The Laboratory - Mama Bazooka

Overall Rating: 6.25

Location	Bunschoten, Netherlands
Date Played	February 10, 2024
Team Sizes	2-6 players; perfect for 2! We wouldn't recommend more than 4.
Duration	60 minutes
Website	https://escaperoom.nl/en/the-laboratory/

Set & Atmosphere – 6

Dark, moody, and unsettling, The Laboratory leans into its creepy "Frankenstein" vibe. Good lighting, ambient audio, and a few prop jump-scares created a tense atmosphere that kept us on edge. While not as expansive as The Dome, it still sports a room with solid use of technology.

Story & Immersion – 5.5

The narrative of a desperate scientist provides a backdrop, but it isn’t particularly deep. The puzzles tie loosely into the theme, and while the atmosphere is effective, the immersion doesn’t quite hit the mark. In hindsight, the story beats blur together compared to their other rooms and nothing stands out in memory.

Puzzles & Mechanics – 6.5

You can clearly see this room as an early testing ground for the grander innovations in The Dome. The puzzles themselves are solid but not standout, and a few were forgettable enough that they faded from memory quickly. On the plus side, the room supports parallelism, so two players can stay engaged.

Flow – 7

The progression is smooth enough, with no major bottlenecks. The room isn’t particularly large, but the flow is well-structured. Parallel puzzle paths kept us occupied, though nothing ever felt especially clever or groundbreaking.

Verdict – 6.25

The Laboratory is an above-average but not a spectacular room; it feels more like a precursor to greater things than a must-play on its own. It has a creepy vibe, some neat uses of tech, and a few fun puzzles, but it’s certainly a lighter experience compared to The Dome. Still, if you’re already making the trip to Mama Bazooka, it’s worth playing as part of a full day - just keep your expectations in check.