We Give It
8
10outta
L.A. Dragon Studios – Knights of the Round Table
The Premise
Our team of knights, enlisted by Merlin, was sent to find the Holy Grail to aid King Arthur on the battlefield in his war against the evil Mordred. We only had 60 minutes to complete the quest before the battle was lost. Could we find the Grail and help save Camelot in time?
The Puzzles
The puzzles of Knights of the Round Table required several different types of logic to solve, giving most everyone a chance to shine. However, as a family-friendly room, the puzzles were not too difficult – we accidentally skipped over one or two and still managed to find the Holy Grail with time to spare. In keeping with the theme, there were no contemporary gadgets or locks; everything could be from that time period. Even the lock-and-keys were old-timey. Some sections, however, had more to do than others. One area, in particular, was a bit puzzle-light, leading to several of us standing around waiting, or chasing down red herrings.
The structure of Knights is more linear than other rooms I’ve done. There is no need to revisit rooms after the next door is opened, so there are no puzzles that span rooms or build upon each other. This is good for younger or beginner groups, but the complex, or tiered, puzzles are something I enjoy immensely. However, Knights did include a bonus puzzle box that held a trinket we could keep if we found the key in time. I especially like when rooms include bonus puzzles in the event we have solved the room with time to spare.
The Takeaway
Knights is family-friendly and beginner-accessible. Designed as more of an adventure room than an escape room, Knights relies on technology to create a more immersive, realistic, and magical world to explore (what some would call a Gen-3 escape room). In addition to the typical puzzle-solving of an escape room, Knights absolutely excels in its extraordinary production design and atmosphere. From a library to a throne room, I really felt like I was transported to the time of King Arthur and Camelot.
There is a lot to explore in the rooms, including scrolls, gems, and various props and costumes scattered about (most of which we put on or carried around with us for fun). Knights isn’t meant to rush through, it’s meant for you to take everything in and enjoy the ambiance. From trap doors to the very interactive means of asking for clues, everything felt authentic. I can’t wait to see what L.A. Dragon Studios comes up with next!
