Played: 2025 | Team Size: 2 | Escape Time: 1:05:45 | Success/Fail: Fail
The Underworld Escape Room is an experience like no other, where every step forward unveils a new layer of mystery and intrigue. Can you decipher the ancient riddles, outsmart the enigmatic guardians, and find your way to freedom?
Short Review (For Quick Readers)
✅ Unique Pre-Game Experience
The Great Escape venue is located on the 4th floor and features the Haunted Hound bar, where players can buy drinks before and even take them into the game which was a first for us and a fun twist on the usual escape room experience.
✅ Creative Puzzle Mechanics
The room had some unique mechanics, including a moment where one player is required to crawl which is always a hit for us! The puzzles were logical, challenging, and required genuine lateral thinking, which fits with the room’s advertised difficulty.
✅ Atmospheric Set Design
The graveyard setting was dark and immersive, making great use of lighting and props to create a mysterious feel.
❌ Lack of Story & Scene Setting
There was no intro or backstory before entering the room, which made the experience feel a bit directionless. If a set is crafted so well, it deserves a narrative to enhance immersion.
❌ Puzzle Variety & Room Flow
While the puzzles were logically sound, there were fewer puzzles than expected, and many followed a similar structure. Without a clear progression or storyline, it sometimes felt disjointed.
❌ Limited Games Master Involvement
The games master took a very passive approach, only providing hints when requested via the walkie-talkie. We prefer a more interactive approach, where the GM steps in when they notice a team struggling.
❌ No Countdown Timer
A visible or audible timer would have helped increase tension and awareness of how much time remained.
Long Review (For Escape Room Enthusiasts)
Arrival & First Impressions
This was our first time visiting The Great Escape in Leeds, West Yorkshire and once we had made it up to the 4th floor venue, we found ourselves in the quirky Haunted Hound bar area. This was a first for us and it’s the only escape room to date we have visited that allow you buy drinks before your briefing and also take drinks into the escape room with you.
Choosing the Room
After reviewing our options, we decided to take ‘Underworld’ as we consider ourselves as lateral thinkers and this was rated a 5/5 on their website. A brief group induction covered all teams before we were led into the ‘Underworld’ and given a walkie talkie as communication to the games master.
Gameplay & Puzzles
There was no scene setting or backstory given which I always find a bit of a disappointment as it makes the room seem a little pointless. If you’re going to the effort to craft an impressive set, then you may as well sell it. The setting is a dark graveyard, and you do get a torch to search around. Looking back, this probably should be handed to you when you go into the room, as we put our belongings straight on top of it and found it 10 minutes later.
There were some fun and unique mechanics along the way which added to the experience and the puzzles themselves did have a degree of difficulty. One player is required to crawl at some point which is always a huge hit in our book and whilst this did keep us entertained, the room felt a little disjointed and we never really felt a sense of progression as there was no storyline to follow. Compared to other rooms, there were considerably less puzzles to solve and a lot of them were similar, but they were harder and required more brain power to solve so this makes sense.
Games Master & Hints
There was no countdown timer to tell us how long we had left, and I would say the games master took a very back seat approach whilst we were in the room. They made it clear that hints were available through the walkie talkie which is fine, however our favoured approach is being monitored and nudged along if we are seen to be struggling.
Final Thoughts
Underworld is a visually striking escape room with strong puzzles that genuinely test lateral thinking. However, it lacks a clear story and sense of progression, making it feel more like a collection of challenges than a fully immersive adventure. With stronger storytelling, more puzzle variety, and a more engaged games master, this could be a truly standout experience.
Location: Atlas House, 31 King St, Leeds LS1 2HL
Website: Underworld | The Great Escape Game
