Key Info
- Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, England
- 60 Minute Game
- 2 - 6 Players
- Escape Rate not Stated
- £27 Per Player
- Free Parking Onsite
- 8/10 Difficulty
We Escaped In
36 Minutes 44 Seconds
- Pete, Nate
- May 2023
Room Brief
Even in the face of danger, the fate of countless lives rests in your hands. Coded enemy messages hold the key to preventing further devastation. Can you crack the code before time runs out?
Arrival
When we heard that a new escape room had opened up in Milton Keynes, we were really excited to head down to Bletchley and give Cipher Escape a go. The escape room scene across the city really is a story of two halves. There are some great independently run rooms and some decent chains (controversial I know), however there are also some really poorly executed games which we’ve played and been disappointed by in the past.Â
Being familiar with the area, an industrial estate in Central Bletchley didn’t fill us with heaps of confidence but we know from experience that locations can be deceiving! After parking up we made our way to the Formula Fast go Karting site and bolted on the side was Cipher.Â
For those who have visited nearby Bletchley Park, the unit is actually very similar to the huts that were used during the War (now housing the museum) which definitely reassured us that this was one of MK’s more considered games. With sandbags around the entrance and camo nets over the doorway, we couldn’t wait to see what the room looked like inside!
Immersion
Pete
Nate
There’s a lot of attention to detail at Cipher. Not only does the outside of the venue look the part, once inside the lobby area we were greeted with music from the 1940’s and dim mood lighting. The whole area was furnished with retro looking props and ornaments and the whole place wouldn’t have looked out of place at Bletchley Park itself.Â
Thankfully, the fantastic attention to detail outside the venue and in the lobby is carried through into the game itself which is authentically kitted out and atmospheric. Nothing looks out of place and its great to see that the machinery and gadgets incorporated into the game are either authentic, or designed to look as authentic as possible. Massive kudos to the authentic looking code breaker machine that dominates the room, having visited the real machines down the road, this really does look the part!
It’s easy for World War II themed rooms to include cliché nods to the era that dont fit the narrative of the game at play just dotted around for good measure. That wasn’t the case in Hut 17 where everything felt very considered with theme and scenario appropriate décor.Â
Without spoilers, the game grows in atmosphere as it nears conclusion. This was a brilliant way to generate a sense of urgency and really immersed us in the gameplay.Â
Puzzles & Challenges
Pete
Nate
Hut 17 is a code breaking game that follows the tried and tested order of play that begins with finding parts to the machinery, working out how to operate said machinery, figuring out the code and then relaying this back in order to prevent disastrous consequences.
It’s a scenario we’ve played a few times now but Hut 17 is probably the best executed version we’ve played. A big part of this is due to the fact that the story and theming are consistent throughout the game. The whole scenario felt very realistic and the individual puzzles we needed to overcome did not feel out of place at any point.
We particularly enjoyed that we had to make use of retro technology and gadgets, not just the obvious decoder but items like Telephones, Morse Code machines and a Wireless. It was an ingeniously clever use of quite high-tech puzzles in a room that could easily have relied on padlocks and keys to create a sense of immersion.
Whilst there was a clear flow to our gameplay and a linear story line, there was also enough flexibility that meant two (or more) players could be solving puzzles around the room at any one time. As the game progressed, more puzzles required us to work together but we felt the balance was hit right at Hut 17. We imagine some teams lose a bit of time trying to figure out the Morse Code, which is an unavoidable part of the game.
The final stages of the game are brilliant, with puzzles and atmosphere combining to make something of a nail biting finish to the room! We were over the moon to escape Hut 17 in just 36 minutes.
Games Master & Clues
Pete
Nate
We found the team at Cipher to be friendly and helpful at the time of our last minute booking. Our welcome didn’t feel scripted and we liked that our host actually changed what they told us when we said yes to the “have you played rooms before” question. This meant we weren’t introduced to every variety of lock known to man before getting started!
Once inside we did not make use of the clue system but had we needed to, we would have contacted our games master through a vintage looking telephone receiver fixed to the wall. This is another fantastic way of keeping up the full sense of immersion. Â
Value for Money
Pete
Nate
Per player we paid £27 to complete Hut 17.
This feels about average for an escape room in the city but when we’re comparing the quality of play at Cipher to other MK rooms this feels like an absolute bargain.
Parking just across from the venue is free of charge too!
Enjoyment
Pete
Nate
Hut 17 at Cipher is without a doubt our favourite Escape Room to date in Milton Keynes. It’s great mix of authentic theming, novel takes on puzzles and consistent scenario meant we left feeling not only really pleased with our times but also happy that there was a serious venue with high quality rooms in the local area.Â
Despite escaping in just over half of our alloted time.,Â
We’re eagerly awaiting the opening of Cipher’s much anticipated follow up games to see if we can’t grab a place on those leaderboards!Â
