Virtual Escape: The Play Room
Genres: Puzzle, Escape Room, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer, VRONLY
Release Date: 31-10-2016
Developer: Default Interactive, Broken Dreams, Webb 3D
Our verdict
7/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 1–2 h
Virtual Escape: The Play Room is a VR-only, single-room escape game set in a child's bedroom. You wake up locked inside while a man watches through a camera and talks to you over speakers, and certain objects trigger voiced memories that hint at a family's trauma and a kidnapping. It suits VR owners who want a classic escape room with a dark undertone; couples report passing the headset back and forth as a date-night game.
All but one of its 24 reviews are positive. Players call the puzzles fair and challenging, with codes, dials, a letter lock and whiteboard drawing, plus a few red herrings to throw you off. Many say they got stuck on one puzzle for a while before it clicked, and several rank it among the more polished early VR escape rooms. The voice acting earns praise, though some found the story hard to follow.
The complaints are about handling. Dials, the letter lock and the marker can be fiddly, teleporting moves your play area in confusing ways, and there is no save. Lost items reappear in a box, which avoids soft-locks. Most runs take one to two and a half hours. Recommended for VR escape room fans, especially on sale.
Pros
- Child's bedroom setting with voiced memories that build a dark story
- Fair, challenging puzzles mixing codes, dials and whiteboards
- Lost items return to a box, so you cannot soft-lock
Cons
- Dials, letter lock and marker drawing are fiddly to use
- Teleporting shifts the play area in disorienting ways
- No save option and a story some found hard to follow
About
Virtual Escape: The Play Room is a 3D virtual reality game designed for the HTC Vive with support for Oculus Rift. Here you interact with objects and find the layered clues to reach your ultimate goal. Gameplay takes you on an engaging journey through a family's emotional trauma, with twists and surprises along the road.
The atmospheric feel and interaction develops a deep connection with the characters that begs to be explored deeper. Taking place within a single room, you must find the clues and complete the challenging puzzles on the way to fulfil your achievement awards.Features
- Single Player Escape Room/Puzzle game
- Virtual Reality ONLY
- Average duration: 3 hours
