The Vault

Escape Rooms Canberra (Canberra, Australia)

Time limit: 60 minutes

Age limit: Recommended 10+

Player limit: 2-7 (Recommended 2-5)

Difficulty: 3.5/5 (success rate 56%)

Awards: TERPECA Nominee (2020-2022)

Date visited: June 2025

Following a quick bite at a nearby shopping centre, we returned to Escape Rooms Canberra (ERC) super hyped for our next room, The Vault. The story is a unique and unusual one — you are tasked with preventing a post-apocalyptic apocalypse that has been set in motion by a doomsday cult.

There's really no other way to put it — The Vault is simply magnificent. This was an exhilarating experience from start to finish. It felt big, epic, and intense, like something was truly at stake. Like all the great rooms, it made terrific use of space, making you feel like you are progressing deeper and deeper into the bunker as you overcome one challenge after another.

The theming had a lot to do with it. It was dim, metallic, mechanical... everything felt reinforced and heavy. It looked futuristic but also retro and nostalgic. The fantastic rooms at Riddle Room came across as very professional, clean, and polished, but the look and feel of the rooms at ERC were more rough, rugged, with a gritty realism that in my opinion amplified the immersion even more. The atmosphere was incredible.

The puzzles were also brilliantly designed. There was quite a variety of different types of puzzles, but nothing felt out of place, and everything that needed to be solved felt like it had a purpose in helping you progress. The tech was seamlessly integrated, and I loved the design of the old-school interfaces you had to interact with. You could tell a lot of thought, care, and attention to detail was poured into every aspect of this room.

Though we sped through The Vault in under 37 minutes, we thoroughly enjoyed every second we were in there. It ticked all the boxes from a technical perspective and also happened to be super fun. I was certain I had found my favourite room in Canberra... that is, until we played our final room at ERC, Curio... (review coming up next!)

Escape time: 36 minutes and 42 seconds

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

Verdict: An exhilarating, immersive experience with ranks among the best in Australia.

OVERALL RANK:

H	E	Z	J
A+	A	A+	A+