SAW Escape Experience brings to London an adrenaline-fuelled, horror theatrical escape room type experience bringing to life Jigsaws twisted games from the classic movie franchise Saw.
Question is are you brave enough to play Jigsaws games?
Saw’s games will test your nerves as you challenge yourself as you try and crack puzzles to move on and exit with your life as you walk through various rooms through this participatory horror theatrical experience.
I was invited down on a press related experience.
SAW: Escape Experience London
In partnership with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures, experiential production company The Path Entertainment Group brings to London Saw The Experience, a brand-new, immersive, multi-room escape experience.
SAW: Escape Experience London is an adrenaline-fuelled, theatrical escape room experience which brings to life Jigsaws twisted games to London. There are two paths to choose from Jigsaw and Spiral. Those who are brave enough will face a number of challenges as you make your way through multi-rooms in which you have to crack puzzles as to help save a life and escape with your own life. Big question is “Live or die, make your choice!”
Jigsaw will test your mind, your mettle and your moral choices!
Want to play a game Joanne?
My Saw experience all started when I was sent a foot through the post, yes a foot. This was not a real foot though thankfully as it was an edible foot made from rice crispies courtesy of Molly Makes Cakes.
The toe on the foot had a tag reading the words “Want to play a game?”
Anyway I love horror movies and especially the Saw movies plus I love escape rooms so I just had to accept and take on the challenge and face my fears of what Jigsaw could have in store for me.
Before putting my life in danger and heading on into London to play some of Jigsaws classic games I had some fun with the edible foot which is made out of rice crispie’s, marshmallows, Belgian chocolate ganache and fondant.
One of my favourite scenes from Saw was the classic iconic scene from the very first Saw movie which saw Lawrence Gordon being tied to a radiator pipe so I tried to recreate this scene the best I could.
For those that might not know about Saw
If you have no idea what Saw is. Saw is a popular horror film franchise, which consist of 10 feature films, with a new one in the works. The movies is based on a fictional serial killer John Jigsaw Kramer, who put his victims in traps which he built himself and puts people through the test of their life to see if they are worthy to live or not.
To live or die
Accepting the invite by Jigsaw (PR team really) upon securing my booking I had to decide which of the two paths to take, either the Spiral or Jigsaw route. I chose the Spiral Route as I was told was more challenging.
What are the differences though between the two routes? The Jigsaw route is designed for those with disabilities especially those wheelchair bound. The Spiral route is a more challenging route which has tight and enclosed spaces, which requires players to crawl on their hands and knees so if you suffer with claustrophobia this route might not be for you. Be warned each path has flashing lights, strobe, smoke, special effects, and scenes of torture.
As SAW: Escape Experience London is a immersive escape room type experience you can’t just play the game by yourself so I convinced my friends Lilly, Joice, Lynsey, Gemma, and Jason to join me.
SAW: Escape Experience London is based near Tower Hill station. We booked for an evening in March and after walking down a few dark alleys with messages from Jigsaw sprayed on walls I and my friends finally found the venue which we were met by a host. We had to sign a waiver before entering. Once inside we had a photo opportunity and given a coloured hi-vis jacket each to wear. There are various different coloured jackets as it determines which team you are in and who to stick together with as there was other teams there on the night.
Whilst awaiting around we watch a TV a news report which showed a local protester who was against this new estate. It felt very real.
We all could become a gold investor if we wished but firstly before we decide the owner of the estate wanted to give us a guiding tour. However things took a sinister twist from that start as Jigsaw has taken over the complex and we come face to face with Billy who wants to play a game! We then soon are faced with many challenges from saving peoples lives and even our own. To live or die!
As I don’t want to give away too much from here on out, but let’s just say you will end up screaming. We faced a multiple number of rooms, but the first room me and my friends plus other teams we all had to work together to help save one of the captured owners of the estate by solving Jigsaws games, alas we failed. We then all were split as we all went different routes within out own teams throughout an array of rooms to help save other peoples lives as we took on various games set out by Jigsaw. All rooms there was a time limit with Billy appearing on screen from time to time making us nervous as we try our hardest to crack the puzzles.
The room I particularly enjoyed throughout my terrifying experience was the bathroom scene which really took my back thinking about the first ever Saw movie which saw two men trapped in a bathroom. That was also the room I was trying to re-enact with the foot I was sent through the post. The most scariest part of this room was looking through the overflow hole within the bathroom, question is are you brave enough to peak?
All the rooms we faced together had many challenges to tackle but alas we failed to complete each challenge we were faced which meant all those Jigsaw had held captured came to a gruesome death.
The end game saw all of us teams on the night come back together and we notice that the last owner of the estate is trapped in a deadly trap and Billy comes cycling in on his bike. Then we hear Jigsaw who tells us this is our final chance to proof ourselves and help save a life. This final challenge was vital that we all worked together and communication was vital but alas we all failed to work together which meant the last owner faced a bloody death.
Before leaving
To drown our sorrows of failing to help save anyone before heading on out of the building we headed into The Taproom (bar area) where we got to calm our nerves as we sat back and relaxed with a drink.
There are two themed cocktails, bottled beers, and soft drinks to choose from.
The themed cocktails there is one which comes with a needle and the other a blood bag?
I had the cocktail with the needle within which fruity and delicious.
Also whilst in the bar area you can check out your photos from what you had done at the beginning which can be viewed and purchased via the photo machine in the far corner of the bar.
There is also a small range of merchandise which you can purchase within the bar, such as a mask of Billy.
Just don’t stick around too long though as Jigsaw and his friends are watching from behind the central mirror and ready to play another game!
Peek inside
Verdict
SAW: Escape Experience London is the best immersive horror experience I have ever tackled. All the scenes, props, and messages from Billy & Jigsaw throughout the experience really did make it feel like I had jumped into the movie franchise.
The rooms provided many scares and tension as we as a team all tried to help save lives as we worked together throughout chilling rooms. Each room were all scenes on iconic scenes from the movie. We were told depending what path you take, and how well you do with each challenge will result in different outcomes so you could book for either Spiral or the Jigsaw route again and get a different journey.
The puzzles were great and clever but most are linear so has to be done in a certain order so sometimes we struggled at times and had to keep restarting the puzzle. This was because our actions were not quick enough but being under pressure and the tension of the setting made us panic a lot so we did not complete any of our rooms meaning that the person we were trying to save from Jigsaw always ended in tragedy. Despite this we still all had fun even though we was scared and screaming all the time.
Click below to be redirected to read the other write ups of those who joint me and made it out with our lives intact. Their views are of their own honest opinions.
A huge thank you to the team for inviting us to experience this brilliant new immersive escape room in London. They provided us 4 free tickets during a press preview one evening in March. We were allowed to take videos and pictures within reason to highlight some features you may see on your own journey. All views are my own honest opinion.
“I love going out discovering new and existing restaurants, theatres, immersive experiences and so much more but I also love staying in and discovering new gadgets, gaming and cooking.
