7 Reasons to Love The Nefertiti Affair, Our Outdoor Escape Game in Berlin
7 Reasons to Love The Nefertiti Affair, Our Outdoor Escape Game in Berlin
After a year in business and a handful of customers, we can finally share our customers’ first real feedback with you. To put this data in perspective, and in the interest of honesty, here are a few statistics that will help you form an even more informed opinion. Over the past year we’ve collected 18 reviews, and around fifty detectives have set off through the streets of Berlin to solve The Nefertiti Affair, our outdoor escape game in Berlin. Some of the written reviews come from friends and family who bore the brunt of our early test versions, and we thank them for their feedback, which helped us improve the experience. That said, every review we’ve received since the latest version went live has been unanimous and unambiguous: players love The Nefertiti Affair. So based on the written reviews and the conversations I’ve had with participants after their investigation, here are 7 reasons why players have loved taking part in this case.
1. A Game With Physical Objects, Not an App
Let’s start with what makes The Nefertiti Affair what it is: a crime scene, a mysterious bag, and objects to handle in order to solve each puzzle and move the investigation forward. As I explain in this article where I share my take on outdoor escape games, choosing objects over an app is a deliberate decision. I wanted every step to bring its own little dose of discovery, and I love picturing players’ faces as the contents of the bag are revealed and they have to figure out how to use them. One player summed it up better than I ever could in their review: “amazing props that you can handle, used brilliantly at different levels of the game.” Another advantage: I prepare every bag myself before each session, and I check that everything works. No app update crashing mid-game, no battery to keep an eye on, no GPS sending you to the wrong side of the Spree. In fact, at least two customers have told me they’d tried app-based scavenger hunts in Berlin before, with far more hit-or-miss experiences.
2. Puzzles That Put Berlin to Work
Now that I’ve told you about the objects, I need to talk about how they’re woven into their surroundings. I wanted physical objects, but that left one question: how do you make Berlin provide the solution without just handing it over? Not easy, but I’d say a date carved into a facade, a statue, a street name, and a bit of digital design here and there let me pull it off. If players don’t actually look at the city around them, they have no chance of moving forward. One player put it perfectly in their review: “you really have to use the city and look for the solution around you.” I won’t lie to you, not every puzzle relies on Berlin, but 75% of them do. And what I really love is that this mix of objects and city makes every puzzle unique, and repurposes the objects away from their original use. Like with Amy, a doctor, who told me one puzzle reminded her of an operating room! Mission accomplished.
3. A Game and Gameplay That Just Works
Objects + city + story = gameplay, and here too, our players get exactly what they came for. It’s worth saying we put real time into this, and spent (sometimes wasted) a fair amount of money to arrive at this final version of The Nefertiti Affair. Of course, there’s our own vision and intentions behind it, but also the feedback from participants: honestly, without certain remarks and observations made out in the field, we wouldn’t have this outdoor escape game in its current form. The result is a smooth, clear scavenger hunt where players move forward on their own. Luisa describes it as “brilliant, well-balanced gameplay,” while another player called the “difficulty perfectly judged, neither too easy nor too hard.” And what makes me especially happy: several reviews point out that everyone was able to take part, with each person contributing to solving the case. Just for the numbers: The Nefertiti Affair has gone through 4 versions, and lives in a 17.5 GB folder with 2,795 files across 325 folders (all organized, I promise).
4. Discovering Berlin From a Different Angle
Here’s the good news: it works for almost everyone. Families with kids aged 7 and up love this format, because everyone can contribute in their own way, and the pride of solving a puzzle together has no age limit. Groups of friends visiting Berlin for the weekend find it a refreshing alternative to the usual activities. Couples looking for something original rather than yet another museum visit. And team building groups looking for an outdoor experience that actually brings people together, rather than another meeting room session.
5. A Responsive Game Master by Your Side
Autonomy, as you know, is at the heart of our outdoor escape game in Berlin. Between the help card system, your own smarts, and your sense of observation, my presence is barely needed, and I’m genuinely glad about that. But that doesn’t mean I’m ever far away if you run into trouble. I greet you and collect the equipment after your investigation, that’s one thing. But more importantly, I stay reachable throughout your entire session to give you whatever help you need if you really get stuck. One German player described the setup perfectly in their review: small help cards if you’re not getting anywhere, and, “in case of emergency,” the option to call me, which they called “very reassuring.” That’s exactly why we only run two departures a day: we don’t want The Nefertiti Affair to turn into a tourist factory. You get 4 hours to solve the case, and for the whole duration of your slot, my time is entirely dedicated to you. According to customer reviews, I am, and I quote, “responsive and available,” as well as “friendly and professional.” That’s both who I am and the kind of service we want to offer you.
6. Beginners, Experienced Players, Everyone Can Take Part
A lot of customers have told me, either in person or in their reviews, that The Nefertiti Affair was really well designed. For some, it was even their very first experience of this kind. That’s the case for Astrid, who, while finding some of the puzzles tough, described the adventure as “an original way to explore Berlin’s historic sites.” At the other end of the spectrum, this review made me particularly happy: “Having worked three years in an escape room, I can say this is worth it.” When someone from the industry itself vouches for the experience, I feel like we got it right.
Somewhere in between, groups with kids have also solved the case: “The puzzles are varied and everyone was able to take part (kids aged 7 and 10).” I should mention here that the game is designed for adults, but well-supervised kids can absolutely find their place in it. The help cards and the option to reach me at any time make the experience accessible to as many people as possible.
Honestly, I see two factors that affect your chances of success: the size of your group, and how determined you are to crack the puzzles without help. It’s the combination of these two factors that will shape your odds of success.
7. The Little Extras That Make the Difference
We’ve had plenty of compliments so far, and while we can’t dedicate a full paragraph to each one, some mentions deserve their own little spotlight too. Here’s a small selection:
🏆 “Huge sense of pride the moment we found the statue.”
😍 “And the finale too 😍 Thanks Rudy for this game and all the hints!”
🌧️ “I recommend it 100%, even in bad weather!”
🥪 “There’s plenty of time to take a break, we stopped for lunch right in the middle of the investigation.”
🗺️ “Every puzzle moved us forward one step at a time, quietly guiding us through old Berlin.” (review translated from German)
💎 “I’d encourage everyone to go find the treasure!” (review translated from German)
Conclusion
18 reviews later, we’re genuinely happy, even if we’d love to have more, and maybe even a few less glowing ones. We really do owe our players a huge thank you for their feedback: I honestly believe that without them, The Nefertiti Affair wouldn’t be as good a scavenger hunt as it is today. These reviews confirm that our vision for an outdoor escape game hits the right notes. We don’t pretend to be the best out there, but the reviews genuinely reflect what we offer: an experience that’s carefully crafted, detailed, accessible, and fun. Or, to borrow Luisa’s words, “built with real passion,” and Sverre’s, “created by someone who loves what he does.” So if these 7 reasons have convinced you, I’ll get your bag ready, book your slot, and come write review number 19. I hope to update this article before too long with new quotes that capture The Nefertiti Affair just as well. You have a chance I’ll never get myself: the chance to take part in a thrilling investigation through the streets of Berlin.
Q&A
No, you’re under no obligation to leave a review if you solve our scavenger hunt in Berlin. But if you enjoyed the experience, taking a moment to share your feedback helps other visitors make their decision and supports our work.
Rest assured. Even though reviews matter a lot to us, we deliberately keep our follow-ups to a minimum. You get a small surprise at the end of your session, and then a single message the following week. And that’s it.
First, because they reassure future players about the quality of the experience, far better than our own words ever could. Second, more modestly, because as a small business, every review helps us gain visibility against more established competitors.
On our Google profile or on TripAdvisor, whichever is more convenient for you. Just a few lines are enough, and they mean a lot to us.