Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Utrecht Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
The Syndicate · Outdoor escape game
Self-Guided The Utrecht Syndicate City Escape Game
- 1.5–2 hours
- 2–5 players per team
- In the free Loquiz app on your phone
- Start any time within 12 months
- Free cancellation until you start
Chase Magnus and the stolen formulas through Utrecht on foot, from the Stadhuisplein along the Oudegracht to the Domtoren.
The formulas are gone, Magnus took them, and the last place anyone saw him was Utrecht. That is as much as anyone can tell you.
A heist to unpick, a city to do it in, and no guide anywhere near you. The Syndicate is a self-guided city escape game on your own phone, with Utrecht as the board and the Loquiz app keeping track of where you are — each location sets a riddle, a code or a photograph. Your group splits into characters with separate roles in the mission, so everyone is actually playing.
The route takes in Stadhuisplein, Janskerk and Janskerkhof, and the stretches between them count too. What the case asks for is in the street in front of you, not in the app.
Lucasbolwerk and Domplein are on the list too. Everyone works out soon enough that the useful detail is never the obvious one.
An Escape Room Alternative in Utrecht, Played Outdoors
Take the part of an escape room you actually enjoy — the ciphers, the logic, the moment it clicks — and put it on the streets of Utrecht. You cover 3 to 4 km on foot over two hours, nobody is locked in anywhere, and no facilitator is rationing hints or resetting anything for the next group. Stuck on something? Keep walking with it.
Looking for a Team Building Activity in Utrecht?
The organising takes a minute, which for a team building activity is the whole point. Book a date, send round the link, and each group starts when it is ready. Nothing to reserve, nobody to brief, no schedule to enforce: the route through Utrecht, the case and the puzzles are built and waiting, about two hours of playing over 3 to 4 km. One ticket is €19.95 for two to five people on one device, so a team of twenty costs four tickets and produces four groups working against each other.
An Undercover Mission for Teams, Friends and Families in Utrecht
Teams. One ticket takes five people, so a department splits neatly into groups working the same case across Utrecht. No host to hire, no venue, no departure time. Put three or four teams on it simultaneously and the debrief writes itself — which is the difference between a company outing and a day out.
Friends. Everyone in the group takes a character with a job to do in the mission, which is the part that stops one person doing all the thinking. A heist plot, a city to search and no host watching the clock.
Couples and pairs. Two of you, one phone, €19.95 for the case. There is no group, no departure time and no guide, so a long stop halfway through costs you exactly nothing.
Families. Eight and up is the usual guide, and 3 to 4 km bothers nobody. Children tend to be first to the detail everyone else strolled past; the ciphers are where the whole family ends up leaning over the same screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Syndicate city escape game work?
Book a date, and a link arrives by email; the Loquiz app does the rest. You open it at the first location in Utrecht and the game takes your position from there. Every stop asks for something — a riddle, a cipher, a photograph — and answering it opens the next one. Keep going and Magnus runs out of room.
What is the story?
A set of formulas has been stolen and Magnus is the one carrying them. Your job is to reach him first. Each player takes a character with a specific role in the operation, so it plays as a role-playing game and not as a sequence of riddles.
Is this an escape room?
It is not. Nothing is locked, nobody is hosting, and there is no room to be let out of — it is an outdoor escape game on real streets. The thinking will feel familiar to anyone who does escape rooms; the walls are simply gone.
How long does it take?
Around two hours, over 3 to 4 km of walking. Nothing counts down. You choose the date at booking and the hour on the day, and a group that stops for lunch simply finishes later.
How many people can play on one ticket?
One ticket covers a group of two to five people playing on one device, at €19.95 in total. Groups larger than five buy a second ticket, which also lets them play against each other.
Is it hard?
It sits at intermediate. Observation and lateral thinking do the work — local knowledge is not required, and nothing on the route is a dead end for a group that keeps at it.
Is it suitable for children?
Eight and over is the usual guide. Nothing about the 3 to 4 km is demanding for them, they tend to win the photo tasks outright, and they notice things on walls that adults have walked past twice.
Do we need to book a date?
You choose a date when booking, but you can start whenever you like. There is no meeting point, no guide and no group to join.
What happens if it rains?
You play when it suits you and stop when it suits you, so a shower just means a coffee. No timer is running, and the case is exactly where you left it when you step back out.
What size group does it work with?
Anything from two to five people on one phone; beyond five you take a second ticket and the two groups race. Anyone who would rather chase a killer or hunt down clues than chase a thief will find that under the other city games in Utrecht.
More City Games: city games across the Netherlands · The Haarlem Syndicate
- StadhuispleinStadhuisplein 4, 3512 GZ Utrecht, Netherlands
- JanskerkJanskerkhof 3, 3512 BK Utrecht, Netherlands
- JanskerkhofJanskerkhof 14, 3512 BL Utrecht, Netherlands
- DriftDrift 13, 3512 BR Utrecht, Netherlands
- LucasbolwerkLucasbolwerk 1B, 3512 EG Utrecht, Netherlands
- Kromme NieuwegrachtKromme Nieuwegracht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- PausdamPausdam, Utrecht, Netherlands
- DompleinDomplein 4, 3512 JC Utrecht, Netherlands
Show all 13 stops
- DomtorenDomplein 20, 3512 JD Utrecht, Netherlands
- DonkerstraatDonkerstraat 18, 3511 KA Utrecht, Netherlands
- GanzenmarktOudegracht 158, 3511 AZ Utrecht, Netherlands
- BuurkerkhofBuurkerkhof 12, 3511 KC Utrecht, Netherlands
- OudegrachtOudegracht 169, 3511 AL Utrecht, Netherlands
How it works
- BookYour ticket arrives by email.
- Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
- PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.
What players in other cities say
- ★★★★★
Wir (Mein Mann, unsere 9-jährige Tochter und ich) haben heute ganz spontan das Spiel "Moordmysterie Düsseldorf" gebucht und gespielt. Die Buchung verlief schnell und reibungslos. Es hat super viel Spaß gemacht! Die Story, die Rätsel, das Konzept, die Route, die Gestaltung der App... richtig gut!!! Das Spiel würde ich vor allem Familien mit Kindern empfehlen. Für Erwachsene waren die Rätsel (meiner Meinung nach) zu einfach. Aber trotzdem wegen der schönen Route durch Düsseldorf, der Story, den lustigen Anweisungen zwischendurch eine schöne Aktion, die man zusammen machen kann.
Lingling Z.October 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!
Martin M.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Game in Amsterdam was fun!
Enzo L.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had So much fun playing while exploring the city
Philip C.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!
Jessica S.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.
JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google
How we check reviews
These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.
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