Looking for a challenge? Check out our 8 Years Later escape room review.
The story behind the 8 Years Later:
8 years ago we failed to contain the virus, resulting in the death of 98% of the human population. Your group has returned to the lab where the virus originated in a desperate attempt to solve humanity’s troubles.
With the infected at the door, will you have enough time to complete your mission – or will you perish trying?
And that’s pretty much all you’re told before the countdown starts…
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What did we think of the 8 Years Later escape room?
We have played a few of the games at Escape Colchester over the years and found them to be pretty good. Linda & I played Sweeney Todd as a duo and found it very challenging, while 221b Baker Street was perfect for some newbies we took along.
8 Years Later is said to be the hardest game at this venue, which was exactly what we wanted as an experienced team of three.
The game is well constructed and has some unusual twists on common escape room puzzles. There’s also a computer terminal with several different riddles which is a little unusual. If a code cannot be used to open a padlock, it probably has to be entered into the computer…
8 Years Later is clearly well-designed because none of us thought to look at the game clock for the first 25 minutes. That’s a sign that the room is both immersive and engaging – extremely important factors when choosing an escape room.
Top Tip: Looking for a discount on 8 Years Later or other Esacpe Colchester escape rooms? Check out our Complete List of Escape Room Discount Codes
This is a one-and-done game, although you will need to pay attention to solve the final challenge. Props and puzzles are used once, then you move on to the next challenge. This is definitely our preferred game format.
The game flowed smoothly, there was always something to do and, most importantly, we escaped within our one hour time limit. Not too fast and not too slow, so we feel like we got our money’s worth.
Also, zombie theming – a definite win for us.
Any criticisms?
Nope, 8 Days Later lived up to its billing as the hardest room at Escape Colchester – which is exactly what we were hoping for. Perhaps the only potential negative is that the linear nature of the puzzles sometimes makes it hard for everyone to get involved.
This creates a problem – larger, experienced escape room teams may find someone is standing around doing nothing while everyone else is ‘working’.
Conclusion
Escape Colchester bills the 8 Years Later escape room as their most difficult. It is certainly much harder than 221b Baker Street, but experienced players should be able to get through it successfully.
The room has been well-maintained and none of the decor is worn-out or damaged. Everything works, there were no technology failures and the game play was smooth.
The game felt suitably challenging and we made good progress. At no point did we lose interest or become frustrated – and that’s the sign of a good escape room.
Our game stats:
Number of players: 3 (aged 23 – 61)
Time taken: 48 minutes
Number of clues: 1
Did we escape? Yes
Did we have fun? Yes
Price: £84.00 (£28 per player)*
Would we recommend? Yes
Rating: 4 out of 5
Other important stats for the 8 Years Later escape room:
Time limit: 60 minutes
Mobility rating: 5 out of 5 (the game operates on one level and is located on the ground floor).
Live actors: No
Jump scares: No
Escape Colchester difficulty rating: 5 out of 5
Official website: Escape Colchester
Where is the 8 Years Later escape room in Colchester?
Escape Colchester is located on Long Wyre Street in Colchester, opposite No Name Bar & Games (the old Argos store).
We use the Britannia Car Park behind Colchester Town station. It may not be the closest, but we find it quite easy to get a space. It is a short walk up the hill from the car park to the escape room.
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Disclosure
* We purchased a half-price gift voucher last year, significantly reducing the overall cost of playing
We did not receive any incentives or compensation for this 8 Years Later escape room review.
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