Operatives you will be heading to Haddon Heights Elementary school on Halloween night. The school was shut down because students and teachers. were losing their minds. The school district? thinks it was black mold driving people insane, but The bureau knows the truth: it’s an evil entity trying to possess a new host. we need you to summon the dormant entity so you can confront it once and for all.
Facility
The Bureau probably has the best location of any escape room I have ever played but, Good luck finding this place! Intrigued? Well, let me explain… When you go to the Bureau you are not just playing an escape room, you are taking on a role as the agency’s top operatives. Like any good agency the Bureau is not going to reveal their intent to the world, so they pose as a lowly travel agency. Should you choose to accept a mission I can assure you it will be hard to find the small office, when you walk in you will question strongly if you are in the right place, the reveal of the facility will be amazing, and the hidden nature will add to the total immersion from the minute you pull in until the minute you walk back out the door!
There is an ample amount of free parking available outside the facility.
The gamemasters have been awesome for every mission we have played. They are aware of our progress and ready to assist whenever we need it without ever crossing the line to pushy or annoying. They are friendly and willing to converse with you while you wait for your mission. There seems to always be an adequate amount of staff to keep things running smoothly.
The waiting areas are clean and well furnished. They do offer drinks for sale; however you cannot take them into the rooms with you (probably due to the volume of tech within the room)
Setting
There is a prop that you are given before entering the school that is used throughout the entire mission in a very unique way. But not to worry, you are just exploring an abandoned, potentially haunted, school, what could go wrong? This room has a creepy vibe throughout; however it never crosses the line into terrifying. Although there is one section that, as a chicken, I felt was quite intense.
The room was designed to look like a school and overall it was well designed. The decorations and props made it obvious where you were at all times. My partner felt that some areas could use a little more in the way of theming however.
This room is played in extremely dim light as you have only flashlights to illuminate key areas
Puzzles
The rooms at the Bureau rarely rely on traditional locks and keys and this room was no exception. The puzzles were well fitted into the storyline of the room. There were unfortunately two puzzles that we were very confused about, even after we knew the solution; however, you may have a different perspective on those puzzles. There were also quite a few red herrings, and in my opinion missed opportunities, in this room which was disappointing. There was one puzzle that left us totally amazed, even after we solved it we were impressed with how unique it was and at a loss as to how it worked.
This room had a prop in the room that was used repeatedly throughout the mission; however it was clear when you needed it and it definitely felt like something you would be using frequently if you were legitimate in the situation.
Accessibility
☆ Wheelchair users would have no problem navigating this room
☆ no strong scents or fog effects were used
x the room was very dark
☆ nothing relied on identifying colors or sounds
Group recommendations:
We had a group of two and made it out with seconds to spare.
We think three would be a good number for the size and challenge of this room; however 4 could play comfortably.
We would not recommend this room for young children due to the nature of the room and a very intense area at the end.
Overall
This was probably my least favorite room at the Bureau: partially because I am a chicken and I disliked the the content of the intense area, and partially due to the red herrings and the puzzle to room/ratio being smaller. However, that is not to say this room is a failure by any means. It was still well thought out, interesting, spooky and immerse. If you are a fan of paranormal themes and want to be spooked without being scared out of your mind join the Bureau and discover the secret behind Haddon Heights.