Chipshop: The Red Herring

Chipshop: The Red Herring is the sort of room that wins attention by refusing to behave like a normal escape game. The opening idea is deliciously offbeat, but the real draw is how neatly the humour, story and puzzle flow hold together. It feels compact and self-assured, with enough invention to make the setting more than a gimmick.

The best version of this game is a small, focused one. It suits pairs especially well, and two or three players will get the cleanest read on the space and the strongest sense of involvement. Push the headcount too far and you are likely to spend more time shuffling than solving, which is the main practical caveat here.

Puzzle-wise, this is a solid blend of logic, observation and hands-on interaction, with a structure that stays fairly linear without feeling dull. That makes it accessible, but not simplistic. One player summed up the appeal neatly: "A brilliantly odd setup that still feels tight, coherent and full of character."

The clueing system is a real highlight too. It has a playful, lightly comic edge and feels designed to support the rhythm of the room rather than interrupt it. When that kind of guidance is done well, it can make even a narrow space feel lively, and this game appears to understand that balance.

There is one thing to note for enthusiasts: the ending may tip a little more peculiar than pristine, and some groups may prefer the opening stretch to the final beat. Even so, this is exactly the sort of unusual, story-led room that deserves a place on a serious player’s list, especially if you like your escape games memorable, inventive and a touch gloriously odd.