House of Twisted Minds
New, high-quality games tend to rise quickly on Escapetalk, and this game—likely under most people’s radar until recently—has now reached position number 5 in the Benelux ranking at the time of writing.
That being said, rankings on Escapetalk do not always align with international rankings such as Terpeca or the Escape Roomers ranked playlist. The Dome might be the best example: as far as I remember, it never even reached the Top 10 on Escapetalk, while it was ranked Terpeca’s number one twice and, even now, remains highly regarded after so many years. Other new games in the country are inexplicably ranked lower than older and less sophisticated ones. This makes me wonder whether it’s due to a peculiarity of the local escape room culture or because Escapetalk gathers more opinions from less experienced (and less travelled) players compared to international rankings.
Why bring this up? Because seeing this game ranked above many Terpeca winners on Escapetalk might create overly high expectations—and going in with such expectations can only lead to disappointment. That’s why I want to start this review by analyzing why it might be ranked so highly.
Traditionally, the Netherlands—like Germany in the past—had few rooms with actors and not many true horror rooms. Currently, all six top-ranked games on Escapetalk feature actors, and if not horror, at least some scary elements. These kinds of games are still a novelty in the country, unlike in Spain or Greece, where actor-led(horror) escape rooms number in the hundreds. This is important because I want to evaluate the game fairly in relation to the local market but also from the perspective of a well-traveled enthusiast.
The room itself is well-built—as the name suggests, it’s a house—and is comparable in quality to many top games in the Netherlands. Overall, building quality in Dutch escape rooms is generally excellent, and this one is no exception. Some of the puzzles were on the simpler side, which isn’t surprising for a horror-themed room. Sound and lighting work well together to create the right atmosphere. The standout factor, as mentioned above, comes from the acting. Without giving away details, the actor’s role was convincing and played a key part in the overall experience. They did a fantastic job.
However, it’s worth noting—especially for players familiar with Athens—that while this game might be a novelty locally, it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking ideas on an international level. I would describe it as a classic Dutch game (in the best sense of the word) enhanced by a touch of Athens-style acting.
All in all, it’s a great addition to the local market, and its location in Amersfoort makes it easy to include in any escape room trip to the Netherlands.
