The Cipher Room - St Peters (Sydney, Australia)
Time limit: 60 minutes
Age limit: Recommended for age 16+ (spooky atmosphere, minor jump scares)
Player limit: 2-8 (recommended 2-5)
Difficulty: 3.5/5
Awards: TERPECA Nominee (2021), TERPECA Finalist (2022-2023), Best of Morty 2023, Golden Lock 2024
Date visited: August 2024
As a big horror fan, Mr Pepper’s Toy Shop was at the very top of my anticipation list, and hence expectations — as well as nerves — were raised even higher after our fabulous experience at La Rebellion a couple of weeks earlier.
And of course, Cipher delivered again in a massive way with another incredible escape room that ticks all the boxes. The first thing you notice inside Mr Pepper’s Toy Shop is the creepy atmosphere and lighting. It really does feel like an old-school toy store that has been abandoned for decades, with realistic wall stains and creaky floorboards, all of which are by intricate and thoughtful design. The classic toys also have an eerie feel to them, with the wood and metal textures making the types of noises you would expect to hear in a horror film just before a jump scare.
Speaking of jump scares, there are a few littered throughout, though they were never intended to be the focus of the room. Mr Pepper’s is all about the atmosphere, anticipation, and sense of dread — the elements that make a horror movie great. We were kept on our toes the entire time, never knowing what would come next.
The story is rather generic, but there is a narrative thread that progresses as you move through the room, revealed in snippets of information found on the walls, which you can choose to engage with at your leisure or skip altogether. I really like how this gives you the option of choosing whether you want to be more immersed in the story or just keep attacking the puzzles.
We had a lot of fun with the puzzles in Mr Pepper's, all of which cleverly revolve around the toy store theme, make use of the props, and flow. One of the things that Cipher does really well is their use of technology. There’s plenty of it weaving through the props and puzzles in this room, though it’s hidden so well that it never breaks the atmosphere or immersion. I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly difficult room. It’s challenging enough to make you really think, but not to the point of making the experience frustrating. The kids were especially on the ball that day and we managed to blitz through it faster than any room we had done by that point, even though we never rushed and there were times when we had to simply stop and appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful set design.
All of the above praise already makes Mr Pepper’s an outstanding room, but what really makes it truly magical and unforgettable are the impressive “wow” moments it delivers. There are at least two that I will always remember because I was gobsmacked by their execution and production value. The ending, in particular, left our jaws on the floor and had us talking about it for the rest of the day.
Escape time: 43 minutes out of 60
Rating: 9.45
Player | Theming | Atmosphere | Puzzles | Creativity | Fun | Average |
H | 9.5 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.3 |
E | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
Z | 10 | 10 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.7 |
J | 10 | 9.5 | 10 | 9.5 | 10 | 9.8 |
Rating | 9.45 |
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