There are few things more unsettling than the thought of crossing enemy lines on the brink of World War Two.
Well, except for maybe the prospect of spending an entire hour locked in a room with one’s family.
MM saw these two scenarios merge together and become a reality when visiting the city’s newest breakout rooms, Lucardo.
Based in Ancoats, Lucardo have set a high standard for live action games by offering five unique – and notoriously difficult – areas with which to escape.
Teams willing to give one a go can be made up of friends, work colleagues and even perspective sweethearts come Valentine’s Day.
However, on this occasion it was a family-of-six who stepped up to the plate with two distinct aims.
The first: to taste freedom before the clock ticked down to zero.
The second: to finish the game without locking horns.
So how did it go?
A FAMILY AFFAIR: It’s sure to be a testing hour for most relatives
For 60minutes, ‘Team Roberts’ became the British Secret Intelligence Service to tackle Espionage.
The mission calls upon players to retrieve classified documents stolen before the outbreak of war in 1938.
Groups find themselves entering a makeshift bunker with the aim of discovering a secret door within the designated timeframe.
Of course, it’s much easier said than done.
There are numerous puzzles to solve and clues to work out – not to mention more locks than you can count.
And in the end the hour actually flashes before your eyes as the prospect of defeat looms closer and closer.
Luckily with the help of one or two hints, Team Roberts were able to get out with just over nine minutes to spare and all relationships still intact (albeit there was a delicate moment when two bickering brothers almost came to blows).
Overall, it’s hard to imagine that someone wouldn’t enjoy an afternoon at Lucardo.
From the intricate plots to the enthusiastic staff, it’s surely one of the best ways to spend an hour in Manchester.
*For more information on booking a session, visit https://lucardo.com/home.
