Escape From the Creepiest Motel at Breakout Manchester

Last week I took on another live escape game at Breakout Manchester, and this time it was a room with a creepy twist which made it just perfect for the run up to Halloween. I’ve now attempted 7 escape room games, and I have to say this was one of my faves!

The room was “Vacancy”, and we were checked into a very ominous motel room before realising that our host had locked us in and had murder in mind. We then had an hour to escape by solving a series of puzzles and codes. I really loved this room – the puzzles were great and the creepy theme was very atmospheric with an excellent level of detail. I loved that it was a fully immersive experience, even to the point where we had to sign into the hotel guestbook before entering our room!

I’ve tried a few different “brands” of escape room now, and although quite a few have a high standard of game, Breakout are coming out on top for me because they make the effort to really set the scene and create backstory before you enter. This is so much more fun than just being dropped off in a room and locked in, hoping you’d read the synopsis online beforehand. A theme can easily get lost in the chaos of hunting for clues, and the atmospheric intro I’ve always had at Breakout really adds something extra. I also prefer Breakout’s big screen approach to giving hints (always cryptic) when you are lost. I’d much rather this than have the game (and mood!) interrupted by asking for a clue.

Vacancy is quite a tough room (rated 4/5 for difficulty), and the panic started to set in with 5 minutes to go when it seemed we would never check out of the Crimson Lake Motel! However, I’m pleased to say that we escaped with just over 3 minutes still on the clock and we felt very exhilarated afterwards. As I say, it was one of my favourite escape rooms to date, and I would definitely recommend it for a creepy Halloween activity. They have some even scarier sounding rooms if you dare!

Have you ever tried Breakout or any other escape room game?