The Old Toy Store – Sic Mundus Krakow
Chilling, engaging, and truly unique! This is hands down the best room we, as a team, have done to date!
Game Master & Service
We were greeted by a friendly and kind game master who spoke fluent English. She smiled the entire time, and it felt genuine — we felt very welcome. When we asked questions about the room, we got almost no answers, which we later understood was intentional. It was all to preserve the mystery and maximize the experience. That said, we received all the necessary safety information before starting.
Puzzle Quality
What makes this room so special is the perfect balance between hands-on “do-it” puzzles and more traditional codes and padlocks. There are a lot of props scattered throughout the space, which can make it tricky to spot the puzzles at first — but with a full team of five, you’ll find them in no time! Many of the puzzles require real thinking and patience, so stay sharp and think outside the box — you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Effects
The room itself uses fairly simple effects, but they’re done cleverly. There are a couple of illusions that make you feel like the room is actually changing (you’ll understand once you're there!). However, the real “effect” here is the actor — and we strongly recommend adding the second actor option. It took the experience to another level. The acting gave us genuine chills and is the reason this room sits at the very top of the 50+ rooms we’ve played over the years. Since the room doesn’t offer much replay value, we highly recommend booking the full experience with both actors the first time around.
Number of Players
This room is designed for 2–5 players. There’s plenty of space and so much to do, so we had no trouble as a group of five. In fact, we’d recommend going with more than two players — with so many puzzles and 90 minutes on the clock, fewer players might find it overwhelming.
Difficulty Level
On Lockme, this room is rated as “experienced,” which corresponds to around 4 out of 5 in difficulty — and we agree! It’s definitely a tough room, best suited for experienced players. If you’ve done 10–20 rooms, this will be a great next challenge!
Conclusion
A must-play for all escape room enthusiasts! With an engaging story, challenging but logical puzzles, and unforgettable actor-driven moments, this is Team TBHE’s favorite room to date. The overall experience will stay with you long after you leave, and we still get chills thinking about some of the more intense scenes. Don’t miss it!
TL;DR
Pros:
- Great effects
- Smooth, well-functioning tech
- Logical and engaging puzzles
- Immersive story
- Fantastic actor performances
Cons:
- Could’ve been a little bit longer