Zut alors! The team behind Sydney’s most immersive escape room challenges has once again upped the ante with the brilliant new edition to their Saint Peters venue. Hopscotching between several historical cues – summoning facets of the French resistance during Nazi occupation, the 1968 Paris riots and even a slight wink (albeit unintentionally) to the recent French election nailbiter – players become part of a band of rebels (or rather rebelles) attempting to overthrow an authoritarian government in the France of a dystopian near-future.
Those clued up on these references will appreciate the encyclopedic level of detail the Cipher Room's team has drawn on to create this alternate reality, but you really don’t need to be a history buff to still find the puzzles intriguing and the storyline thrilling. Players must follow the clever clues left by fallen brothers and sisters in arms to discover the location of a secret government bunker and steal a microchip that could bring down the whole despotic regime. But you’ll have to be tres vite – it’s 11pm and if the mission is not successful by midnight, the whole rebellion could collapse.
While the individual puzzles are ingeniously devised, it’s the way they are all so seamlessly woven into the narrative and the fabric of the room that makes this such a compelling experience. The gameplay nimbly shifts from intricate clues hidden in small details to jaw-dropping, cinematic reveals and special effects that frankly leave every other escape room in Sydney in the dust. The Cipher Room has made it a signature to have at least one or two moments in their games that leave players awe-struck, and the particular coup de théâtre that quite literally lands towards the end of La Rébellion has to be one of the most exciting they’ve conjured to date. So, it comes as no surprise that it took a full year for Cipher Rooms co-owners Marise Watson and David Vella to devise and construct this latest addition to their portfolio.
There are multiple ways that different parts of the escape room can be solved, rather than there being just a singular stream of gameplay that could be prone to bottlenecks in the action. This allows for teams to either work together as a hive mind or splinter and divide resources without compromising the overall storytelling. This is one of the more challenging escape rooms that the Cipher Room operates, but that shouldn’t put off newcomers. Teams remain under the watchful eye of the Cipher Room's games masters who will share helpful hints in subtle ways that won’t totally rob you of the joy of figuring out the puzzle for yourself.
La Rébellion is recommended for teams of two to eight people, although when Time Out visited, our team of four felt like a sweet spot for the size of the room and the intricacy of the gameplay. Be sure to also check out the rooms on offer at the Cipher Room's Newtown outpost and the terrifyingly delightful Mr Pepper's Toy Shop, also at the Saint Peters venue.
Outcome: Success!
Atmosphere: ✮✮✮✮✮
Creativity of puzzles: ✮✮✮✮✮
Difficulty: ✮✮✮✮
Fun: ✮✮✮✮✮
Best quote: “My serotonin levels are through the roof!"
Our tip: Don't be afraid to get in the driver's seat...
