4.5 stars
We had a smaller group this time (4) compared to to our usual escape group but that wasn't going to stop us! The fates of two realms hung in the balance! We also happened to have two 13 year olds with us and one of them had no experience in escape rooms so we wanted a place that would be a good introduction.
I was intrigued by the asymmetrical set up of the When Worlds Collide room. So much that it overcame my worries that it would be too much for an inexperienced player and such a small group. Without giving anything away, this particular game is set up so that two groups can play against each other! One in the "Fantasy realm" and one in "Reality". Its essentially the same story, and the groups don't really interact with each other except for the fact that only one realm can be triumphant. Other escape rooms I've played with two separate groups I'd consider a parallel setup because both groups play two copies of the same room, and whichever group finishes first wins. Here, whoever finishes first wins but the two rooms are completely different so if you are so inclined, you can come back and play the other side so try to avoid spoilers after your post game sharing!
All this makes When World's collide a great option for a large group. Up to twelve people can play (6 in each realm). Or even as small a group as ours with some experienced players (2 in each realm). Or take your normal group and play each side on different occasions, that's an option as well!
Thanks to our game master Chris for explaining and giving us our clues. We had a great time! The only thing that we noticed is that the temp could get a bit hot in the rooms so dress appropriately! I found that we were concentrating on our mission so intently that it wasn't all that of an inconvenience but I'm sure some would like to know.
Desmond F.
