With cosy autumnal vibes slowly creeping up on me, I’ve been craving to spend more time indoors relaxing. However, life had different plans for me when I agreed to try a new action challenge – Prison Island that recently opened in London. Little did I know, I had just agreed to a true testimony of my physical, mental, and technical skills.
Turns out, this is not just another classic escape room. You’re invited to choose from over 30 unique team-based action activities and collect as many points as you can in 90 minutes. So, I grabbed a couple of teammates, picked a comfy outfit, and made my way to Holloway Road. Finally, I got something better to do inside, but with a twist… Join me for a read on my review of Prison Island.
The venue
Once you step outside of Holloway Road tube station and turn right, Prison Island is impossible to miss. The big orange sign basically encourages you to come in and see what’s inside.
From the moment we walked into the building, we could feel the atmosphere change. The prison aesthetics were definitely there, and done well. Expect big metal bars, dark and mysterious decor, tense mood. The only question there was left to ask: Am I about to get locked up in a prison cell, or will I manage to break out?
Briefing time
To be completely honest, we weren’t sure what to expect. Most teams around us seemed confident. We were starting to feel competitive. After we picked up our fobs required to enter different prison cells during the game, we submitted our team name: ‘Prison Baddies’. I know, I know… we wanted to keep the theme going.
Once everyone was ready, we were led to a dimly lit briefing room designed to look like an actual courtroom, complete with wooden bars as well as the judge standing behind it. He walked us through the rules, safety tips, and answered any burning questions. The tension in the room was building. Then, the judge wrapped up his speech with a sharp bang of the wooden gavel, signalling the start of the challenge. Sirens blared, red lights flashed, and the entire room shifted from playful to full-on prison break mode. We were officially inside Prison Island.
Let the game begin
The doors shut behind us, and it was time to face it; there’s no going back. We were sentenced to 30+ different prison cells, each requiring a mix of physical, mental, and technical abilities. We knew that the more points we got, the higher we would climb up the leaderboard (competitiveness in me was taking over). So, in the next 90 minutes, there was no time to play around.
First, we walked around exploring all the different cells: Boiler Room, Devils Island, Riot, The Burglar – lots of cells, various stress levels and clues only a few could crack. We were in for a true challenge where you figure it all out along the way. Personally, I found lots of games to be quite stimulating and often intimidating. As someone who’s not particularly gifted with logical thinking, I was only doing my best.
Some of the favourites
Logical thinking aside, one of my favourite cells has to be Studio 21. I would call it a full-on cardio sesh if you ask me. The game requires you to chase glowing green dots on the floor, collecting points while dodging the red ones that deduct your score. It sounds simple until you’re sprinting, slipping and laughing so hard you can barely breathe – easily the best workout I’ve had for a while.
It’s all fun and games until it’s time to test my survival at Submarine. Another standout, and absolute dream-crasher for me, requires you to know Morse code. Well, I didn’t… This challenge room surely puts your hearing and teamwork to the test. The task was seemingly simple: hear the code, find a picture with a code, each with an associated letter. You should then remember the letter that was heard together with the Morse code and climb into the cell until you get to a map with different letters. Let’s just say, everything in me was put to the test, and I didn’t pass it. But, hey, I had so much fun in the process.
From a room filled with inflatable balls or a life-sized pinball game to guessing geographic questions and trying to escape a prison cell, Prison Island has put me under some exciting yet demanding quests. If you’re looking for a team activity filled with laughter, mind-boggling challenges and the ultimate test of your teamwork abilities, this is the place to be. So keep your autumn blues behind, gather your besties, maybe have a cup of matcha for extra energy and head to North London. Trust me, you will learn a lot about each other and yourself.