The Hidden Room
Play modes: free, singleplayer
Release Date: 14-10-2021
Rating: 3.5/5
Developer: Mario Amato, Emanuele Avallone
Our verdict
6/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 1–2 h
The Hidden Room is a free single-player escape room from Mario Amato and Emanuele Avallone. You search the house of Tom Barkley, an American archaeologist who moved to Germany and is rumoured to have hidden a treasure there, solving puzzles room by room to find it. It suits players who want a no-cost taste of a first-person escape room before spending money on larger games.
Player opinion is split down the middle. Steam rates it Mixed, with about 125 of 193 reviews positive, and the written reviews say almost nothing, so there is little detail on which puzzles work and which do not. Unlike many free escape rooms it has achievements and supports Remote Play Together, so a friend can watch and help from their own screen.
The developers have since released a follow-up, The Hidden Room - Pyramid, which suggests the original was mostly a starting point. Because it costs nothing, the risk is only your time. Try it if you are curious or want something short to share over Remote Play; skip it if you want a polished, well-reviewed escape room.
Pros
- Completely free to play
- Treasure hunt through an archaeologist's house gives a clear goal
- Remote Play Together lets a friend join in
Cons
- Mixed reviews with about a third of players negative
- Little player feedback on puzzle quality
- Single-player only, no real co-op
About
Several popular rumors speak of a hidden treasure somewhere in the home of Tom Barkley, an American archaeologist who moved to Germany. You are looking for the treasure in his house, and after obtaining important information and details about it, you decide to try to recover it.
