Metamorphosis

The Cipher Room - St Peters (Sydney, Australia)

Time limit: 60 minutes

Age limit: Recommended for age 12+ (creepy atmosphere/themes)

Player limit: 2-8 (recommended 3-6)

Difficulty: 4/5

Date visited: November 2025

It's hard to believe, but the last time we visited The Cipher Room was to play Espionage in October 2024. At the time, we were optimistic we would be back to play Metamorphosis soon-ish, though I always prefer that escape room builders take their time to deliver the best experience possible.

To be honest, I was a little nervous going in. Apart from the anticipation that had built up over the past year, I was concerned that my expectations may have evolved beyond reasonable. After all, Espionage was just our 21st escape room experience (Marlowe Hotel was 4th, La Rebellion was 6th, Mr Pepper’s was 7th, The Cabin was 9th), and this was going to be No. 102 for me! My idea of what is a great room and what is a "wow" moment is night and day compared to what it was back then.

Now, I don't want to create unrealistic expectations for anyone reading this, but Metamorphosis was definitely well worth the wait and a certified banger!

Cipher's 6th and newest room has a creepy post-apocalyptic theme that revolves around a bunker in the aftermath of a viral outbreak that has turned people into mutant monsters. I love that all of Cipher's rooms have very different themes, and more importantly, the types of puzzles you will encounter vary depending on the theme, ensuring that every visit delivers a unique experience.

Here are my thoughts:

• Metamorphosis delivered the usual meticulous theming, immersive atmosphere, and fun puzzles we have come to expect from Cipher, but it also experimented with new elements we had not seen from them before.

• The main additions came in the form of a more in-depth narrative and audiovisual media, including video, video-game style interfaces, and voiceovers.

• The dark, creepy, post-apocalyptic vibe was captured very well by the set design, which featured a combination of heavy metallic props and old-school equipment. Despite being dimly lit, we had little trouble seeing what we needed to see, including the exquisite attention to detail put into every facet of the room.

• It felt like their most high-tech room to date, not just in terms of the puzzles but also the props and various other mechanisms and moving parts, many of which were surprising because they subverted our expectations through misdirection and by playing with our assumptions.

• While it is indeed more narrative-driven, the storytelling is not aggressive. Apart from a couple of voice recordings, most of the story trickled through exploration and puzzle-solving.

• One of the most impressive things about Metamorphosis was its ingenious use of space. While it’s probably not Cipher’s largest room, it absolutely felt like it was because we were moving not just horizontally but also vertically. And unlike most other rooms, when we entered a new space in Metamorphosis, it was rarely clear where we would be headed next.

• As such, this is Cipher’s first “non-accessible room” because of the stairs, and there was also some crawling involved, though not everybody had to do it.

• A common feature of Cipher’s newer rooms has been “wow” moments, and Metamorphosis certainly had a few impressive ones, though I think they're more in the "cool" category than the "jaw-dropping" type as seen in the memorable climax of Mr Pepper’s.

• It was not a difficult room for us but still sufficiently challenging for a fun time, and I think at about the right level to satisfy players of all experience levels without being too simple or frustrating.

• We completed the room in 39 minutes without a clue, making it our second-fastest finish at Cipher after Espionage, their easiest room, though it should be noted that we had played around more 80 rooms since our last visit. Some in our team said it felt like there weren't a lot of puzzles, but I personally think they balanced quantity and difficulty quite well.

We were very fortunate to be greeted by Cipher owner Marise at the end of the game, allowing us to express our appreciation and chat about the rooms we've played and intend to play. We owe much of our escape room obsession to our experiences at Cipher, and for that we will always be grateful.

I've always said that Cipher is the best overall escape room establishment in Australia — taking into account everything from the set design, quality of props, atmosphere and attention to detail to the number of available rooms and thematic diversity. Other establishments may have individual rooms that are bigger in scale, more extravagant, or are even more immersive and thrilling, yet Cipher's breadth of experiences and average quality remains the most impressive in the local industry, with nary a weak link and loftier peaks than most. And unsurprisingly, Metamorphosis has just raised that bar even higher.

Escape time: 39 minutes out of 60

Theming	Atmosphere	Puzzles	Creativity	Fun
A+	A+	A-	A+	A

Verdict: The Cipher Room has done it again! With sublime theming, immersive atmosphere, challenging but fair puzzles, and plenty of cool moments, Metamorphosis is another brilliant addition to Australia's best overall escape room establishment.

OVERALL RANK:

H	E	Z	J
A+	A	A+	A+