Magic Universe

Being in a group that cumulatively played close to 6000 rooms I can say we’ve seen a lot of innovation, but nothing prepared me for “Magic Universe” by Mad Land in Madrid. This is more than an escape room, it’s a glimpse into the future of immersive entertainment. I’ll say it outright: this is the best escape room I have ever played.

Intro

The immersion begins in the fully-themed reception area, which even includes a bathroom (rare in Madrid!). The scale of the experience is breathtaking: Magic Universe is built in a 600 square meters space that soars to a height of 11 meters. It’s like stepping into Hogwarts, but even that comparison falls short: this is Harrenfall! What’s even more impressive is the technology working behind the scenes. The team at Mad Land has custom-built a unique system, including a ceiling that can be lowered with all the technical installations, allowing for seamless and magical transformations of the space and a modular set of controls that will allow them to run at least two sessions at a time without compromising any of the groups’ experiences.

Acting

What truly sets “Magic Universe” apart, however, are the live performances. The integration of live actors in a non-horror room is setting a new precedent. The choreography is beautifully rehearsed, blending with the environment which reacts to the actors’ moves with impeccable timing. We met more characters than I can count on one hand, each one interacting with us making us feel like the main character of our own story. This is the only escape room performance that achieved getting a tear out of me, while getting nostalgic flashbacks of my teenager self reading HP’s books instead of doing my homework.

Puzzles & spaces

The way the spaces are manipulated, lifted, twisted, shaken, hidden and magically displaced around you is something I’ve never witnessed before. It’s pure magic. Puzzles emphasize cooperation (which I love!) and blend seamlessly with the theme. They lean on the skill & dexterity side more than the brainy one – but they make so much sense in the context of what your characters are trying to achieve.

Story

The narrative itself is as ambitious as the design. In this first chapter, we experienced the story from the perspective of Aranis. Mad Land has plans for future chapters that will explore the same story from different points of view, eventually expanding the playing area to an incredible 1000 square meters. While some spaces may be shared, they will be interacted with in completely different ways. This is a brilliant concept that will surely have players coming back for more. The level of detail is astounding, with other players mentioning they’ve made new discoveries even in a second (or third!) playthrough.

Escake

A special congrats to Heiner, who celebrated his 3600th room with “Magic Universe”. What a room to choose for such a milestone!