The Locked Room: Operation Code Black

Rating: Different!
Completion Time: 45 minutes
Date Played: 22nd November 2020
Party Size: 1
Recommended For: Secret Agents
The lovely people at The Locked Room have a BRAND NEW online escape game out. I enjoyed their last game, The Heist and was excited to hear they’ve levelled up with Operation Code Black by using a new interactive system called Telescape!

In Operation Code Black, you collect evidence on the left hand side of your screen and used these panels to navigate back and forth between important clues, maps and locations. In the main portion of the screen is the page, clue, or location you’re currently on. On each there are clickable elements, hidden objects, and puzzles to be solved.
Your role, as a team of super spies, is to track down a mysterious criminal who has been taunting you all over the UK. It comes to a head when the Prime Minister goes missing – an immediate Code Black! Your team is on the case to safely rescue the Prime Minister and bring them home.

You’ll be scouring through maps of the UK and London Underground maps, watching security CCTV cameras to find hidden details, and scouring through the evidence, taunts and cryptic clues your nemesis has left behind for you to solve!

I played solo on this one, as Player 2 was busy – and I have to say it was hard! I struggled and used a few too many clues than I probably should have. The ending too is fiendish, with only 5 attempts before getting it incorrect, there’s a sort of “Choose-your-own-adventure” vibe. If you get it wrong, that’s game over. If you get it correct, you win!
And I… Lost! In the end, I couldn’t catch my nemesis and he slipped away from me.
*shakes fist*

Overall, it was a fun little game made by a fun escape room company. They’ve put a lot of heart into this one, and the theme will resonate with a lot of players!
Operation Code Black can be booked for £8 on The Locked Room’s website.