It’s been almost three months since our last trip to Athens and the next trip is just three weeks away. So now it’s time for the promised review of our last trip. We played a lot of rooms, 31 in total, met lots of super nice people and had a lot of fun. We – this time it was Katja, Noah, Ozzy and me.

As you can read in the preview, Katja and Ozzy only arrived on the second day, so Noah and I played six rooms together. It was also fun for two, but much more intense and exhausting. As you can also read in the preview, two rooms were unfortunately canceled because the technology didn’t work(Mea Culpa) or the actors fell ill at short notice(Axe Murders of Villisca). We will make up for both rooms on our next trip. Instead, we found short-term replacements in Terrified Market and Rebellion. We also spontaneously played two more rooms, Sixxxtiy Nine and Jumanji.

So much for the short introductions. Now off to the review. As it’s always interesting to hear different points of view, I’ve decided to organize this review by questions and all of us will give our answers – independently of each other and without having discussed them beforehand. Have fun with it!

What expectations did you have when you went to Athens? Is there a particular room that you were most looking forward to?

Katja: When I set off for Athens, I had no specific expectations – I was just incredibly excited! I wanted to plunge into this completely new world and eagerly find out what to expect. Anticipation and excitement mixed together in an exciting cocktail. I knew I was in for some intense moments, but that was exactly what I was looking for: to be really shaken up. I just thought to myself: “This is going to be wild – perfect for me!”

Noah: For my trip to Athens, I just wanted to let myself be surprised this time and left the planning entirely to Philipp. I was particularly looking forward to “Chapel & Catacombs”, my favorite room from the last trip, which I really wanted to experience again.

Ozzy: Because of the first trip, I was looking forward to experiencing escape rooms with actors, good stories and a high scare factor again and I wasn’t disappointed! No trip to Athens is the same! I was most looking forward to Hide N Seek!

Philipp: Since my first trip to Athens, I’ve played far fewer rooms in Germany. But that has less to do with the quality of the rooms in Germany (maybe a little) and more to do with the quality of the experiences in Athens. You rarely find anything like Athens in Germany. I am totally enthusiastic about the storytelling and the acting. I’m also a fan of atmosphere, emotion and horror – Athens has it all. As I planned the trip completely on my own this time, there wasn’t just one room that I was looking forward to the most. If I had to pick one, it would probably be 03:15.

What were the highlights for you on the first day and are there any lowlights?
We played: The Grudge, Otherside, Amen, Boogeyman

Noah: The rooms Amen and The Grudge were particularly good horror experiences for me. However,The Grudge was really stressful for two people. Amen was very nice and both rooms were highlights for me. The Other Side was a puzzle room that was too much for two people and I didn’t really like it.

Philipp: There were no real high or lowlights for me on the first day. Otherside was less suitable for two people and not the best room, but still okay. The Grudge is a really good room, just like Amen, but both also have their weaknesses, so although they are among the great rooms in Athens, there were also some better ones on our trip. Boogeyman is really relaxed for a horror room. I found it really relaxed, especially late at night. Really cozy.

What were the highlights for you on the second day and are there any lowlights?
We played: Gustave Eiffel, Hellavator, Mary’s Doll, Operation Black 1

Katja: Mary’s Dolls was definitely one of the highlights. The atmosphere? Breathtaking. It felt like I was immersed in a completely alien, surreal world. Everything was so powerful, so alive – simply amazing! Operation Black 1 also had it all. The mixture of exciting puzzles and gripping horror was exactly to my taste. I would particularly like to highlight the actors, who simply delivered an outstanding performance. They brought the story to life, and the makers of the room even took the time to ask about our impressions – that really was a special highlight of the trip.

Unfortunately, there was also a low point: Terrified Market. The room was the lowlight for me. Too many unnecessary shock moments, but not enough depth.
It was more about being scared than immersing yourself in the story – a shame.

Noah: Unfortunately, the second day was the weakest of the trip for me. Gustav Eiffel and Hellevator were great in terms of quality, but I didn’t like them because they were frustrating and no fun in pairs. Terrified Market was just a bad joke and one of the worst horror rooms I’ve ever played. The real highlight of the day for me was Operation Black 1, which I really enjoyed. Mary’s Dolls from the same provider was also good.

Ozzy: The highlight was Mary’s Dolls. I was standing in the room, loud music, thick fog, creepy atmosphere, good actors…I was finally back in Athens. Terrified Market was the only room on the trip that I didn’t like at all, although it also had its highlights…right TRÖT KATJA! Special thanks to the team at Ilias for letting me play Operation Black on the other side, as I already knew the room!

Philipp: Both Guastave Eiffel and Hellavator are very good puzzle rooms, as you would expect from Escapepolis. Not quite as much of a highlight as Creepy Store, but still good. Terrified Market was unfortunately very bad. Only the actors really tried to make the best of it, but neither the story, the setting nor the puzzles were even remotely good. Unfortunately the absolute lowlight of the whole trip. Mary’s Dolls and Operation Black 1 were the highlights. Both very different rooms, but the timing and flow in particular were outstanding. Really great experiences from really great people!

What were the highlights for you on the third day and are there any lowlights? We played: Scooby Who?, Bride in Black, Curse of La Llorona, Outcast, Jumanji

Katja: Scooby Who? was so much fun! The room was perfectly designed to capture the atmosphere of the series. Although it wasn’t really scary, it was all the more fun. The movie clips in between provided many a laugh. Definitely a recommendation if you like light entertainment! Curse of La Llorona, on the other hand, had one of the tightest atmospheres of the day. I was totally captivated and the setting was simply breathtaking. The room felt like it was cut straight out of a movie – pure goosebumps. Outcast , on the other hand, thrilled me with its theme alone. I love anything to do with asylums and this room was right up my street. Jumanji was also wonderfully entertaining. The puzzles were rather loose, but that didn’t detract from the fun – perfect for families. Bride in Black A dream for any fan of the Insidious series. The connection to the movie made the experience even more intense.

Noah: On the third day, the highlights were Curse of La Llorona and Outcast. I really enjoyed both rooms and they were great horror experiences. Jumanji was the lowlight because I didn’t really like the acting concept with the humor.

Ozzy: Scooby Who? was a total highlight for me. Lovingly made, great puzzles and lots of little surprises with a few laughs! But Curse of La Llorona is also an absolute MUST play room. No low lights that day! Jumanji is rather funny, but was a great way to end the day.

Philipp: Another day without a lowlight. But definitely with an absolute highlight. For me, Curse of La Llorona is one of the best rooms in Athens. Fantastic setting, great atmosphere, great story and perfect acting. A must-play. The other rooms on this day were also all very good, even if there was a bit too much screaming in Bride in Black and Jumanji had a bit too trashy a backdrop and puzzles. All in all, it was a really great day with lots of wonderful experiences.

What were the highlights for you on the fourth day and are there any lowlights?
We played: Chapel & Catacombs, Houdini, Santa Sofiana, 03:15, The Butcher

Katja: The Houdini room was simply magical. The effects, the atmosphere, the backdrops – it felt like you were immersed in a completely new, fascinating world. A real feast for the eyes! Santa Sofiana, on the other hand, didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. But then came The Butcher, an exciting change of pace. The game of hide-and-seek in this room gave me the feeling of being constantly hunted – a completely different adrenaline rush from the classic horror scenarios. 03:15 was convincing with a great idea and a good creepy factor, but was a little too loud for my taste.

Chapel & Catacombs: Stunning sums it up perfectly here, as the sheer size and variety of this room were overwhelming. You felt as if you had been transported to another age, amidst gloomy walls and winding catacombs. The detailed backdrops made the experience incredibly intense and completely captivated me. The special feature? The movable walls. Every time a wall moved, the maze transformed, creating a completely new experience. It felt like being trapped in an infinite puzzle that constantly offered new challenges. This dynamic design was unique and created constant tension – you never knew what was coming next.

Noah: The fourth day offered me great highlights, especially 03:15 and Houdini. Houdini was special and new, while 03:15 offered the best tour of light and sound I’ve ever seen in a room.Chapel & Catacombs was a bit disappointing the second time around because you saw details that weren’t noticeable the first time, and the room didn’t seem as well built. Santa Sofiana was a rather mediocre experience and I didn’t particularly like it.

Ozzy: Butcher and Houdini were absolute highlights of the day in terms of intensity and staging and should not be missed on any trip to Athens! Santa Sofiana and 03.15 were rather solid Athens rooms, without that special kick, but still playable. We’ve already playedChapel once and you can tell that the room has been around for a few years, but it’s still a must-play of course!

Philipp: Chapel & Catacombs was a completely different experience this time. Of course, I didn’t get the WOW effect from my first visit, but I really enjoyed the catacombs this time. We were really hunted, kidnapped, tortured and stressed a lot this time. The horror factor was much higher, which I really liked, especially for a second visit. Houdini was a really great room with very good acting and beautiful scenery. 03:15 was very intense horror, which reminded me a lot of M’ama. Overall a bit too loud, but otherwise very good. Santa Sofiana was a bit the lowlight of the day, even though the room itself is not bad. I found some of the puzzles not just bad, but annoying and there was unfortunately no flow at all. The acting and the jumpscares, on the other hand, were very good. Butcher was a real highlight for me, which I didn’t expect at all, as Escapepolis was previously only known for puzzle rooms. It was a very realistic and intense horror. A really great (or rather scary) experience.

What were the highlights for you on the fifth day and are there any lowlights?
We played: The Attic, Sixxty Nine, Supernatural, Metanoia, Sinister, The Ghost Writer

Katja: Unfortunately, The Attic remained rather pale – the small setting couldn’t really grab me. Sixxxty Nine was just crazy and really fun. It was one of those rooms that you don’t take too seriously, and that’s what made it so entertaining. The humor was cheeky, and the setting was – shall we say – special.
It was like a night best kept under wraps. Sinister completely blew me away again. The sets were amazing, the atmosphere dark and gripping – a real highlight. The Ghost Writer probably had the most exciting and crazy finale. The tension built right up to the end and the acting was phenomenal – an experience I won’t forget in a hurry.

Noah: On the fifth day, Sinister and Ghostwriter were the highlights. Sinister had a great overall concept and was a lot of fun. Ghostwriter was also good, especially the nice operators made the room. The Attic was a lowlight due to the old room and the simple puzzles, after 45 minutes we were already out. Metanoia, the second part of Amen, was still good, but I was expecting more. The nice staff saved the room a little, but overall I didn’t like it that much.

Ozzy: I don’t remember much about The Attic and Sixxty Nine, so no lasting impression. My highlight of the day was Ghost Writer! The location, the team and the action in the room right up to the finale were great, even if the puzzles were a bit easy.

Philipp: A day full of highs and lows. The Attic was definitely the worst room of the day, perhaps also because it’s a bit older. All in all, boring jumpscares and very simple puzzles. Sixxxty Nine wasn’t a highlight either, but not bad for a purely fun room. Especially when I compare the room with similar rooms in Germany, the level here is significantly higher. Supernatural was unfortunately the disappointment of the trip to Athens for me. The room is not bad and certainly has its strengths. But I simply expected much more from it and also hoped for much more reference than just having props lying around everywhere. Metanoia was also rather disappointing, as I was hoping for an improvement after Amen and unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Amen is the better room here. Ghost Writer and Sinister, on the other hand, were absolute highlights and two of the best rooms during the trip. Both were very well realized and we had a lot of fun.
Both are among the best rooms in Athens, even if Sinister is a tiny bit better – it was just more well-rounded.

What were the highlights for you on day six and are there any lowlights?
We played: Toxic, Rebellion, Zoe, Deadlock, Deadlock: Redemption, Hide N Seek

Katja: Toxic was a real highlight. It’s a puzzle laser tag room with a horde of zombies, lots of clever tasks and even more action. Hiding, sneaking through the dark corridors and eliminating the zombies was simply great fun. The missions were so varied that it never got boring – quite the opposite! I could have easily spent the whole day cracking every single puzzle. What was particularly cool was that you could record the whole adventure with an action cam. For 20 euros, you not only get memories, but also lots of laughs when you look at the footage later. These moments stay in your head – even when everyday life starts again.

Rebellion, on the other hand, was more of a stopgap. Nicely done, but not a room you absolutely have to play. The puzzles were okay, and the interaction with the actor provided the odd chuckle, but it didn’t really stick in the memory either. I was particularly impressed by Zoe’ s interaction with the actors. It was great that they played so intensively with us and accompanied us through the room. There was a wonderful plot twist that took everything to another level – an absolutely gripping experience.

Deadlock 1 and 2 was a journey with highs and lows. The first part was unfortunately quite unstructured. The puzzles seemed half-hearted, and the lack of logic made the room seem more frustrating than entertaining. But then came the second part – and what a twist! It was as if the room had turned 180 degrees. Suddenly the puzzles were well thought out and the tension was back. It actually managed to turn the experience back into a positive one.

But the absolute highlight – the room that outshone everything – was Hide N Seek. I don’t want to give too much away, because this room simply has to be experienced. The perfect blend of acting, tricky puzzles and an incredibly intense adrenaline rush. It was thrilling from start to finish, the atmosphere was electrifying, and the finale? Breathtaking. If you ever travel to Athens, Hide N Seek is an absolute must!

Noah: Hide N Seek was not only the highlight of the day, but of the whole trip and an absolute highlight. Deadlock 1, on the other hand, was one of the worst rooms of the trip. The puzzles were very frustrating and the experience was not good. Deadlock 2, on the other hand, was good again.

Ozzy: Toxic was just laser tag with zombies, but the atmosphere was super cool. Hide N Seek was THE room of the trip for me and Deadlock 2 was also incredibly intense! Both rooms were some of the best escape rooms I’ve seen in terms of atmosphere and mood.

Philipp: So many highlights in one day! But not only. Rebellion was a pretty average room that scored points for the interaction with the actor, but otherwise didn’t really have anything to offer. Toxic was very special and it was simply fun. You felt like you were in a PC game. Then there was Zoe, a definite must-play room that just totally flashed me. The great story and actor interactions in particular were simply gigantic. The two deadlock rooms were the really like heaven and hell. Deadlock 1 was really not good. The creative beginning and the basic story were positive, even if it was difficult to follow at times. Deadlock 2, on the other hand, was an absolute highlight. The story, atmosphere, acting and setting were all top notch. There was also a lot of physical contact (more than Lethal Decision 1), but everything was very well timed and very fitting.

Then, as the last room, the absolute highlight: Hide N Seek. It really doesn’t get any better than this. Everything was just right here. A really great experience. There was nothing, really nothing, that wasn’t perfect. I don’t want to go into any more detail as I’ll save that for the review of the room. But first things first: I’ve never experienced such a brilliant finale.

What were the highlights of this trip to Athens for you?

Katja: Honestly, it was the people. The best experience wasn’t just the game itself, but the fact that the creators took the time to talk to us about our experiences after each room. They were open to criticism, ideas and requests and made us feel truly valued. Even when we got stuck, there was no pressure – we were able to experience the rooms at our own pace. This positive, open atmosphere made the trip really special. And then the actors! Not only were they incredibly talented, but they managed to draw us into the action time and time again without ever looking out of character. The cinematic moments in particular made the illusion perfect.
Plus the Greek hospitality: these people are warm, funny and have just the right dose of craziness. It’s not just the rooms that made this trip unforgettable, but the new friendships and the feeling of being part of a small, exciting world. I highly recommend this trip to everyone – Athens completely enchanted me!

Ozzy: When Katja was scared of her own reflection and how she became braver room by room! It was mostly: “SEND THE GIRL – SEND KATJA” and I’m the biggest shyte in the group! Eating together with Ilias, Elen and Artemis and the team from C9H13NO3 Donors!

Philipp: First and foremost, the multitude of great experiences, the many brilliant actors and the operators and staff who simply put their hearts into their work.
It’s not as anonymous as with many providers in Germany and most of them really care about our opinion. They don’t do it for the money (at least not only), but because they want to offer great experiences. I also think it’s great how much focus is placed on stories, atmosphere and emotions and not so much on the most expensive, high-quality backdrop – which is now also available.

Then of course there were also some very funny moments, when I think of how we try to crawl under a table with three people to escape the Butcher or how Katja hides from Michael Meyers under mountains of laundry or how Ozzy kept standing there without ammunition and we had to help him against the zombies. Then there were some really great moments with actors: Zoe, Ghost Writer and Mary’s Dolls in particular stick in my mind.

Which rooms stood out positively?
Which are the top rooms of this trip?

Katja: Clearly in 1st place: Hide and Seek. This room was simply unbeatable. The combination of thrills, acting and challenging puzzles surpassed everything else. There was so much tension in the air that I completely lost myself in the story. From start to finish, this room was a masterpiece – absolutely fascinating and a must-see for any traveler to Athens!

Closely followed by Mary’s Dolls. The atmosphere was simply magical, almost surreal. You feel like you’ve been immersed in a strange, eerie world. Every moment was intense and the attention to detail made the experience simply unforgettable. For me, this room is a true work of art and deserves to be in 2nd place.

Also incredibly entertaining was The Butcher. It wasn’t so much about solving puzzles as it was about the suspense and the feeling of being hunted. This room really got the adrenaline pumping – you felt like you were constantly on the run, and it was a great change from the classic escape rooms. Another highlight was Toxic, an action-packed puzzle room with zombie laser tag elements. The room offered a perfect mix of tactical hiding, clever puzzles and pure fun defeating the zombies. As a huge zombie apocalypse fan, I was completely in my element and would have loved to play the room several times. It was just so entertaining and varied that it would be worth playing again and again.

Of course, such reviews are always a matter of taste, and I have to say that each room had its very own magic. The creators put so much heart, creativity and love into the details that it would be almost unfair to draw up a definitive ranking. But these four rooms have that certain something for me that makes them unforgettable.

Ozzy: Hide N Seek – Hide N Seek – Hide N Seek! Afterwards Butcher, Houdini, Curse of La Lorona, Mary’s Dolls

Philipp: Pretty simple: Hide N Seek. There is no room of the 200 I’ve seen so far that was anywhere near as perfect as this masterpiece. And the finale was simply the most brilliant thing I’ve ever experienced in escape rooms. Apart from that, there are other must-play rooms for me with: Curse of La Llorona, Sinister, Zoe and with a little distance Ghost Writer, Mary’s Dolls and Deadlock: Redemption. We really had a lot of highlights on this trip and our top lists have been diced up.

Were there any disappointments, lowlights or moments that you didn’t find so great?

Katja: Unfortunately, there were also some disappointments. At the top of my “no-go” list is the Terrified Market. The room really disappointed me. It seemed loveless and was completely overloaded with shock moments that simply had no depth. It was just about being scared without any real story behind it. This was an absolute lowlight for me and I would definitely not recommend this room.

Another dampener was the first part of Deadlock. There was a lack of structure here and the puzzles were poorly thought out. There was no real flow to the game and this caused frustration instead of fun. Fortunately, the second part was able to save the whole thing a little, but the first Deadlock was unfortunately a big disappointment

Ozzy: Terrified Market does not need to be played. And: That we had to go home again after a week.

Philipp: The absolute lowlight was Terrified Market. The only room that I would really rate as a “don’t play”. It was really really bad. Apart from that, there were a few rooms that weren’t really good, but not bad either. These include rebellion, Attic, Sixxxty Nine, Deadlock 1 and Otherside. And finally, there were two personal disappointments with Supernatural and Metanoia. Metanoia is a good room, but I had simply wished for a must-play event after Amen. And Supernatural unfortunately didn’t take advantage of the great series and story. It was a pretty standard horror room with a few Supernatural props and allusions.

Is there anything else you would like to share here about your last trip to Athens?
A conclusion?

Katja: One thing is certain: What are you waiting for? Book this trip! It’s worth every minute, but let me tell you: a week is far too short to experience all the great rooms and really immerse yourself in the world of escape rooms. You will enjoy every second and go home with incredible memories. The whole experience in Athens was simply magical – from the rooms to the people to the cinematic moments. It was absolutely worth it!

Ozzy: Always happy to be part of this team and With Love for Artemis, Ilias and Elen – Now Friends 4 Ever!

Philipp: It was just great. Great people in the team, but also on the “other side” with the operators. It was very exhausting, but it was really worth it. We had a lot of fun and brought back so many great memories.

And as they say: After Athens is before Athens. We’ll see you again in October!

There has been very little talk about Houdini from Escape World so far. There are also hardly any reviews or reports on this room. I only included it in our schedule because a friend from Athens strongly advised us to definitely play Houdini. Of course, we were all the more excited about what to expect. It was guaranteed to be about magic and probably also about the dark.

The first impression at Houdini was… dark. Unfortunately, you can’t say much more about the setting, because we didn’t see anything. Absolutely nothing. But the darkness didn’t last long. We were greeted relatively quickly by someone who then introduced us to the story. We were then allowed to marvel at the first area of the experience and it really was a beautiful setting and great atmosphere. Overall, I thought the start was really nice, even if the first 2 minutes could have been a bit more immersive. However, this is certainly also due to the location, which is in the middle of a shopping street and therefore doesn’t really allow for immersion.

In Houdini, you immerse yourself in the magician’s world and experience a wide variety of very immersive and atmospheric settings. Overall, everything always felt very coherent and fitted in very well with the specific time of the story. The technical implementation was of a high standard and complemented the acting perfectly. There were some very nice effects and the lighting in particular was totally harmonious. I liked everything very much.

I would still describe Houdini as a horror experience, but overall the scare factor is not as high as many other experiences in Athens. There are a very small number of jumpscares and the atmosphere is dark rather than really scary. Compared to other rooms, I think the scare factor here is in the midfield. In any case, it is also suitable for players who are not so keen on intense psychological horror. The darkness and various effects always create a certain intensity. However, as with the scare factor, this is not as high as in many other experiences. Overall, Houdini builds up a medium intensity that fits in very well with the flow of the game.

Of course, acting is also very much at the heart of the Houdini experience. And when I talk about acting here, I mean real acting. It’s not about a simple jump scare or suddenly appearing and shouting at someone, but about really very good acting interludes that are ready for the theater. There were always beautiful little cinematic moments that left us amazed. I was particularly impressed by the finale. It was all perfectly timed and left a brilliant impression. Really great cinema at this point.

Unfortunately, the puzzles in Houdini were not a highlight, but we are used to that from many horror experiences in Athens by now. This is simply not the focus. Basically, most of the puzzles were rather simple and didn’t always seem to fit in with the story. However, as the story was very well-rounded overall, this didn’t bother us as much. There was always something to do, but unfortunately it didn’t really feel coherent. Overall, you can say that it wasn’t a total lowlight, even compared to other rooms. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement here.

The story in Houdini was simple, but overall very fitting. There wasn’t really much depth, but everything was very coherent. In particular, it went very well with the acting and the overall atmosphere we were given. Overall, I would say that while the story wasn’t the absolute highlight of the experience (that was definitely the actors), it still came off very well. There was little that bothered me in any way and everything was easy to follow.

During the game, we didn’t need any support from a game master and didn’t even notice that the game was being managed in any way. But of course it was, because everything is totally smooth and then it’s perfect if you don’t even notice anything. After the game, the actors took a lot of time for us and we talked things through. We felt very welcome at all times and had a lot of fun. Thank you very much for this!

Similar to Zoe, you can also say with a clear conscience that this room is suitable for almost everyone. Of course there are horror elements here and the room has quite a dark atmosphere, but all in all there aren’t too many jumpscares and there are also many quieter moments. The story and especially the acting are very much in the foreground here. In my opinion, the room can also be played well by horror novices, similar to Manifesto, for example. Houdini is almost more of an interactive theater piece than a real escape room. The story itself has a lot to do with demons and hell, like so many experiences in Athens. So if you have a problem with that, you should avoid the room. Apart from that, I don’t see any trigger dangers here. There is no physical contact and no other physical requirements. I can’t remember any moments where we had to do anything strenuous or were really physically active. There are also no moments of isolation or anything like that. I recommend the room for up to four players, as otherwise you would be standing on each other’s feet. But even with two players you have a lot of fun and can manage everything well.

Houdini was one of the surprises for me on this trip to Athens. You read about many other experiences in Facebook groups, but Houdini was relatively quiet. Perhaps that’s because it’s not a classic horror experience and doesn’t have much of a connection to other well-known horror rooms. In any case, I really enjoyed Houdini and this room is definitely one of the top rooms in Athens.

Before the last trip to Athens, I knew relatively little about Zoe from XII Divisions. I knew the teaser image and the short description. I didn’t know exactly what to expect. But we had been told beforehand by other groups that although it was a horror experience, the drama and storytelling were the main focus. So went there, full of anticipation and excitement.

Our first impression of Zoe was totally unspectacular and perfect. We weren’t greeted by an actor or a game master and the whole thing didn’t remind us of a typical horror scenario or a lot of action. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a relaxed and calm start to an experience in Athens. And it just totally suited the story, the setting and the whole atmosphere. It was all incredibly immersive and coherent and we were gradually introduced to the story. It was a really great start, one of the best I’ve seen. Even if it was really totally unspectacular. But to sum it up, it simply couldn’t be more fitting.

The whole setting is immersive from start to finish. What really impressed me about Zoe is the variety of different settings. You live through different stages of the story in very different places, which are nevertheless somehow connected again. Of course, there were also dark, foggy passages, but all in all, the setting was definitely part of the story, quite the opposite of some pure horror spaces. What I liked best was the transition at the end of the game, where I came into “contact” with Zoe. Overall, this was one of my favorite moments of the whole Athens trip, but the setting also contributed a lot to this. The only thing missing to make it perfect was the smells. But apart from that, it was near perfect.

The scare factor in Zoe is not quite as high as in many other experiences in Athens. However, this is also due to the fact that the focus of the room is not on jumpscares or creating fear. Instead, the focus is on storytelling. Of course, this is not a children’s fairy tale, but an eerie story full of horror, but I would still place the scare factor here in the midfield – at least for the level in Athens.

The intensity increases over time, but then drops off from time to time. There are phases that definitely build up pressure and intensity, but overall it is a rather calm storytelling for a horror experience. The intensity here is also in the mid-range, even rather low for a horror room.

One of the main aspects of why we had so much fun with Zoe and why this room is also so great is the perfect acting to the point. We got to meet different characters on our journey through the story, all of whom had very different roles. All of these characters were portrayed with great attention to detail and this was the only way the story could be told so well. Not only with Zoe, but also with many other rooms on this trip to Athens, I realized once again what I unfortunately miss so often in Germany or the Netherlands. Emotions can be created much better through the use of actors, especially when there is as much direct interaction as with Zoe. The final phase of the experience is also one of my absolute favorite sequences and sections in escape rooms because of the acting.

Overall, Zoe didn’t have the most difficult puzzles, but there were definitely one or two interesting ones. Of course, it’s easy to argue that there are many rooms with more challenging or exciting puzzles. But I want to make it clear here that it’s not just the creativity, difficulty level or similar that counts for me, but in particular whether the puzzles fit into the flow of the game and whether they take you further in the story. And that was almost always the case here. The tasks didn’t always make sense, but the content of the puzzles led us to the actual core of the story. So here, too, almost everything was done right.

I can say very little here, except that Zoe’s story was really impressive and dramatic. Overall, we got a little closer to the story every minute and got to know more and more aspects of it. It’s one of the scariest, but also most beautiful stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing in an escape room. Similar to Molly’s Game, for example. And what really blew me away was the grandiose finale. We got to experience some really great final scenes in Athens this time and Zoe’s is definitely one of the best. Here you realize that it’s much more of a drama with horror elements than a classic horror experience.

We were helped again and again during the game in a very interesting way, so that we never had the feeling that we were being left completely alone. And even after the game, the game masters and actors took a lot of time for us and we were able to talk about one or two scenes. All in all, the whole experience was really great. Just the way you want it to be every time.

Even if I am now anticipating my conclusion a little: This room is suitable for almost everyone and should be played by almost everyone. As I said before, Zoe is not a very intense or overly scary room. There are lots of quieter phases and the occasional scary moment. Overall, the room can also be played well by (Athens) horror beginners, as the story is clearly in the foreground here.

What is important is that you get involved with the story and the interactions with the actors. Because this is exactly what this experience is all about. You live through a drama full of different emotions and if you approach it too rationally and too detachedly, you might miss some very beautiful moments.

There is no physical contact and the other physical requirements are also limited. There is no need to crawl or climb and even the scaredy-cats among us don’t have to do anything on their own. Here, too, the focus is clearly on the experience and the story, not on your own abilities.

I can recommend the room for all group sizes. Of course, with larger groups you run the risk of missing out on parts of the story, but as it’s a rather quiet room, you’re in control by always waiting for everyone.

Zoe was one of the highlights for me during our trip to Athens. It’s now one of my absolute favorite rooms and I think it has some of the atmosphere and story of Molly’s Game, but with a little more creepiness and of course the great actors. And Molly’s Game is, after all, one of the top rooms in the world. And that’s exactly where Zoe belongs in my opinion. A must-play experience without question.

The Ghost Writer by Horror Productions is a brand new room that only opened shortly before our last trip to Athens. When planning the trip, I read a lot about new rooms and heard reports from test groups. The Ghost Writer was definitely one of the rooms that received very positive feedback from everyone. I also found the story and the teaser very interesting. Overall, my anticipation was very high and it’s rare to be disappointed in Athens, so let’s see how it would turn out this time.

Unfortunately, the journey from Neverland (Metanoia) took a little longer as, very unusually for Athens, there were no cabs available. As a result, we had to keep telling our friends at Horror Productions that it would be even later. But they responded super nicely and even replied in story-character. This increased our anticipation even more. When we arrived at the location, we found a beautifully decorated façade with a few obituaries on display. After a short wait, “someone” welcomed us directly and gave us a very atmospheric start. The whole start, the setting, the atmosphere and the acting was perfectly realized and one of the best I have experienced so far. At this point, a big compliment to Horror Productions. They really came up with something great and realized it very well. Of course it was very dark and foggy and we knew immediately what to expect for the next two hours at least.

Right from the start, The Ghost Writer offers an incredibly good atmosphere and – for a horror experience – a very high-quality setting. What I personally liked very much was that the setting kept changing and the space could be used for different story elements. They really came up with something here and used the whole setting very creatively. There were also very different sceneries, as you could also experience different storylines. Overall, everything was very immersive and the sound also matched the atmosphere very well. In summary, a very good overall package.

I find it very difficult to rate the scare factor of the whole experience, as there were very different phases during the game. There were action-packed phases, but also quiet ones. There were phases with jumpscares and moments of isolation, but also phases in which we acted more passively as spectators. I wouldn’t consider the scare factor to be quite as high as in experiences such as Sitgmata or The Grudge, but definitely at the upper end of the scale. The intensity of The Ghost Writer, like the scare factor, varies greatly in the different phases of the game. However, you never really feel safe or relaxed. The intensity increases over the course of the game, which I think is very good. All in all, I would also call this a high level of intensity, but there are other experiences that top this.

In addition to the atmosphere, The Ghost Writer certainly benefits mainly from the very good acting. The actors played their roles perfectly and told an incredibly good story. You could feel the emotions and witnessed small theater sequences. It wasn’t always clear to us who was the “good guy” and who was the “bad guy”. At some point, of course, we wondered whether there was anyone “good” here at all, but I’ll leave that to everyone to judge for themselves. In any case, the actors all put in a lot of effort and gave us a wonderful experience.

If you want to identify a weak point in Ghost Writer, then it’s certainly the puzzles. Not that there were any really bad puzzles here. There were even some very creative puzzles. But overall, the level was simply too easy, so that we were a little bored at times. Especially with a duration of two hours, you could definitely have to make more of an effort. Of course, we realize that not every group can keep a clear head during horror experiences, but it could have been a little more challenging. Also, not all of the puzzles really made sense and felt a little artificial. Overall, therefore, not a bad rating, but definitely room for improvement.

One aspect of Ghost Writer that really makes an impression is that it is a very detailed story with many different characters. The drama and the genre of the story changes from time to time so that it never gets boring. It’s always the interplay between good actors and the well thought-out story that makes a room really great. And that is definitely the case here. From the very first minute, we were part of a larger story and were gradually looking forward to the exciting ending. The ending was really spectacular and we were very satisfied at the end. Really great storytelling from Horror Productions.

Although we didn’t finish Ghost Writer until very late, we still spent a lot of time with the various members of Horror Production and talked about everything possible. It was a really nice meeting and everyone was very interested in our feedback. Overall, we felt comfortable from start to finish. Starting with the launch and the communication before the actual game. Then, of course, during the game and afterwards. Many thanks to the guys and girls from Horror Production, it was great working with you!

The Ghost Writer is a very intense horror room that also has a lot of quiet cinematic moments. Anyone who likes a room with a good story and is not averse to horror will love this room. There is physical contact with actors, but it is never really violent and never affects the whole group. If there are individual preferences here, you can certainly talk to the guys and girls from Horror Productions beforehand. Overall, the physical requirements are very low, so you shouldn’t have any problems even with minor restrictions. There are very few places where you have to get down on your knees. And even these can be avoided for some of the group. Of course, there are also moments of isolation that you can’t avoid, nor are you really given the choice of who it affects. I can recommend the room for all group sizes, although the intensity and gaming experience naturally decreases in a large group. Overall, the room is recommended for all horror fans.

With The Ghost Writer, Horror Production has created a really great first room. There is little that could be done better. Apart from the puzzle structure, everything is really wonderfully implemented. In particular, the great acting and the detailed story make the room a really great experience that you should definitely play if you’re in Athens. We really enjoyed it!

Stigmata by Dark Maze was one of the experiences I was most looking forward to on our first trip to Athens.
But it was also one of the experiences – along with Lethal Decision – that I was nervous about.
I had been told about real horror beforehand.
Of tears, screams and the game being stopped.
The tension was therefore high and I was excited to see what would await us.
After arriving on time, we opened the door and what awaited us was extraordinary.

Before we set off, we had to wait outside the door for a while.
The group in front of us had overstayed their welcome.
As a result, we were greeted by a loud backdrop and screams even before the actual game started.
As the whole thing was pretty impressive, we were already busy discussing what to expect.
It was definitely going to be impressive.
Then the show finally started and we entered.
What awaited us after that totally amazed me personally.
There was no sign that we had entered an escape room.
Nor that we were still standing in a busy area of Athens.
Quite the opposite.
We were immediately in the middle of the story and were able to interact with an actor in character.
We felt like we had been transported back in time and had a bit of a “Dracula” feeling.
Everything was perfect, from packing our luggage and the usual toilet visit to the transition to the next location.
Only the starting puzzle was too one-sided and a little persistent, but you can quickly overlook that.
For me, Stigmata offers one of the best starts of all the escape rooms I’ve played so far.
The atmosphere, the interactions with the actors and the entire setting are almost perfect.
A big compliment to Dark Maze, who have created something special here.

In contrast to many other horror experiences in Athens, Stigmata offers a high-quality backdrop that is rich in detail and where an effort has been made to create immersion not only through acting and atmosphere.
In addition to the grandiose start, the subsequent house is also realistically designed and you can look forward to a varied setting.
A high level of immersion is created right from the start.
We always felt as if we were directly in the situation.
Personally, I really enjoyed the first transition.
I found all the rooms suitable and the whole setting very immersive.

Stigmata offers everything you need for a high scare factor.
Some successful jumpscares, an eerie atmosphere, creepy actors and, in particular, intense moments of isolation.
In addition, there are always sections where you know that something is about to happen and therefore don’t dare to go any further.
I would rate the pure scare factor here as one of the highest of all the rooms I have seen so far.
Nevertheless, I would like to point out that I don’t just mean the pure fear, but the atmosphere in particular.
The intensity is very high almost all the time.
This is because you often know that something is going to happen soon and that you can never protect yourself from jumpscares.
Overall, it’s one of the highest levels of intensity I’ve seen in this type of horror.
I can now understand why I have heard many reports describing the room as very scary.

As with most immersive adventures in Athens, Stigmata shows just how much good acting can make a difference.
Both our contact and the ghostly apparition played their roles perfectly, sending cold sweats down our spines more than once.
The jumpscares were well timed and, unlike in one room or another, the screaming was kept to a minimum.
As a result, the fear of the actual event was played with more than the moment itself.
I remember an isolation moment near the end of the game that I found to be one of the scariest moments of the whole Athens trip.
Overall, very good performances from everyone involved, you can’t do much better than that.

The puzzles don’t have a high level of difficulty overall, which was right given the scare factor and intensity.
You don’t have enough peace and quiet to think about any tasks.
There is too much fear breathing down your neck.
Most of the puzzles are based more on searching or counting tasks.
Overall, there are no totally creative or surprising puzzles, but this is not necessary for such an experience.
All the puzzles were appropriate to the situation and there wasn’t a single moment when we got stuck.

What impressed me most about Stigmata was the well thought-out story with a wonderful twist at the end.
From the very beginning, we got more and more to the bottom of the “real” story.
I was particularly impressed by the resolution with a simple but impressive effect.
The whole story is coherent and there are no major gaps in logic.
All in all, very well told and realized.
Another aspect I would like to emphasize is that it is really about experiencing a story.
It is often the case that although there is a story in horror experiences, it takes a back seat to the atmosphere, the sound and the jump scares.
That’s not the case with Stigmata and that’s what I liked so much about it.

As so often in Athens, we took the time to talk to the operators, or at least the actors and gamemasters.
The gamemaster took a lot of time for us.
We went through many parts of the game again and talked about the entire escaperoom scene in Athens.
A great end to the day and we had a lot of fun after the game.
What’s very interesting is that in Athens, the “evil” or scary actors never actually leave their roles – not even after the game.
I’m ambivalent about this, as I think an immersion break after the game is a good thing, but I can certainly understand that they don’t want to reveal all the “secrets”.

Stigmata is the prototype of a totally fun but very scary horror room.
There is little contact with actors, as is usual for horror experiences in Greece.
You have to crawl or climb a little in a few places, but the physical demands are within reason.
There will be moments of isolation that you can’t escape.
As with most horror rooms, the intensity increases the fewer players there are.
I would recommend the room for 4 players, especially at the start.
As the name of the room suggests, it has a religious theme.
You shouldn’t have a problem with that.
Other than that, I don’t think there are any major special features or triggers that need to be pointed out.
It’s horror with a very high scare factor, you should be aware of that.

As you can see from the previous sections, Stigmata is one of my favorite games. There are few immersive adventures that are as coherent from start to finish as this one. There is hardly anything that was not perfectly coordinated. Stigmata is one of the must-play experiences and, in my opinion, one of the top rooms in the world. You can’t do much better than that.

This experience will be different from all previous escape rooms.
We were aware of that right from the start.
We didn’t know exactly what to expect until then.
And in hindsight, that was a good thing.
Because that also contributed to the great experience we were able to have.
There are a few legends and rumors about Lethal Decision from Escape Clue Athens.
We’ve heard about bruises, torn clothes and much more.
Our tension was correspondingly high when we found ourselves in front of the entrance door.

As is almost always the case with immersive adventures in Athens, there is no lobby here either.
We were given a story-appropriate welcome and the atmosphere clearly showed us what to expect over the next two hours.
We were able to go to the toilet, even if the way was not always effortless.
All in all, the entire start fitted in very well with the later experience.
Instead of being greeted by a game master, we were greeted in character. A small note here: anyone who has problems with offensive or obscene language should consider whether the room is right for them.
Overall, the atmosphere and the welcome helped our tension to grow, if that was even possible.
What followed was the most intense 20 minutes I have ever experienced in an escape room.
Lethal Decision takes you to your own psychological limits.
A psychological masterpiece that you won’t forget in a hurry.
It’s not without reason that we were told after the experience that many players wanted to abandon it.
At this point, I would like to make a clear statement: Despite the intensity and the fear that many will feel, no one will be harmed.
No one will be physically harmed.
If anyone reports injuries, they will be due to stupid accidents.
The actors are absolute professionals and know how to “get” you.

Anyone expecting a high-quality backdrop will unfortunately be disappointed.
But you won’t be visiting Lethal Decision for that.
The whole setting is rather sparse and worn.
However, this also makes the atmosphere realistic, as you are in an old, long-abandoned house.
The setting – except for one room, which we didn’t really like – and the actors’ performance create an almost perfect immersion.
You are under so much stress that you sometimes forget that it’s just a game.

It is difficult to determine the scare factor in such an experience. If you were only to measure how scared the average player is during the game, then there is no way around the highest scare factor. As you can read here, however, I don’t define the scare factor solely by the degree of fear. For this reason, I would say that there is a high scare factor here, but Lethal Decision largely dispenses with jumpscares and doesn’t create a creepy or eerie atmosphere. For this reason, I see the pure scare factor at 80%. I have already said enough about intensity. Definitely the highest intensity I have ever experienced. I can’t imagine that much more is possible without overstepping boundaries or having enough players.

The greatest strength of Lethal Decision is clearly the use of the actors. It’s not just about an actor. I won’t reveal exactly how many and in which roles at this point. Each of them played their character perfectly and contributed to making this experience something special. There were some interactions with actors that were discussed emotionally in our group. This already shows how credible the whole setting is to play in. Overall, it was an outstanding performance from the first minute to the final.

As always with the majority of horror adventures, the puzzles are somewhat easier than in rooms that are not as intense. Nevertheless, we found the level of the puzzles in Lethal Decision to be high. I can imagine that there are foreign groups in particular who are at a loss at one point or another due to the scare factor and the intensity. We had the same problem with a sliding puzzle, but we were quickly helped. Overall, there are some creative puzzles and they all fit in with the flow of the game. In summary, the puzzles were fine for the type of room.

There is a background story that plays a bigger role in Lethal Decision 2 and is taken up. Interestingly, there are a few Easter Eggs that you won’t understand until you get to Lethal Decision 2. However, the story itself hardly plays a role in the first part. Due to the release of adrenaline and the permanent tension, it’s all about “survival”. I paid little attention to the whole story and I can imagine that almost all other players feel the same way.

After our experience, we had time to talk to the game masters and operators and discuss scenes. This once again confirmed to us how professionally and psychologically skillful the work here is. They all took a lot of time for us and also responded to the playing style and special features of our group during the game. Overall, I don’t think you can do much better.

Lethal Decision is a very physical space. I’m not so much talking about physical contact through actors, which is also present, but rather the physical effort. The experience is therefore not barrier-free and should not be played by people who can move. Because that is exactly what is always required: Movement. You don’t have to crawl or climb much, but you do have to run a lot. As I said before, the language is harsh and quite obscene, which you should be aware of. But if you enjoy it, you can let off a little steam yourself. The English translation was very good and we never had any problems understanding anything. Unfortunately, the translation was missing for one puzzle, but it didn’t detract from the flow of the game, as we were given direct help that fitted in with the story. Team play is definitely required. You are in this situation together and should try to overcome it together. I would recommend playing the room with 3 to 4 players. It is possible to play with up to 6 people, but then you might get in each other’s way more often. Be sure to plan a break after the experience, you will certainly need it.

Lethal Decision is different from other experiences. Our tension before the start was definitely justified. The intelligent play, the build-up of tension and the intensity are outstanding. Despite all the rumors, the room can not only be recommended without reservation, but for me it is one of the truly great experiences in Athens.

Death Row by No Exit is special in that it was the first room on our first trip to Athens and the first room I ever played in Athens.
Accordingly, the anticipation was very high.
It’s not a horror experience, which in itself is rather the exception for Athens.
It’s a classic escape scenario in which we have to escape from death row.
Doesn’t sound that exciting at first.
But what we experienced there was anything but boring.

In many reviews from Athens, I start by pointing out that there is no lobby.
The story often starts straight away.
No Exit is different.
There is the classic escape room lounge and a game master who gave us a friendly welcome.
Although I’m not 100% sure whether she ran our games or just greeted us in the lobby.
In any case, we were surprised that we were able to talk to her in German.
After the usual visit to the toilet, we were ready to go.
We were picked up by an actor, who we were to see again briefly later.
He took us to our new home, death row.
Here we were first isolated, as is so often the case in such scenarios.
To make matters worse for us, it was Ozzy and I’s first room in Athens and our teammates were newcomers.
Not good conditions for a quick escape.
We first had to get our bearings and then realized that there wasn’t that much we could interact with.
The start is a little different to what we are used to in Athens.
It’s more like the typical escaperooms in Germany or the Netherlands.
Nevertheless (because I like it when things get going straight away), I found everything to be coherent.

In a breakout scenario, as is the case with Death Row, it’s always hard to adequately judge the quality of the scenery.
There’s no great sense of wonder or overwhelming environments.
Everything is somewhat sparse and sparsely furnished.
But that’s exactly how it should be.
And judging by the immersion and realism, Death Row definitely scores highly here.
Everything felt right and much more real than in many other breakout adventures.
It starts with the fact that it feels like a real escape from start to finish, not an escape room with a lobby waiting behind the next door.

The experience is not meant to be scary, so you can’t expect a high scare factor.
There are 1-2 smaller jumpscares, but nothing more.
The intensity is on a medium level.
Not as high as in horror rooms or similar, but certainly not comparable to a relaxed puzzle room.
I also found the whole thing a little more stressful than other escape scenarios.

In a nutshell: There was a short acting interlude both at the beginning and in between, but that is too little to be able to make an application here.

What excited us about Death Row were the puzzles.
Maybe it was because we weren’t familiar with the concept of puzzles in Athens or because we’d never played together as a group before, but we were often stumped.
And not because the puzzles were too difficult, but because they were very creatively integrated and we often had to think outside the box.
All in all, very nice tasks that always felt right.

The story is neither imaginative nor creative.
We just have to break out.
The scenario is the typical escape room scenario and even if the room is much better than most other escape adventures, the story remains the same.
We were surprised in many places, but not by the story.

We have no direct contact with the operators of No Exit, so the rating here is based on our contact with employees, gamemasters and everyone we had contact with that evening.
And we noticed a totally friendly atmosphere throughout, with an accommodating attitude and a willingness to talk about one thing or another.
All in all, it was a great evening (we played all three rooms in a row) and we always felt welcome at No Exit.

Death Row is a room that is suitable for almost all players.
The story is easy to understand, there are no scary moments and the puzzles are difficult but doable.
Unfortunately, the room is not barrier-free.
However, this has to do with the fact that the story does not allow for this.
If you want to escape from death row, you have to be able to crawl and climb.
One thing that international players should bear in mind is that the concept of the puzzles is different to that in Germany, for example.
This is true of most experiences in Athens, but I noticed it most here.
It’s more about perception than logical thinking.
Rely on your senses, not just your mind.
There is no recommendation for the number of players.
I think the room works well with any size of group.
The minimum number of players is stated here as 3 and I think that this will be needed for some of the puzzles.

Death Row is a very good room.
Of course, you have to like escape scenarios, but if you do, then this is definitely one of the best of its kind. The puzzles are creative and a lot of fun.
There is an authentic setting with the odd surprise.
No Exit has created something very good here, away from the typical horror experiences in Athens.
Highly recommended overall!

The time has finally come. Our website escapegoats.de is online. And I have to say – it was a lot more work than I would have thought. Not only did the – admittedly still somewhat sparse – content have to be created, but it also took a lot of time to set up all the tools, plugins and other stuff. So I’m all the happier that the result is very satisfying, at least for me. Nevertheless, please be patient until everything is completely finished. There are still some gaps here and there and a few details are still being added. Before I go into what you can expect here, I would like to welcome you once again. I’m happy that you’ve found your way here and hope that you’ll drop by more often in the future. I can’t promise that there will be new content on a regular basis, but I will try to put new reviews online every week and keep the podcast alive.

First of all: Here you can only expect content about escaperooms and immersive adventures. We will not use the website or the podcast to talk about our work, our other hobbies or similar. It is important to us that the focus is clearly defined and that you can decide whether or not you want to read or listen to the content. escapegoats.de is all about escape rooms and immersive adventures and not about us. We are only the content creators, but not the content itself. Roughly speaking, the content can be narrowed down to two main types: our written articlesand the podcast. Both will mainly be about reviews of escape rooms or topics related to escape rooms or immersive adventures. Our goal is to give you a better picture of the national and international escape room scene and to help you decide which room you want to play next and whether or not it’s worth traveling to.

As you can see, the website is online, but there isn’t much content yet.
This is because I just wanted to put the site online at some point and decided to create the content bit by bit.
I’m also currently focusing my reviews on experiences in Athens.
In the future, more and more reviews of rooms in Germany will follow, but also of other international providers.
As the quality, structure, scope and fairness of reviews are important to me, I try to take enough time for each individual review.
Accordingly, it will take a while for the content to grow.
In future, you will always find the latest reviews both on the homepage and on the review page.
We have also set up an overview that lists rooms with reviews where one of us has already completed the review but is still working on the finalized article.
Our podcast should also be alive.
This means that we want to provide you with new content on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, I’m not yet an expert in cutting or editing audio files, so this can also take a little more time.
We have already recorded three or four new episodes.
So it shouldn’t be too long before new episodes go online.

If you are completely new here and don’t know us yet, I would suggest you take a look at our “New here?” page. Here you will find basic information about this site, our approach and also about us personally. If you prefer to start directly with the content, you can find the relevant reviews here or our podcast here. What I would like to recommend to you is the explanation of how we evaluate. We have created a separate page for this purpose, as it is important to us to differentiate ourselves from other rating portals (regardless of whether a rating is better or worse). We follow our own approach, our own categories and unlike most other portals, we do not have an explicit ranking list. Now I wish you a lot of fun on Escapegoats.de and of course we look forward to any feedback. Be it directly via our website here or via the usual social media channels. See you soon! Your Escapegoats Team

In July it’s finally time again: we’re going to Athens.
For lots of great immersive adventures and escape rooms.
A total of 28 experiences are on the program, more than three quarters of which are horror rooms.
We will be traveling to Athens with four players, but will be playing the first day in pairs.
What’s exciting is that Ozzy, Noah and I, three players with a lot of experience, will be playing together with Katja, who only has experience of a few rooms.
We’re looking forward to it and I’ll make sure that Katja shares her experience here afterwards.
It starts on the first of July and I’ll show you what we can expect there.

Don’t Take a Breath is an adaptation of the movie of almost the same name.
And if the experience is anywhere near as intense as the movie, we’re in for something intense.
And without giving too much away – the experience is damn close to the movie.

Anyone expecting a relaxed start to this experience was sadly mistaken.
We were welcomed by Verone and our mission and the associated plan were explained to us straight away.
It’s actually quite simple – we break into the house, steal the money from a blind man and then leave again.
So far everything is clear.
Anyone who knows the movie knows that it won’t be that easy and that not everything will go as we had imagined.
All in all, a perfectly immersive start to an adventure.
We were totally in the game straight away and the atmosphere was full of anticipation, but also tension.
You can’t do better than Don’t Take a Breath.

Anyone who knows the movie knows the setting of this adventure.
Sounds simple, but it is.
But it’s also damn good.
You immediately feel like you’re in the movie.
Everything is recreated in detail and only adapted to the extent necessary for an escape room.
Don’t Take a Breath feels real at all times and this is of course due to the actors and the tension, but also to the really good scenery.
What has been achieved here is an incredibly realistic atmosphere and almost perfect immersion.
Six of us played the room and even with this large number of players, there was always tension.
Few experiences manage that.

In my opinion, the scare factor is more in the lower midfield.
This is primarily due to the given setting.
We knew exactly who our opponent was.
We knew his weakness and almost always knew where he was.
There are few jumpscares and the atmosphere is rather tense, but never really scary.
However, it is of course an experience that is not suitable for people who are easily frightened or cannot deal with moments of isolation.
The overall intensity is high, although not as high as in some other rooms in Athens.
This is due to the fact that there are always phases of brief calm where you can take a deep breath and feel safe.
However, Don’t Take a Breath naturally thrives on intensity and tension.

When the backdrop is so authentic and immersive, the actors are naturally measured against it.
And they certainly stand up to it.
It was a very good acting performance, especially from Verone, who plays the antagonist.
So good, in fact, that we didn’t even recognize him.
Such a crazy guy.
Overall, an outstanding performance that added to the immersion.

When the intensity is high, the puzzles are usually easy.
Don’t Take a Breath is no exception here.
Overall, the puzzles are on a very low level, especially when you think of other escape rooms in Athens.
For the most part, these were simple tasks and we didn’t have any problems at any point.
This is perfectly fine, as the immersive experience is the main focus.
Puzzle fans will find this a little disappointing, but I found it quite appropriate.

Little can be said here, as the story of Don’t Take a Breath is based exactly on the movie “Don’t Breath”.
It is perfectly realized and even small details can be found.
I find it difficult to give the story too high a rating, as little of my own creativity has gone into it.
Nevertheless, the realization is very well done and you have to pay respect to that.

Verone is a crazy guy.
And crazy in a very positive way. You can tell straight away that he has put a lot of attention to detail into his “baby”.
The whole room of Don’t Take a Breath stands for Verone’s skills and his character.
He took a lot of time for us after the game, more than we had available.
One of the few operators who explicitly asked what we would improve.
Each of us was asked to name one point that we didn’t find perfect.
Hats off, that shows a desire for constant improvement.

Don’t Take a Breath is an intense thriller that can be compared to few other experiences.
It’s a realistic setting, which sets it apart from many classic horror experiences.
There are not as many jumpscares and darkness is not the order of the day.
Overall, it’s an experience that can be played by players who usually avoid horror.
I can recommend any size of group, as I think the game always fits.
One of the few rooms that can definitely be played with larger groups.
Of course, the intensity then decreases.
You should have a basic level of mobility, as there are always moments when you have to crawl or hide.
However, this is more of a tactical room than a room where speed is of the essence.
It’s worth watching the movie beforehand to see how many details have been recreated.
But then you will be less surprised by the story.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
I watched the movie a long time ago and couldn’t remember any of the details.
After our trip to Athens, I watched it again and was amazed at how much I rediscovered.

Don’t Take a Breath is an outstanding experience, and not just in Athens.
It’s an escape room that you’ll rarely find like this again.
One of the most realistic rooms I have ever played.
A great experience and an absolute must-play experience from the unique selling point.