Pin Escape Rooms – Murder at The Masonic Lodge

We kicked off our Belgrade escape room tour with Murder at The Masonic Lodge. The main reason we were in town was a Rammstein concert, but as always, we couldn’t resist fitting in as many escape rooms as possible—11 in just 3 days.

This particular room wasn’t high on our radar during planning, and after playing it, I can understand why.

The premise is promising: we’re detectives brought in to help the police solve the murder of a prominent member of the Masonic Lodge. The investigation has stalled, and it’s up to us to uncover the truth before the secret society manages to cover it all up.

Just before the game began, the game master told us—very seriously—to wait exactly one minute before entering the room. He entered through the same door, and after 60 seconds, we followed. To our “surprise,” he was already there, seated in a robe, silent, watching us. His presence was meant to ensure we didn’t bypass anything, but rather than immersive, it felt a bit awkward. He also served as the hint system—which is… unconventional.

Later in the game, he reappeared unexpectedly and “shot” at us with a cap gun. Naturally, we shot back. It was a small, dark room, and Ivan joked afterward that we tried to scatter like chickens—but there was nowhere to go. 😂

The first section of the game was decent. There were some nicely crafted puzzles, including one that was cleverly hidden in plain sight—simple, but very satisfying to solve. The combination of mechanical and high-tech elements brought a good balance.

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse in the second half. The transition into the next area marked a clear drop in quality. It felt like the room was built in a rush—puzzles seemed slapped together, and the space was filled with random documents and uninspired visuals trying (but failing) to create depth. It was as if the creators lost steam halfway through. What could have been a compelling narrative just fizzled out.

Final Thoughts: This room had a solid premise and started off well, but its dated design and inconsistent quality left more to be desired. A little more maintenance and narrative polish could go a long way.