Designed for between two and 14 players, Mafia sees participants take on the role of hapless individuals whose undisclosed discretions against the mafia have finally been discovered. Now you are being held at their headquarters and in one hour the big boss will decide your fate… unless you can escape before time runs out.

Locked in a room with just 60 minutes on the clock, players must search for clues and decipher codes in a series of increasingly complex puzzles designed to challenge your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Each success brings you closer to freedom ­– but be warned, not every item you find is a clue and not every clue is useful, so a keen eye for detail and determining which leads are real and which are false could save you valuable seconds and ultimately mean the difference between escaping or meeting your fate at the hands of the big boss.

The ability to think quickly under pressure is also an advantage, as there is a countdown clock in the room, hanging ominously over players’ heads as a constant reminder that they are on borrowed time. While it may be tempting to watch the clock, doing so only increases the tension and desperation of the situation.

Without giving away too much about the game design, I can say that each sparsely furnished set players encounter has been cleverly decorated with items designed to subtly remind you about the dangerous nature of the people you are dealing with. At one stage, you even find yourself in the clichéd back-room gambling den you might expect to discover in a mafia headquarters.

With an estimated escape rate of just 5 per cent, Mafia is one of Adventure Rooms’ hardest experiences and, while seasoned escape-room players will enjoy the challenge, it may prove difficult for first-time escapees. It could be completed with two players, but it would be advantageous to have a larger team.

Mafia (rated PG) is at Adventure Rooms Adelaide in Rundle Mall, with sessions available until March 16 during the Adelaide Fringe.

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