The Grudge by 1Way Escape is a relatively new escape room, so there aren’t many reviews about it yet.
But as we had heard a lot of good things, we were very excited.
The Grudge is based on the film of the same name, or rather the films and remakes of the same name.
We didn’t know the films beforehand and didn’t know exactly what to expect.
The only thing we knew was that it would somehow take place in a Japanese setting and that it could be quite violent.
So the anticipation was great, but so was the tension.

In typical Athens fashion, The Grudge also began without a lobby.
We were greeted directly by an actor in a really beautiful Japanese setting.
We immediately felt totally taken in and the immersion was there. A quick note for everyone: Please read the story and the introduction beforehand.
We didn’t do this and found it a bit difficult to get into. We were then immediately brought into the game by our host and separated from each other.
We then had to somehow find our way back together.
And that wasn’t easy at times.
But in any case, the first impression was really good.
The setting is great, the actor introduced us to the whole story straight away and we knew immediately that this beautiful Japanese flair was deceptive.
There’s an ominous atmosphere in the background, you’re on your guard the whole time waiting for something to happen.
And of course it happens relatively quickly, but it’s definitely a great first impression.
A beautiful setting, a great welcome and everything – from going to the toilet to locking up our things – perfectly embedded in the game. You can’t do much better than that.

The quality of the setting of The Grudge doesn’t let up and matches the great first impression. There there is a real great Scenery.
Here 1Way Escape offers a s more high Quality, in particular also, when one considered, that it is a Horror experience deals, where the quality mostly not so much Value laid will. The Japanese Setting was complete to to the End maintained with a very high level of detail.

I then after the experience also nor the Movie onwatched and also there are with very many parallels. One has here very much effort given and accordingly the Immersion perfect, everything has front and back super fit perfectly. We have us never in like in one Game felt, but it felt itself very real on and it was all total on the Point.

The only, perhaps something something smaller Point of criticism, is the Sound. The Sound itself was good, but on some Just put too much. Both what the Volume but also what the Repetitions from Highlights concerns, so that we with the Solution from the one or other Puzzles too much of the Sound distracted were. But like said, it is a smaller Point of criticism and in total is it one very high Quality, what there delivered will.

In my opinion, the scar factor in The Grudge is very high.
There are a lot of actor interactions.
There are one or two jump scares, but this is not the focus.
In contrast to other horror films, the focus is on the atmosphere and the situational fear.
Overall, I think it’s very well done here.
It’s not so exaggerated that you don’t get any story at all, but I would still consider the factor to be very high.
The intensity is very variable throughout the experience.
I would say that in three quarters of the room the intensity is very high.
Simply because of the many actor interactions, the sound and the whole oppressive setting.
Nevertheless, there are always phases where you can take a deep breath and where you know that you are relatively safe.
You will never be completely safe in an experience like this.
I would say the intensity is high, but not extremely high.

Let’s move on to the absolute highlight of the room, which is also very often the highlight of the experience in Athens, and The Grudge is no exception.
The highlight is definitely the actors.
Once again, there are several actors at work here, not just one actor or actress.
And everyone involved played their roles really well.
It was really great and I have to say that I was simply thrilled with the actors and I don’t think you can do any better in this setting.
They also got involved with us, unlike the operators afterwards.
It was a really great performance and you really can’t do better than that.

The puzzles in The Grudge are overall varied and creative.
It gives not only the typical “Find that, peep you the on”, but it are very different Riddle. Total are the Most Riddle very good feasible.
It are also very many simple Riddle in the process, but on other Position then also again very heavy.

In retrospect voted for me however that the Ratio not, so the Span between very heavy and very simple was to large.
H here would me me wish, that a Room itself either increases from light to heavy or at least a Level holds and not so different Levels brings.

Basically were the Riddle all very good. It was detachable and where we had problems, would have we through a better Help system also Relative fast manage. I would here a little on on the Harmony the Riddle work, then would be it from the Puzzle structure here perfect.
And of course the help system needs to be rethought. Otherwise fitted everything, whereby one say must, that the Riddle for a Horror experience clear heavier were as with other clearances, the we played have, in particular in Athens.

As for the story, I have to say that I’m judging it as someone who didn’t know the movie beforehand and didn’t look into the background.
And under these circumstances, I thought the story was really good.
It was very exciting because we were allowed to find out more and more about the background to the story and really knew more from step to step.
Our role became more and more clear to us, culminating in minor twists and a good finale.
The only thing that hurt the story a bit was the help system.
The voice of the help was supposed to be the voice of a young boy and we thought it was a woman’s voice, which unfortunately led us on the wrong track for a very long time during the game.
Perhaps I should also point out here that you should make it clear at the very beginning who is talking to us.
If this has been resolved, I have to say that the story fits very well.

Our first game was not a great experience at all.
This was due to the operators and game masters.
This has now improved significantly in the second game.
Accordingly, I am also adjusting my rating here, but will not go into detail.

The Grudge is of course suitable for horror fans.
I would also say that it is not a room that you should play as a newcomer to the horror genre, as it already has a higher scare factor and the overall atmosphere can be very oppressive and intense.
Contact with the actors is not without its challenges either.
There is repeated physical contact.
However, physical contact does not mean physical violence here.
But it can happen that you are touched or something similar.
I remember two situations that were very, very creepy.
Accordingly, I wouldn’t recommend it for people who have problems with horror or who want to approach the genre slowly.
For players who enjoy horror, it’s the perfect experience.
The Grduge is one of the rooms that perfectly realizes the horror genre without relying solely on jumpscares or setting the intensity so high that you don’t notice anything.
I would recommend the room for any number of players between two and a maximum of five.
We played it with three players, which was a very good size, but I can well imagine playing it with two.
And I will soon.
But the room is also perfectly feasible with slightly larger groups, as it is a large area and not very cramped.
As I said, there is physical contact, but the physical requirements for players are not high.
Of course, as in any horror experience, you have to run away, but you don’t have to crawl or climb much.
Anyone with average physical health can play this room and even with certain limitations the room is quite doable.
Perhaps you should contact the operators beforehand, but it is one of the few horror experiences that could be suitable for people with physical problems.
Otherwise, the room is relatively heavy for a horror experience.
This means you should definitely have someone with you who can think clearly, even if you are being chased.

The Grudge is very difficult for me to rate, as I had two very different experiences here.
If I only rate the room, then it’s a really top room, which scores particularly well thanks to the atmosphere and the great actors.
A lot has been done very well here and there are only minor points of criticism (such as the sound or the difficulty of the puzzles).
I would therefore say that the room is definitely one of the great rooms in Athens that you should play if you can find the time.