13 doors – Captive

Played on May 17th 2024 by:

13 Doors was the last room we tried at Captive in Toronto on May 17th, 2024. In this scenario, we pull up to a deserted mansion with a growing sense of dread. Something feels off—but we step out of the car anyway. Once inside, there’s no turning back. The scenario is mysterious and well written, but after playing the room, we felt it didn’t fully align with the atmosphere of the game. The goal also felt a bit vague.

Before entering, the game master gives a brief story introduction. The set design was decent, with lots of colorful elements and everything in good condition. However, the room is a single space, which was disappointing given the premise of “13 Doors.” With such a title, we were hoping for multiple rooms or a more expansive layout. We enjoyed the music during the game, though we could still hear noise from the hallway, which broke the immersion a little.

The puzzles were enjoyable and all tied into the theme. There was only traditional locks in that room. It was non-linear, so we could each work on different things at the same time, which kept everyone engaged. While most puzzles were fairly easy, they were still satisfying to solve. Hints were provided by the game master directly in the room, which worked fine, though it did slightly break the immersion.

Overall, we liked the room, but we wished there were more than one room and a higher puzzle difficulty. It’s a family-friendly experience, better suited for smaller groups or beginners. We are happy with our performance because we completed the room quickly, but we did have to ask for a hint 2 times. We liked it okay—and we escaped!

: Yes

Andrea