Social Escape Rooms - Alexandria (Sydney, Australia)
Time limit: None (approx. 60 minutes)
Age limit: None
Players: 1-6 (recommended 2-4)
Difficulty: Medium
Immediately after coming out of Ransom, we started chatting with our GM and the conversation turned to Social Escape's "portable" escape room,The First of Them, a clever spin on the title of my favourite video game of all time. We initially hadn't planned on getting it, because it's quite pricey at $150 for an overnight (plus an extra $100 security deposit, refunded upon return), but we were so impressed with the puzzles in Ransom that the kids managed to convince me. Good decision.
The First of Them will make you throw out every preconceived notion you might have about a play-at-home escape game. It is hands down the best tabletop escape room — if you can even categorise it as that — we have ever played. And it's not even close.
Much like The Last of Us, the story of The First of Them revolves around an outbreak of the cordyceps virus. The players are tasked with deciphering the secrets of a large metal box that has been smuggled out of a lab where vaccine research is being carried out. There is no time limit, though we were told it takes around 60-90 minutes to complete, partly dependent on how much reading of the backstory you want to do. There is also no player limit, though 2-4 felt about right to us.
I hesitate to say The First of Them is a tabletop game because it is essentially a full real-life escape room encapsulated in a box. You can tell right from the start because of how heavy the box is! The production value is off the charts. Every item in the box is exquisitely designed and crafted by Social Escape's owner, Mark. The quality is on par or in some cases better than anything you'd find in a physical escape room you'd walk into. The puzzles are made plastic pieces, fabrics, metallic objects, and even some electronic stuff that really wowed us. And it's all sturdy and built to last — no flimsy pieces of paper. Even the written materials are printed on canvas or cardboard.
The game flow is very smooth too. There are actually three medium-sized metallic boxes inside the main one, and the various items inside each box are labelled to let you know which puzzle they correspond to. This is not something you'd encounter in a real-life escape room, but it's necessary here to ensure there's no confusion and that the game items are used in a linear fashion. Although we didn't any hints to complete the game, there is a QR code inside the box that you can scan to access hints online.
I know the price point might make some wonder if The First of Them worth it, but in our view it absolutely is. You are getting puzzles and props as good as a physical escape room, and the price per player is relatively decent if you have 3 or 4 players. And since there are instructions on how to reset the box, you could potentially share the game with another group once you're done and split the price (as long as it is returned by 12pm the next day).
I had a good chat with Mark when I returned the box the next day and he even gave me a sneak peek of his workshop, where all the props and puzzles and designed and built. As at the date of this review, he has two duplicate The First of Them boxes, and the aim is to build more so that larger (and even corporate) groups can rent them out together and compete against each other. It's a brilliant idea and also quite cost effective. I really hope The First of Them is the first of many more Social Escape portable games to come, because they truly are perfect for parties, gatherings, or a fun night home with the family.
Rating: 10/10 (unanimous across the board)
Note: You can rent The First of Them on the Social Escape website and pick it up in person, or try your luck directly at the premises to see if they have any boxes available. Just be mindful that the box is a little heavy and you will need to carry it down the stairs (staff are happy to help if needed).
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