We shall start this with a little poem.
In the heart of Hanley , Stoke On Trent
Is a white brick building with hellish intent
Hidden behind an unassuming door
Nightmares await on different floors
The curator of darkness, Damon his name
Welcomed us in to play his game
Watching in darkness to see if we would escape or if Riser Kane and Phobia would seal our fate…
The reason I started this review with a poem is simple. Damon and Lucas deserve it. They have such a love and care for the industry and if anything can be said to sum up Damon and his Son is they are not in it for the money but rather the enjoyment and reactions of their guests.
Paralysis Escape Rooms is like going on a trip to a horror friends house and we loved every second being there.
Damon set the scene of our game with great detail and really instilled a level of dread that myself “Dan” and everyone else attending had probably not felt in a long while before taking on a horror experience, And that is the key phrase here, Yes Phobia is an Escape Room but in reality its a 1hour horror experience with escape room ingenuity.
The location of Phobia was pure genuis as being in the cellar gave such an organic feel to the experience. The naturally dank smell, the cold brick walls, the low ceiling, the dusty floor all combined with nods to different areas of a horror, No spoilers but you will easily see where inspiration has come from and once that door closes your battle between getting out of the room and just completing some of the dreaded tasks sets in. Phobia has a way of really effecting your nerves, Some tricks we have seen before but there is something about the way that Paralysis harnesses these techniques and makes them feel fresh and terrifyingly new. It’s so hard to actually highlight all the inclusions that make Phobia such a raving sucess without giving secrets away so I may have to end the review here. Safe to say we did escape with 23 minutes left but we can all say we didnt want the game to end but rather to go on even longer and take us deeper into our nightmares and fears. To create a game where the players want it to go on longer is such an acheivement and the Paralysis team need to be commended for this.
After the game there is chance to visit the Redrum Bar (Get it?) For a reasonably priced tipple and to have a look at some amazing memorabilia for horror and paranormal fantatics alike. All thats left to say is we cant wait to head back on Tuesday and take on Entity, We have no doubt that it will be just as engaging and fear enducing as Phobia. Anything that can make us relive that sense of worry like before going into our first ever scare attraction is always a welcome addition and we cant wait to see what the years ahead will provide from TeamParalysis , One thing is for sure though, We will be there for the whole dark ride into the shadows with them.
Thankyou Paralysis
Dan ,Dane and Pagan