Escape from the Restroom
What if once upon a time you had a friend who consistently locked you into a series of rooms and forced you solve your way out? If you said, "Well, it sounds like I'm that hapless protagonist from Tesshi-e's games" you would be correct. Once upon a time, though, that protagonist decided to turn the tables on said friend and was going to lock him/her into a restaurant, only to find himself once again solving their way out of another room escape. If you were that protagonist, out of curiosity, would you go back to that very same restaurant to meet up with that very same friend again? If your answer is yes, then you've come to the right place, as once again we dip into the slightly deranged mind of Tesshi-e with their latest room escape, Escape from the Restroom.
If you are familiar with the Tesshi-e oeuvre you should recognize the restaurant from the opening sequence. Yes, that is indeed the eatery from Escape from Restaurant Minshio, and once again you've traveled there to meet one of your many incarcerating friends. This time, though, the friend is late and you are sadly left hanging. Not to fear, the wait staff shares the same sense of humor as the rest of your acquaintances and have rigged up a fun little escape in the restrooms for quick-witted patrons to solve their way out of. Yes, in the world of Tesshi-e the escaping madness never ends, does it?
Point and click your way around this beautiful, sparkling clean, and decidedly high-tech bathroom with the aid of navigation bars at the sides, top, and bottom of the screen. There are a few objects to be found, a few puzzles to be solved, and voila, you will be back out into the restaurant proper, hopefully to find your dinner guest has finally shown up. If not, you still have the satisfaction of your brilliant and daring escape to erase the sting of being stood up.
Analysis: Escape from the Restroom is both a classic one-room and out escape, as well as being a classic of Tesshi-e's beautiful design sensibility. For something as impersonal and industrial as a commercial restroom, the place is surprisingly lovely without being overblown and ostentatious. The design of the puzzles and controls are equally fantastic, featuring a mix of found objects, observation, and puzzle solving along with the usual fantastic save/mute/inventory functions.
One of the nice things about Tesshi-e's escapes is how they tend to link together. Often when you make it out of one place you find yourself in another place that ends up featuring in a future escape, such as the bar from Escape from the Small Bar. Small design elements such as decorations and/or furniture also tend to pop up time and again, lending a nice continuity and making each game seem as if they were simply a day in the life of a rabid escape room fan with lots of strange yet obliging friends and neighbors. Best of all is the return of the alternate happy coin escape, where you don't just leave with the happy coin, you need to find an entirely different way out, a true "alternate" ending.
Although we do once again see a retread of the wobbly picture puzzle, there are some new and ingenious puzzles to be dealt with this time around. Escape from the Restroom is a pretty easy game, befitting something that is there to amuse a restaurant patron for a few minutes while awaiting a dinner guest. The puzzles are fun and challenging but not overly difficult, creating a nice, light, easy escape to whet your appetite and leave you wanting more. Tesshi-e games are not the most difficult out there, but they are fantastic appetizers, perfect for a mental mid-week snack.
Walkthrough Guide
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Escape from the Restroom Walkthrough
General Information
At least one puzzle is color-based, so there will be directions for the color-blind in the walkthrough.
Remember to examine everything carefully, even the comments when you pick up items.
Remember to switch to "English" before you start the intro.
There is a regular escape and a happy coin escape.
Good luck!
Exploration
You begin the game by facing the counter with the sinks. Above the counter is a mirror.
Click on the counter for a close up.
Nice, the above counter sinks are different shapes. That might be a clue!
There is a small item peeking out from behind the middle (square shaped) sink, take it (note).
The note has the word "heart" and an arrow pointing downwards.
Note that you can also turn on the faucets.
Back up.
Just to the left of the counter is a dark green spot on the wall, click on it for a close up.
Hmmm, it appears to be five buttons, with hearts on either side. Back up.
Further to the left on the wall, and higher up, is a small white panel, click on it for a close up.
Looks like we need the ubiquitous screwdriver. Back up.
Turn right.
You are now facing a wall with a hand dryer and four urinals.
Click on the hand dryer for a close up.
The number 727 is written on the front of the hand dryer. Another clue!
Click on the top of the hand dryer to see inside.
Lying along the top of the dryer (where it meets the wall) is a silver wire, take it.
Back up twice.
Click on the first urinal on the left for a close up.
Above the urinal is the roman numeral IV and a sensor. Notice the little pink asterisk in the lower left of the sensor.
Back up.
Click on the next urinal (from the left) and you will see the Roman numeral V and another sensor. This sensor is dirty.
Back up.
Click on the next urinal to see the Roman numeral VI and another sensor. This one has an asterisk in the upper right corner.
Back up.
Click on the last urinal (the one on the far right) to see the Roman numeral VII and yet another sensor. The asterisk here is in the lower right corner.
Back up.
There is a dark line in the tiles in front of the urinals. This is a grate, click on it on the left side.
Looks like there's a key down there, but we can't get it yet.
Back up and turn right.
You are now facing a wall with two pictures. Click on the left picture for a close up.
Model trains, how cute! Notice that the corners of the picture move when you click on them. Yes, a wobbly picture puzzle. Back up.
Click on the right picture for a close up. Looks like we have 5 columns and seven rows of hearts in this picture, all different colors.
Back up and turn right.
You are now facing the toilet stalls and the door out.
Notice that the far left stall is very narrow. Click on it for a close up.
Click on the narrow stall door again and you will see that you need a key.
Back up once.
If you click on the next stall door you will find that it, too, is locked. Notice that it has the Roman numeral III on it.
Back up.
Click on the third from the left stall door for a close up.
This door has the Roman numeral II on it, and what looks like a code lock. Click on the code lock for a close up.
Looks like we need a four digit code, and there's a clue: Fuji + Train.
Click on the right door and it will tell you it is missing a knob. This also appears to be stall I in Roman numerals.
You will also see that stall I has a pink asterisk on the door in the upper left corner.
Back up.
Click on the exit door for a close up.
Yep, locked. Notice the small panel on the left wall by the door. Click on the panel.
Looks like a slot for a key card, and a four digit code. We don't have either a card or the code, so back up twice.
Turn right and you are back to facing the sinks. Time to solve some puzzles!
The Heart Note
Well, we have a panel on the wall with 5 buttons flanked by hearts. We also have a painting of a lot of colored hearts, and a note that says "heart".
Maybe there's more to the heart note than meets the eye. How should we reveal the secret message?
Let's get the note wet, maybe that will reveal something.
Turn on one of the sinks (any one will do) and use the note on the water.
Aha, now we have color bands on the note, seven of them.
From top to bottom, the color bands are: green, yellow, blue, white, blue, green, and red.
Back up and turn right (or left) twice to face the pictures.
Click on the heart picture for a close up.
As you may have previously noticed, there are 7 rows of hearts in the picture (and 5 columns).
How do we combine the clues?
Number the columns of hearts, from left to right, 1 through 5.
Take the top column. The top row of color in the note is green, so find the position of the green heart in that row (far left, position 1).
Go through each row and find the heart of that matching color, from top to bottom, and note the column position of that heart.
2nd row is yellow and the position is 5 (far right).
3rd row is blue and the position is 4.
4th row is white and the position is 4.
5th row is blue and the position is 3.
6th row is green and the position is 5.
7th row is red and the position is 2.
Back up from the heart picture and turn left (or right) twice to face the sinks.
Click on the green strip on the wall just to the left of the counter.
Now push the buttons in the order that you just determined from the note and the heart picture.
Number the buttons from left to right as 1 through 5.
The sequence is 1, 5, 4, 4, 3, 5, 2.
If you entered the code correctly a compass pops out of the wall. Note the pair of pliers on top of the compass and take them.
If you click on the compass (the central circle) you will find out that that arrow is pointing north.
Looks like the arrows on the left (south) and right (east) are pointing in the wrong directions.
Back up.
The Narrow Stall
We now have all of the ingredients needed to get the key from the grating.
Turn right to face the urinals.
Pull up the wire from your inventory.
Use the pliers on the wire to make a hook.
Click on the grating on the floor for a close up, then use the hook to get the key (circle key).
Back up and turn right (or left) twice to face the stalls.
Click on that narrow far left stall, then click on it again to see the lock.
Use the circle key to open the lock.
Inside you will find a locked blue box (needing a 3 symbol code) and a stool. Take both.
Back up.
The Blue Box
Pull up the blue box from your inventory and click on the code lock.
Note that this lock uses shapes. Have you seen those shapes anywhere in the room?
Yes, the sinks are in those shapes.
The code for the box is the shape of the sinks.
From left to right: triangle, square, star.
Enter the shape code into the box and take the item from inside (screwdriver).
Close down the box into your inventory .
Back up..
The Stalls
You should be in the close up view of the narrow stall and stall III.
Use the stool in front of the door for stall III.
Once the stool is in place click on the top of the stall door to see over it.
Inside the stall, above the toilet, is a picture of a mountain. This is mount Fuji. Notice the pink asterisk in the upper right corner and the 4 digit number on the picture (3776).
Back up once and you will be looking straight down the stall door. The door is secured with a latch from the inside, but you can't open it yet.
Back up once again until you are in front of the stall and take the stool.
Back up once more to the long view of the stalls.
Now click on either stall I or II for a close up.
Once you are in the first close up, place the stool in front of stall II.
When the stool is in place click on the top of the stall door to see over it.
Notice the blue towel on the shelf above the toilet. You can't reach it yet.
Back up once, pick up the stool, then place it in front of stall I.
Click on the top of the stall I door to see inside.
Inside this stall you can see a mop leaning in the far corner, but you can't reach it.
Back up once, take the stool, and back up again to the long view.
Opening Stall II
Turn right once to face the sinks.
Click on the white panel on the wall for a close up.
Use the screwdriver to open the panel and reveal a light switch.
Click on the switch to turn off the lights and back up.
Note in the mirror you can see a pink number, but it is backward.
Turn right (or left) twice to face the pictures.
You can now see the number (1563) on the train painting.
Turn right (or left) twice to face the sinks.
Click on the light switch for a close up and turn the lights back on.
Back up and turn left.
Click on stall II (the one with the code lock) twice for a close up of the code lock.
The clue here is Fuji + Train.
You simply need to add the numbers you got from the Mt. Fuji picture (3776) to the train picture (1563) to get the code, 5339.
Enter the code into the lock and you have opened the stall!
First click on top of the shelf twice to take the towel.
Now click on the toilet seat to lift the lid. You will see two symbols, # and !.
Click on the handle to the left of the toilet and you will see that you need another key to open the panel.
Click on the toilet paper roll on the left for a close up.
Note the asterisk in the upper right corner and back up twice.
The Wobbly Picture Puzzle
The clues for the wobbly picture puzzle are the asterisks that you can see wherever you see the Roman numerals, so the stalls and the urinals.
You should now have seen every asterisk except one, the one on the V urinal, whose sensor is dirty.
You need to clean off the sensor to find that last asterisk.
Turn right to face the sinks.
Turn on a faucet and use the towel on the water.
Back up and turn right to face the urinals.
Click on urinal V (second from the left) for a close up.
Use the wet towel to clean the sensor and find the last asterisk (upper right).
Back up and turn right to face the pictures.
Click on the train picture for a close up.
Now use the clues to manipulate the picture.
The order is the order of the Roman numerals, from I to VII.
The corners are determined by the corners the asterisks were in in the stalls or urinals.
Upper left, upper right, upper right, lower left, upper right, upper right, and lower right.
When you enter the code correctly the picture will slide up to reveal a spade key, take it.
Back up.
The Compass (Part I)
Turn right, then click on stall II for a close up, and click on it again to enter the stall.
Click on the handle to the left of the toilet for a close up, then use the spade key to open it.
Inside you will find a gray knob, take it.
Notice the control panel you have revealed. This is one of those cool high-tech Japanese toilets.
The far right knob on the panel is black. Click on it once.
Back up three times and turn right.
Click on the compass on the wall for a close up.
Note that the South arrow is now pointing to the upper right, exactly 180 degrees from the direction of the arrow on the middle compass, which is pointing north.
If you clicked the black knob on the toilet controls more than once, you can go back and keep clicking until the indicator on the knob is pointing to the upper right, which is the direction the arrow should go.
Back up.
Opening Stall I
Turn left to face the stalls, then click on stall I twice for a close up.
Use the gray knob you just picked up on the door to open it.
Once you are in the stall take the mop.
Lift the toilet seat to see the symbol $.
Click on the handle to the left of the toilet and you will see that you need yet another key to open the control panel.
Back up twice.
Opening Stall III
Click on stall III for a close up.
Place the stool in front of the door and click on the top of the door to see over it.
Pull up the mop from your inventory.
Click on the top of the mop handle for a close up and you will see a hole.
Use the hooked wire on the hole to create a longer-reaching hook.
Secure the wire using the pliers.
Back up once to the view of the inner door latch.
Use the modified mop/hook to unlatch the door.
Back up, take the stool, then click on the door to stall III to open it.
Lift the toilet seat to see the % symbol.
Click on the handle to the left of the toilet for a close up.
Looks like we need a three digit code here instead of a key.
Where have we seen a three digit code before?
On the hand dryer, of course!
Enter the code from the hand dryer (727) into the control panel cover.
Inside the panel you will find a club key.
Take the key and back up three times.
The Compass (Part II)
Click on stall I twice to enter the stall.
Click on the control panel to the left of the toilet for a close up.
Use the club key to open the panel.
You can now use the black knob on the right to set the last arrow on the compass, the East arrow.
Since north is pointing to the lower left, and south is pointing to the upper right, East would be to the upper left (between the 10 and 11 o'clock positions).
Watch the white notch on the knob as you turn it, it will be in the same position as the arrow.
Back up three times and turn right.
Click on the compass for a close up.
Hey, there's a key card there on the compass! At least, there is if you have the arrows pointing in the right direction.
Take the key card and look at it closely. Notice the numbers on the front (II, III, I).
Back up.
Regular Escape
Turn left to face the stalls (and the door).
Click on the door for a close up.
Click on the panel on the wall to the left of the door for a close up.
Insert the key card into the slot. This will activate the four digit code lock underneath.
Now we just need the code!
Do the numbers on the card have anything to do with it?
You need to combine the numbers on the card with the symbols found on the toilet seats.
Each symbol is on a standard qwerty keyboard, on the number row.
So you will find the $ on the 4 key, the # sign on the 3 key, the ! on the 1 key, and the % on the 5 key.
The Roman numerals on the card indicate which symbols from which of the stalls (I, II, and III) and the order.
So II, III, I would be # !, %, $, or 3154.
Enter the code and click on the button below the code key.
The light on the button should turn green.
Back up once, then click on the door to open it.
Enjoy your delicious lunch with your smirking friend.
Happy Coin Escape
Follow the regular escape up until the point where you enter the four digit code and push the button.
The light on the button will turn green.
Back up twice and turn right once to face the sinks.
Click on the light switch once for a close up and again to turn off the lights.
Back up and notice that the reflected number in the mirror has changed to symbols.
Turn right (or left) twice to see the symbols on the train picture, (%$).
Translate those symbols into numbers corresponding to your keyboard, 9540.
Turn right (or left) twice to face the sinks, then turn the lights back on.
Back up and turn left to face the stalls and the door.
Click on the door for a close up, then click on the panel to the left of the door.
Enter the new code and click on the button below. The light should now turn gold.
Back up twice and click on the far left (narrow stall) twice.
A secret doorway has opened up, with a stairway leading up!
Note that the happy coin is on the stairs, a little gold dot.
Pick up the happy coin then go up the stairs.
Enjoy your delicious lunch on the rooftop with the stunning view.
Happy coin will bring happiness to you!!
Posted by: grinnyp
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July 27, 2011 4:25 AM