TOP GERMANY
by ” LE MEILLEUR ESCAPE GAME “
Updated in May 2023
What is the best escape room in Germany?
We discovered Germany in 2022 and 2023 in road trips that also included some escape games in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Don’t be afraid of miles to fully appreciate the German escape room diversity. In fact, the main areas of interest are divided into three major regions/cities:
– North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW, former mining area now densely populated with the cities of Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Cologne)
– Hamburg
– Berlin
If you run out of time, focus on NRW or a Hamburg-Berlin journey. The NRW will be easier to discover by renting a car. On the other hand, you can get to the escape rooms of Berlin and Hamburg very easily thanks to public transport. In addition, the two cities are very well connected thanks to a train that lasts around 2 hours.
Specificities of German escape rooms:
The themes are multiple but often put the player in the role of an adventurer.
The horror genre was not well represented during our visit in 2022. But it’s clearly a trend that is now reversing. After importing Poltergeist directly from Prague, Germany plans to duplicate four of the most renowned horror escape rooms in Athens.
We always appreciate scenarios that pay tribute to local heritage or history. This is the case for some escape rooms at The Room and The Hidden Chamber.
We also discovered unique locations to host an escape room, such as an authentic cargo sailboat (Hidden Games) or beneath a railway station (Salzufler Unterwelt).
Brandon Darkmoor is the masterpiece of The Room… It’s worth a trip to Berlin on its own. What can I say, except that the wonder is total and constant throughout the game. The work on the sound and lighting ambiance is done masterfully. So much so that a staging effect completely disoriented us. As its creator, Chris Lattner, explains, every action in an escape room must be coherent and connected to the storyline. Amen, you’ve understood and said it all, and that’s what accounts for your success. Brandon Darkmoor is undoubtedly one of the best escape room in Europe.
#2
THE HIDDEN CHAMBER
Salzufler Unterwelt
@Bad Salzuflen/Allemagne
Hidden Chamber is an escape room far, very far from the typical German tourist destinations. Without the wise recommendations of local players, we would have never come to play at Salzufler Unterwelt. So, thanks to them because this escape room is also a must. Using an authentic location steeped in history for an Indiana Jones-style adventure is a feat. Each solved puzzle triggers a multitude of sound and light effects that further immerse the player. It’s not surprising that The Room took part in creating this room!
#3
ERNIE HUDSON AND THE ZOO OF DEATH
Skurrilum
@Hambourg/Allemagne
One of Skurrilum’s specificities is placing emphasis on storytelling right from the first room. The story is told through vintage-toned audios that contribute to the authenticity of the narrative. We love the integration of the game master in the first room, which provides moments of pure laugh. If this character had been fully represented, it probably would have been less credible. Here, it’s only suggested, and it’s your brain that imagines the rest: brillant!
#4
ERNIE HUDSON AND THE WAILING WOMAN
Skurrilum
@Hambourg/Allemagne
Skurrilum is definitely the escape room not to be missed during a trip to Hamburg. This room is not the most recent, and yet it still impresses. The deployed technical means are admirable. We appreciate the transition between two rooms thanks to an artifice that is probably ahead of its time. The narration engages players until the final twist that will surprise many.
#5
IT’S BACK
The Code Agency
@Düsseldorf/Allemagne
After importing Poltergeist from Prague, The Code Agency is launching its own horror adventure. The narrative and visual ambiance bear a resemblance to the film “It,” which clearly serves as inspiration for this escape room. The set design is of high quality and quite faithful to the movie. There are several well-executed contemplative and theatrical scenes throughout. The final sequence is skillfully staged, providing a visually remarkable conclusion to the adventure.
#6
NEPTUNS CURSE
Hidden in Hamburg
@Hambourg/Allemagne
Neptune’s Curse fully exploits the structure of the ship that hosts it. Because yes, this escape room is playable on an authentic boat moored in the port of Hamburg. The rather challenging difficulty level is excellent for confronting multiple well-designed puzzles. It brings back the adrenaline and challenge that were the strengths of early escape rooms.
#7
THE LOST TREASURE OF ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT
The Room
@Berlin/Allemagne
This room is known to be one of the best in the world during our test. So, we were probably expecting a little too much for an escape room created in 2015. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an excellent game with meticulously designed sets and a beautiful staging. But innovation has continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible in an escape room since then.
#8
THE ALLEY
Rätselraum Ruhrpott
@Bochum/Allemagne
This is one of the escape rooms that most faithfully reproduces the beauty of Diagon Alley. Harry Potter fans must visit this room to appreciate the sets. However, the second part of the adventure diminishes the wonder with weak sound ambiance and less elaborate sets.
#9
THE SEARCH FOR THE SCEPTER OF LIGHT
The Code Agency
@Düsseldorf/Allemagne
An original approach with the ambition to take you on a journey through different eras. The sets are well-executed, with the final room particularly well-themed.
#10
BEAST OF BERLIN
The Room
@Berlin/Allemagne
Beast of Berlin has been completely rebuilt since its creation in 2014. While we were expecting more from this escape room, it impressed us with its finale that had a collective hypnotic feel.
#11
THE FORBIDDEN GAME
Hidden in Hamburg
@Hambourg/Allemagne
A good escape room that is also located on one of Hidden Games’ ships. It’s not a horror-themed room but rather an escape room with moderate tension.
#11
PRIVATE DETECTIVE SIR PETER MORGAN AND “THE HEIR OF DRACULA”
Alma Park
@Geslenkirchen/Allemagne
We left The Heir of Dracula with a lot of frustration. The gameplay area is huge, and you can feel that this escape room had ambitious goals. However, the catastrophic game design completely ruined our experience. We had no idea what or where to search to progress in the story. Additionally, a translation oversight caused us to wander for 10 minutes before the game master intervened. It’s such a shame for this room, as it could have ranked among the top of this list.
#13
TEARS OF HEKATE
The Code Agency
@Düsseldorf/Allemagne
We didn’t enjoy the concept of Tears of Hekate at all. Here, you’ll find a jumble of puzzles with no connection to the story. And if you don’t solve them within the time limit, the door to the next room will open automatically. A random scoring system completes the adventure. Several mechanisms were malfunctioning, highlighting a lack of maintenance for this very recent escape room during our test.
#14
PANZERKNACKER – THE ART OF STEALING
Limbus Escape Center
@Krefeld/Allemagne
When we discovered the reception area, our enthusiasm was hard to contain. In a perfectly executed steampunk style, this bar/escape room is a marvel. Unfortunately, our positive experience ended once we crossed the entrance door of the game itself. The briefing was by far the most laborious we have ever experienced. The basic rules of the escape room were presented via a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation. Inside, the game features very traditional puzzles without integration into the adventure. The objective is to solve as many puzzles as possible to accumulate the most money. We recommend experiencing this game for yourself, as our opinion diverges strongly from the community that ranks this escape room among the best in the region.
