One should never tamper with time. One never knows the consequences. Cranial shrinkage, for example, can be very unpleasant and it can take one a number of months to recover, in the meantime you look like a walking potato. We all know that in changing the past we can impact time to the point where we erase ourselves. But the temptation is there, to change something, to go back and erase that moment.
In London however, time travel is for fun. There is a time portal which will zap you into the past to observe the sights and sounds (and smells!) of a bygone era. And there is another portal you can step through and help find a very precious artifact buried in time. Indiana Jones eat your heart out.
I am no longer surprised at London's oddities, in fact, it seems the further east you go the weirder London gets. But I digress. This particular time portal is in a Lab a couple of minutes walk from London Fields tube station. Unlike most labs, understated, nondescript, hidden, this one is blatantly obvious. And this time portal is exactly where I found myself a month ago with two fellow time travellers and great puzzlers counting down to our allotted time before ringing the modern buzzing contraption.
We were shown into Luna Fox's lab by one of her assistants who looked like he had just stepped out of the Victorian era. He promptly briefed us on our assignment and advised that we would be assisted by Babbage, Luna's own creation of artificial intelligence, throughout our journey.
Leaving all our own items locked away in a wooden crate, we took our first step into the unknown to retrieve the Lance of Longinus, an object of great power and great danger should it fall into the wrong hands.
The Verdict
The set
Time Run has to be the most detailed escape room I've been to. The set is incredible, everything is immaculate. From the moment we stepped through the door we were immersed in that world. The briefing room full of old furniture, papers, maps, bottles and other contraptions is only the start. The person briefing us never broke his character and at the end, the person debreifing us was the same. Even if we accidentally introduced a modern word 'Google' we were corrected. It was seemless, brilliant and exciting.
The challenge
The great thing about Time Run is that there are many puzzles to be figured out with varying complexity, some requiring a team effort. Its definitely doable with 3 people but I think 4 would have been perfect.
The value
Unfortunately Time Run happens to be the most expensive escape room in London, which makes for an expensive hour or so and if you go as a family it can be a hefty expense. However I can honestly say that it is well worth it. It really is like stepping into a movie set and is brilliantly done. I wish I could tell you more but it's impossible without giving it away.
Final words
I cannot wait till they bring out another escape room. I'll be there with bells on!
Other games I've been to:
The Killer – Enigma Escape, Operation Black Sheep - ClueQuest, Leo's Path - Archimedes Inspiration
Other games coming up:
JM's Office – Hint Hunt, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - Enigma Quests
