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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

We had to wait quite a while outside the front door as the group in front of us hadn’t finished yet. We were totally jittery and looked at the various posters hanging there. Until it finally started. What we saw then took our breath away. Not only were we greeted by an actor and the story started straight away. No, we were also suddenly in a small village. And not just a painted one or a few facades. It was a real village with houses that you could walk into and from which someone was already watching us. After the short tour of the village, we started in a small hut and everything organizational was embedded in the story. Then we started our first task, which took us back to the village before we finally made our way to the church or chapel. To summarize, the whole start of Chapel Catacombs can be described as very impressive and perfect.

Let’s get this out of the way first: We could hardly stop being amazed at Chapel Catacombs. It started with the village at the beginning, which was bigger and of higher quality than the whole experience with other companies. And that’s just the first 15 minutes of the game. In my opinion, the church is the most beautiful setting. The atmosphere there is simply gigantic. It starts with the backdrop, but doesn’t stop there. The sound and lighting effects are also spot on. The next WOW effect comes with the transition to the catacombs. The catacombs, on the other hand, were almost a little boring, but still an absolute highlight.

Although it is an immersive experience that also places a large focus on theater-based acting, Chapel Catacombs is definitely a horror experience that comes with no small scare factor. There were one or two jump scares, but for the most part the scare factor is driven up by the dark and frightening atmosphere. There is still very little direct acting interaction in the church, but even more so in the catacombs. There are also one or two moments of isolation, which can be quite exhausting for the people involved. Overall, I would describe the scare factor as very high, if not maximum. The intensity is very changeable, which is a good thing as it is a very long experience. There are phases in which you are relatively safe, phases in which you watch passively, but also phases in which you are hunted or similar. For the players who are isolated, the intensity is naturally correspondingly high. To summarize, I would say that Chapel Catacombs has an above-average intensity.

The acting in Chapel Catacombs was amazing. There were scenes ripe for the theater, especially in the church, which could have gone on even longer. But the interactions with the actors before, during and after the play were also totally convincing. And the scare factor was also kept high, especially by the actors. There are some very creepy moments in the catacombs. In any case, I can say with a clear conscience that it couldn’t have been done any better.

If you think about what Chapel Catacombs offers you for 150 minutes, then you can expect that the puzzles will not be the focus. There were always interesting tasks and puzzles, but ultimately the creativity and complexity were limited. The tasks were also not always related to the story in a meaningful way, so there is definitely still room for improvement here. The puzzles weren’t all that convincing overall, but that’s easy to cope with.

The story in Capel & Catacombs ties in with Lockhil ‘s previous experiences.
You can still play the room completely independently and won’t miss anything if you don’t know the previous rooms.
Overall, the story doesn’t knock your socks off, even if it’s not bad.
It’s a typical “find something” story, which then lives from the atmosphere, the actors and the setting, but not from the suspense of the story itself.
I wouldn’t give the story a bad rating now, but there are certainly some rooms that are better positioned there.

The actors, who were also the gamemasters, took a lot of time to talk to us about everything. During the play, they were very responsive to our group and we had a really good time there. Lockhill also deserves a special mention, as they always accommodated us with many bookings and made slots possible for us that would otherwise not have been bookable. This also applies to our next trip to Athens, where we will be playing Chapel Catacombs again.

Chapel Catacombs is suitable for anyone who likes grandiose scenery and acting. It is, of course, a horror experience and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who is afraid of darkness, jumpscares or scary apparitions. Basically, the experience can be played very well with limited physical ability, except for one part, as there are few places where you have to climb or crawl. There are moments where you are forced to split up. There should be other players in the group who are prepared to solve tasks alone. It is very important in Chapel Catacoms that you play along. You interact with lots of actors and should also stick to the rules and the story, otherwise you will miss out on a lot. Four of us played the room and it was a pretty perfect size. With two players it gets trickier at one point or another, but it’s also doable. I wouldn’t recommend playing the room with more than 4, maximum 5 players, as the atmosphere could suffer.

Chapel & Catacombs by Lockhill is rightly one of the best-rated experiences in the world.
There are few escape rooms in the world that can compete with this setting and atmosphere.
If you want to experience something unique and impressive, you can’t go past Chapel & Catacombs.
Of course, not everything is perfect and, as is so often the case, it depends on the actors used, but I rarely find it so easy to classify an experience as an absolute “must-play”.
If you’re in Athens, definitely play this room.
It’s even worth using this room as a hook for a trip to Athens.

As I said, we had no idea what to expect.
We were all the more irritated when we were greeted by a very crazy actor right at the beginning, who even turned the obligatory trip to the toilet into an experience.
After a brief introduction, we went straight to the time machine and into the adventure.
Overall, the first few minutes were strange, but nothing special at first.
The actual start of the adventure after getting out of the time machine was more unusual.
Here we were able to dive straight into the story of Manifesto and witness the first wonderful play.
Overall, the first impression was mixed, but by no means bad.

When assessing the setting and quality, you have to make a very strong distinction between the atmosphere and the quality of the setting.
The atmosphere is very harmonious and everything – from the sound to the lighting – contributes to the fact that you can really get involved in the story.
Unfortunately, the quality of Manifesto’s setting is one of its weak points.
At times we could clearly see that it was still the highest quality setting.
We were also able to see the actors from time to time, as the setting was not perfectly matched to the appearance.
To summarize, I think the whole setting of Manifesto is okay, but nothing more.
Anyone expecting a setting a la Chapel & Catacombs will be disappointed here.

It is definitely an experience in the horror genre.
The whole setting and the story are very dark.
There are one or two jump scares, but the scare factor remains in the midfield.
Manifesto is a moderate horror game that is also suitable for players who do not yet have much experience with the horror experiences in Athens.
The intensity is also not particularly high, as you very often watch passively rather than being part of the action.
The intensity of the story increases greatly towards the end, but it is more comparable to a play or movie.
We were never so stressed that we couldn’t follow the story.

Without wanting to exaggerate: Manifesto offers a wonderful and outstanding acting performance.
You can tell that professionals are at work here.
It feels like a play and also because the acting is so to the point.
The space lives from the actors and the actors live this space.
I don’t want to say any more at this point, except that it was a really great experience.

As with many experiences that focus on horror, story or drama, the puzzles are not the main focus here either.
This means that all puzzles and tasks can be completed easily and you rarely need assistance.
However, this is not a negative aspect, but rather a perfect fit for this experience.
Manifesto succeeds in ensuring that the tasks fit in well with the story and that you learn more and more by completing them and progressing further.
This is how a real experience should be.
Puzzle fans may be a little disappointed, but overall everything was very coherent and fitted very well into the overall concept of the room.

Alongside the acting, the story is Manifesto’s outstanding strength.
The focus here is not on jump scares, scares or puzzles.
Instead, there is a well thought-out, complex story that the players only understand bit by bit.
This is continued perfectly through various forms of communication, primarily through acting, of course.
The story then culminates in a grandiose finale, which not only offers an outstanding acting performance, but also a very nice resolution to the story with a successful twist.
Congratulations to Manifesto for one of the best stories I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in Escaperooms.

Unfortunately, this time we couldn’t take as much time as we would have liked.
There was actually so much to discuss.
But we were able to establish one thing: The game directors, actors and operators are fully behind their space.
And Manifesto is brought to life by people who put their hearts into it and fill the whole thing with life.
I always like it when you don’t just have business people in front of you, but people who are passionate about what they do.
And that was definitely the case here.

For me, Manifesto is an experience that is suitable for almost all players.
Although it belongs to the horror genre, it can also be played by horror novices, as there are not too many jumpscares and no moments of isolation.
If you want to be part of a story and experience it up close, this is the game for you.
There are many scenes that you experience rather passively.
You should therefore take the time to immerse yourself in the story, because only then can you really experience the strength of Manifesto.
Three of us played the room and it was a very good group size.
I can well imagine that the room can also be played by two people and also with one more person.
I would advise against more than five players, as you run the risk of not experiencing all of the story and could also miss out on theater scenes.
There are very few physical requirements.
There are no great crawling and climbing moments.
Running away is also limited to short sections.
Only the time machine at the beginning can cause problems if you are not free from giddiness, as some of us in our group were.
However, you can simply let the operators know and they will take this into consideration.

Manifesto by Dark Vision Projekt is a really very good room that is strongly focused on story and acting.
It was one of the positive surprises on our first trip to Athens.
Overall, I would describe Manifesto as a great experience.
Not yet a must-play experience, however, as the scenery and setting were too weak for me.
However, if you focus on drama and story, you should definitely play this room, there are hardly any better ones.

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.