sound systems. Staff must enter the room and have your group explain where you currently are in the room, which is never good for room flow. Some out of place puzzles feel off theme, but aren’t overly prevalent, but the overall flow of the room does not work as well as it should, due to a lack of intuitive cluing.
Verdict:
Captive delivers another competent room that feels as if it’s from the earlier days of escape rooms. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, innovations among other rooms have launched the industry much farther, and seasoned players may be slightly disappointed. Beginners may have trouble, as the room relies on a bit murkier logic at times, and enthusiasts will appreciate the theme, though should not expect too much technology. Again, I can recommend, as it is an overall fun experience, but players should be forewarned that the rooms, while enjoyable, are not on the cutting edge. You can book your time in Dracula’s Library here!
6/10 (Alright)
Escape Room Adventurer 