That’s what happens when you build a reputation as International Savers of the World. One minute you are enjoying a trip visiting German Christmas Markets and the next your assistance is required to investigate strange goings on at a diner in Nevada……
We raced to help the Illuminati Escape Team with their latest discovery.
Illuminati Escape in Berlin
Illuminati Escape have created their own escape room world. It is populated with missions to stop the secret organization called The Illuminati, which is intent on world domination.
Current Plots
The Illuminati have learned about the development of a quantum computer that will enable them to reach their ultimate goal. All Illuminati Escape missions are designed to stop that by sending agents across the globe to investigate.
Cyber Attack takes place in Omsk, Russia
For this mission Illuminati Escape sends agents to find the prototype quantum computer and crack the codes to stop it working.
For Jackpot the action moves to Macau in China
A NASA researcher, with an addiction for gambling, has been blackmailed by the dark Illuminati. Just before his untimely death, he handed over the blueprints for a top secret quantum computer. Your team must recover the plans before the Illuminati can move them out of the casino.
Alien Grill, Nevada – New for December 2018
For years rumours have circulated about a UFO crash and other mysterious things happening in the desert of Nevada. Now Illuminati Escape have discovered that the inventor of the quantum computer often traveled to this area and he has disappeared! Your mission is to find out what is going on in Nevada, starting the small abandoned diner.
Is the diner in the desert just a fake?
Our mission was to find out what is going on in Nevada, starting with the small abandoned diner. Could this be where a UFO crashed? And how did it link to the inventor of the quantum computer?
After briefing us on our mission, the Games Master gave us a small bag of equipment, including a communication tablet to keep in touch with HQ. We were then “flown” to Nevada, “passing over” China. We arrived outside the diner and were impressed at the set design. It has the look and feel of an abandoned diner.
Going inside we were enveloped in darkness with only the glow sticks from our equipment pack to help us. Our first task was finding a way to generate light in this abandoned diner. The immersion in the story and level of detail was very impressive.
This is not a lock based game but a puzzle solving one where you have to find things and work out how to use equipment. All the puzzles have been created to fit the mission and enhance the story.
As you may have guessed the diner holds a secret. As we moved through the game the puzzles became more technical. Probably because the room was new (or maybe due to building work in the office below) some of the later technical puzzles did not work as expected.
We also found the game flow towards the end confusing. We ended up solving things and not knowing why or how the pieces fitted together. So although we had fun, we did not escape the Alien Grill with the all answers.
The Games master came and talked us through what we’d achieved and what we’d missed that should have lead to a logical story-line. He said he could see we’d gone off track but was not sure how to get us back on course, especially as we were solving puzzles that should have been later in the sequence.
Hints, etc
As our trip to Berlin coincided with the opening of the latest Illuminati Escape adventure, we booked to play it on the opening morning. Looking back on it, we probably should have played one of their other rooms first. It would have ironed out the technical issues and have given the games master a better understanding on how to give us hints. After you’ve watched numerous teams attempt a room you get a feel for where they may get stuck and how to help them…….but there are some teams that still surprise you with something no-one has attempted before.
The games and hints are available in English and German. The hint system, with hints given via a keypad in our equipment pack, was good. They are also tailored to the team, rather than preset (unchangeable) prerecorded hints.
While I consider we are enthusiasts – we are enthusiastic about playing escape rooms – we also like hints. We would rather accept hints and get to see all the puzzles than refuse hints and only see half the game. (We’ve found this is not true for other enthusiasts.)
In conclusion, we saw and attempted all the puzzles and had a lot of fun playing this adventure. Recommended.
Illuminati Escape Mission Berlin
New Assignments
The escape room is in the University area of Berlin, near Ernst-Reuter-Platz underground station. We arrived early and took a brief look at the Landwehr Canal, before heading into a central courtyard and what looked like parking for offices. We found the entrance to Illuminati Escape and walked up to the second floor where we were greeted and shown into a waiting room with a world map with all the Illuminati Escape adventures marked.
Our games master asked if we had played any of their other missions and explained how the stories linked together. The immersion started as we left the waiting room with the games master handing out equipment and taking us via a decorated corridor to our game.
After the game we were given a printed copy of our team photo.
Mission Report
After we got home we received a digital copy of our team photo and a debriefing letter which gave more details about our mission and the next mission that is currently under construction. A nice way to build excitement for the next adventure in the series.
Coming 2019
Somewhere in the Caribbean, Titanik 2.0 is about to sink!
The brilliant researcher Rupert J. Maddox has been kidnapped by The Illuminati and bundled on board a ship. In the wrong hands his knowledge is extremely dangerous. Your mission is obviously to rescue him. However, the Illuminati have now learned of the rescue attempt and plan to sink the ship in the Caribbean Sea with him on board! Can you save him?