The Casino Heist60 to Escape - MilwaukeeEscape roomIRLRating: 4/5 - Unique theme with a cool gimmick Pros: âSet looked good and was fairly immersive. Lots of custom builds and some special effects. âPuzzles were mostly likeable and fit the theme, seemed like there was a bit more variety than a lot of their other rooms. âSome tactile, physical inputs (instead of buttons) âGood use of audio âAlmost all tech (buttons, screens, sensors, maglocks), no combo locks and just a couple of key locks but they were used where they made sense. âThe room's gimmick was cool and well implemented âMultiple rooms to explore âGM was friendly and helpful when needed Could be better: âSome areas of the rooms felt a bit sparse, could've used a bit more detail to add to the immersion. âNo animatronics or fun characters like many of 60 to Escapes other rooms, they have spoiled me đ I'd recommend 2-3 enthusiasts, we finished as a team of 2 with no hints. My ranking of 60 to Escape rooms (all locations) starting with my favorite. 1. Lockbuster Video â¤ď¸ 2. Cheesie's Pizza Party â¤ď¸ 3. Invasion â¤ď¸ 4. Pirates Curse â¤ď¸ 5. Mystery Manor â¤ď¸ 6. Hidden Temple â¤ď¸ 7. Duke's Farm â¤ď¸ 8. Casino Heist â¤ď¸ 9. Merlin's Legacy â¤ď¸ 10. Blast From The Past đ 11. Starship: Final Frontier đ 12. Jurassic Outpost đ 13. Arctic Expedition đ 14. Museum Heist đ 15. The Storm đ 16. Magic Heist đ 17. Containment đ
Merlin's Legacy60 to Escape - MilwaukeeEscape roomIRLRating: 4/5 - Tech filled room with an exciting ending Pros: âSet looked great and everything you see and touch fits the theme âExciting ending with an entertaining encounter âGood use of lighting effects, audio/music, and even scents. âAll tech based puzzles (sensors, buttons, maglocks), no combo locks with some tactile inputs. Only 1 padlock but it fit the time period. âAlmost all tech (buttons, maglocks), only 1 combo lock âMultiple rooms to explore âGM was friendly and helpful when needed Could be better: âToo dark, it was hard to find things, read, and distinguish colors. âOne item was hidden in an annoying location. âPuzzle types were a bit repetitive (though still likeable), 60 to Escape tends to do a lot of puzzles involving pushing/pulling things in a specific order. I'd recommend 2-3 enthusiasts, we finished as a team of 2 with around 5-10 min left. My ranking of 60 to Escape rooms (all locations) starting with my favorite. 1. Lockbuster Video â¤ď¸ 2. Cheesie's Pizza Party â¤ď¸ 3. Invasion â¤ď¸ 4. Pirates Curse â¤ď¸ 5. Mystery Manor â¤ď¸ 6. Hidden Temple â¤ď¸ 7. Duke's Farm â¤ď¸ 8. Casino Heist â¤ď¸ 9. Merlin's Legacy â¤ď¸ 10. Blast From The Past đ 11. Starship: Final Frontier đ 12. Jurassic Outpost đ 13. Arctic Expedition đ 14. Museum Heist đ 15. The Storm đ 16. Magic Heist đ 17. Containment đ
The Storm60 to Escape - MilwaukeeEscape roomIRLRating: 3.5/5 - Cool set, homage to Twister, but puzzles weren't great Pros: âLove the theme, it's clearly inspired by the 90s Twister movie âSet. lighting, ambient audio, and special effects looked great, everything was weathered appropriately, it felt immersive âAlmost all tech (buttons, maglocks), only 1 combo lock âStory and characters were enjoyable and videos were well done. âI liked how a cell phone was used in the game âMultiple rooms to explore âGM was friendly and helpful when needed Could be better: âToo dark, it was hard to find and read things. I wish they provided flashlights âPuzzles were mediocre at best. 60 to Escape tends to do a lot of puzzles involving counting or pushing/pulling things in order which can get repetitive. âToo much was available before we had all the information needed to solve. âEnding was a bit anti-climactic, the final puzzle felt like it had too many ways to interpret it which killed our momentum. âNo animatronics like many of 60 to Escapes other rooms, they have spoiled me đ I'd recommend 2-3 enthusiasts, we finished as a team of 2 with around 5-10 min left. One player will need to crawl. No jump scares, but there are some loud noises. My ranking of 60 to Escape rooms (all locations) starting with my favorite. 1. Lockbuster Video â¤ď¸ 2. Cheesie's Pizza Party â¤ď¸ 3. Invasion â¤ď¸ 4. Pirates Curse â¤ď¸ 5. Mystery Manor â¤ď¸ 6. Hidden Temple â¤ď¸ 7. Duke's Farm â¤ď¸ 8. Casino Heist â¤ď¸ 9. Merlin's Legacy â¤ď¸ 10. Blast From The Past đ 11. Starship: Final Frontier đ 12. Jurassic Outpost đ 13. Arctic Expedition đ 14. Museum Heist đ 15. The Storm đ 16. Magic Heist đ 17. Containment đ
Sword in the WallCo-OperativesEscape roomIRLEnjoyable concept, there are only about 4 puzzles on a wall but each one requires communication and teamwork. We played as a team of 2 and each of us had different information we had to combine to solve each puzzle. The puzzles made sense and were satisfying to solve. The wall was cute and it was entirely combo lock based. We played this at Gen Con and the hints were presented on cards, but there was a GM nearby that we could ask for help, he was friendly.
Alice's Wonderland AdventureThe Escape Room USAEscape roomIRLRating: 2.5/5 - Decent set and puzzles, but the AI slop is a huge turnoff Pros: âNice set, well decorated, lots of props and items that would fit well in Wonderland. âMix of tech (buttons, lights, maglocks, screens) and padlocks âNumerous distinct areas to explore âPuzzles were decent and mostly made sense. No red herrings, outside knowledge, math, etc. like some of their other rooms. However, the puzzles weren't very interesting or satisfying. âGM was friendly and helpful when needed. Cons: âThe video cutscenes in the middle of the room are poorly edited AI slop. There were words getting cutoff, people clipping through objects, inconsistencies from scene to scene, cups with too many handles, etc. If generative AI is used tastefully and thoughtfully, then I'm OK with that, but this is straight up slop. âThere are touchscreen based puzzles. I inherently dislike these since I can interact with screens at home, it lacks immersion. The screen is also in a corner with enough room for only 2 people to interact with it, which results in a bottleneck. This wouldn't be a problem if the room didn't have a 4 person minimum. âOne tech puzzle didn't seem to work and we somehow bypassed it. Even the GM was confused about what happened. âThe gating could've been better on the puzzles, we wasted a lot of time trying to solve things because it wasn't clear that we didn't have all the information we needed. I'd recommend a team of 4 since that's the minimum, but 3 might be better since there are a couple of bottlenecks where only 2 people can be solving things. No crawling or climbing.
Pipes And A PrincessIchabodâs EscapeEscape roomIRLRating: 4/5 - All tech room with great flow, perfect for Super Mario fans Pros: âSet looks cool with lots of custom built pieces. The theming and design feels straight out of Super Mario, it doesn't just feel like it's vaguely inspired by it, it's not "we have Mario at home." âIt's bigger than expected with multiple areas to explore, even some use of vertical space. âEverything is tech (buttons, sensors, maglocks), no padlocks. âA fun physical challenge (though you can bypass it) âPuzzles make sense and are enjoyable, good variety and they fit the theme. âGreat flow for a 2 person team. We both were constantly busy and didn't even need to split up since many of the puzzles require teamwork. âThey allow use of phones and even let you take pictures inside Room for improvement: âParts of the set lacks polish, not enough fit and finish. It's a scrappy build, some bare wood visible. It's also showing some wear and tear. âLooks like there's 1 GM for multiple rooms, he didn't come get us when we finished which was a bit awkward. He was friendly though and we didn't need any hints. I'd recommend 2-3 enthusiasts, there may be some crawling, stairs, and an optional mild physical challenge.
It Came From The Attic!Looking Glass AdventuresEscape roomIRLRating: 3.5/5 - Enjoyable room, not too flashy but lots of charm Things I liked: âFun theming, it has some Stranger Things and X-Files vibes. âThe set has some special effects and a lot of charm, it's a more modest mom & pop type feel. âPuzzles were enjoyable and made sense, there is some non-linearity. âGood use of lighting and audio effects. âMore than a single room to explore. âFlashlights and writing board provided âMix of tech and padlocks âGM was friendly though we didn't really need any hints. We finished with plenty of time left as a team of 2 enthusiasts, I'd recommend 2-3 players. Room is not really creepy or scary (unless you're a young child), it has a light-hearted spookiness. No crawling or climbing needed.
VHSReady Set Go Adventures - MississaugaEscape roomIRLRating: 2/5 - I like challenging games and scary games...just not at the same time Pros: âThe set was appropriately creepy with multiple rooms to discover and explore. It looked pretty good. âLots of tech with some padlocks mixed in. âThe VHS collection concept was cool, I enjoyed the creepy videos and how everything tied together at the end. âPuzzles were challenging but made sense. It was non-linear so you can split up. âThe GM was friendly and helpful when needed. Room for improvement: âTheir hardest room should not also be their scariest room. I think the best horror rooms should have easier puzzles if you're being harrassed by an actor. If they have hard puzzles, they should give you some safe time so that you can concentrate. The actor here can scare you while you're doing hard puzzles. It was particularly annoying when we had a time limited puzzle and the actor scared us causing us to fail and start over again. âUse of the scare actor could've been better. Not much build up or suspense, no climax at the end. He just pops in randomly like it's a haunted house. He was also didn't really have a costume, just a basic store-bought mask. âSome of the audio puzzles were annoying, especially when there's other distracting audio playing constantly. You also have to listen to a bunch of static or extraneous info before you get to the info you actually need. Since there's nothing to take notes with, you have to replay the audio a lot. âPuzzles requiring memorization but nothing provided to write on. âWith the points based system, it was clearly designed for majority of teams to fail due to the density and difficulty of puzzles. I'm just not a fan of this style 2026, it's unsatisfying. This game feels like it should be at least 75 min. I'd recommend 5-6 enthusiasts due to the non-linear puzzles and difficulty. There is some crawling but no chasing in this room. My ranking of the games I played here starting with my favorite: 1. The Descent 2. VHS
The DescentReady Set Go Adventures - MississaugaEscape roomIRLRating: 3/5 - Likeable room, but not a fan of the repetition and memory Pros: âThe elevator effect was done well âSet looks good with multiple rooms to explore. âSome puzzles were fun, many were non-linear so you can split up and stay busy âTeamwork required âMostly tech with just a couple of padlocks âGood use of lighting and audio âGM was friendly though we didn't need any hints Room for improvement: âPuzzles are repetitive, you have to solve them multiple times at increasing difficulty. âMultiple memory puzzles and they do not provide anything to write with. We played as a team of 3 and finished with plenty of time left. Though I'd probably still recommend 4 since many puzzles need 2 people. No crawling or climbing needed.
Volcano Views: Aerial ToursEscape From The 6Escape roomIRLRating: 4.5/5 - One of my favorites! An ambitious, action driven game with unique set. Pros: âMain part of the set looked so cool and made great use of the vertical space, it was decorated floor to ceiling and they made use of all that space. It's way more than just a single room game. âThe entire narrative had a sense of humor and felt like something out of an action movie âNumerous surprises and "wow" moments, everything from the intro to the finale. âPuzzles were fun, they were more task-like but I really like that for an action oriented game. âEverything was tech based, tactile, and/or physical, no padlocks. âIntro and outro videos were funny and well done âGood use of ambient audio to add to the mood. âGM was friendly and helpful when needed Minor nitpicks: âSome parts of the set are not quite as immersive and detailed as the rest âDue to some wear and tear, one thing got stuck and required the GM to come in to help. âTheir standard is to have the GM come in to give hints. We played as a team of 3 (paid for 4) and finished with 10-20 min left. I would stick to 3-4 players. My ranking of the rooms I played here starting with my favorite: 1. Volcano Views (this is a must-play) 2. Firefighter Rescue If you play both, I'd recommend starting with Firefighter Rescue since it's an older game.
Motel BettyOmventure - MarkhamEscape roomIRLRating: 4.5/5 - Fun, scary game with some cool moments Pros: âThe actor did a great job scaring us, good timing and body movements. They used the set well. âLove longer games. Between the large set, creepy moments, and challenging puzzles, the length was justified. âA mechanical object in the set was a surprise and something I've never seen before, it was fun! âMoments forcing the team to separate and work together by communicating. âDecent narrative with an exciting ending. âSet looks good and appropriately creepy with many rooms to explore. âMostly tech with some padlocks mixed in. âPuzzles were decent, some required teamwork or were a bit creepy. âNumerous scary moments. I like this style where the actor does not really scare you when you are concentrating on puzzles (though you're still scared that they might). The puzzles here are a bit challenging so I would hate to be distracted by the actor. Room for improvement: âThe GMs watch multiple rooms at once and will check in randomly even if you aren't stuck, this is distracting. I also dislike when rooms use walkie talkies. âWhile darkness is good for scariness, it's not good when there are multiple color puzzles and you can't tell the difference between blue and green because it's so dark. They need better spotlighting or just get rid of the colors. They do not allow phones or flashlights. âSome of the puzzles were disconnected from the narrative with too much escape room logic. We were successful as a team of 4 (3 enthusiasts, 1 newer player) and I think that was a good number. Everyone on the team may need to crawl and run. My ranking of the rooms I've played here starting with my favorite: 1. Motel Betty 2. Hong Kong After Dark
Firefighter Rescue MissionEscape From The 6Escape roomIRLRating: 3.5/5 - Love the concept, nearly a â¤ď¸ but needs better execution Pros: âLove the theme, role-playing as a firefighter âThe latter part of the room was impressive and immersive. It looked appropriate, had a cool reveal, and made use of vertical space. âPart of the game was search heavy which fit the theme and was refreshingly different than many other escape rooms. âInteresting use of tools and force âLots of authentic firefighter props âGood quality flashlights provided and they added to the immersion. âGM was friendly, though we didn't need hints Room for improvement: âVery lock heavy and low tech. I think this room is 10 years old and it would've been amazing when it came out, It's not quite as good in 2026, especially after seeing how awesome Volcano Views is. âI wish they gave us costumes or at least helmets to better get us into the role of firefighters âThe initial puzzles were not great. The first one was confusing, then the subsequent ones were too simplistic. Seems like the puzzles were in there just to have puzzles. âThe initial part of the set feels a bit plain, it just feels like an office space with red painted walls. All the time and effort went into the latter part of the set. We played as a team of 3 (paid for 4) and finished with 10-20 min left. I would stick to 3-4 players. There are stairs in the game. My ranking of the rooms I played here starting with my favorite: 1. Volcano Views (this is a must-play) 2. Firefighter Rescue If you play both, I'd recommend starting with Firefighter Rescue since it's an older game.
Dream PortalDaydream Adventures - DanforthEscape roomIRLRating: 4/5 - Small but whimsical with a beautiful vibe and fun characters and quests Pros: âI really enjoy the quest-based gameplay, the lighting and descriptions made it clear what you needed to do next. âSet is beautiful and magical with lots of little details. It's colorful with great use of LEDs and effects. âPuzzles were fun and satisfying âMore than a single room game âGood use of audio and voice work âMostly tech with some padlocks, lots of tactile interactions âStoryline is interesting with fun/cute characters âSome parts are a bit dark, but they give you lanterns âThe lobby and bathroom have a cool vibe too âThe GM/owner was friendly and nice to chat with Minor nitpicks: âSet is kind of small, I was hoping it kept going but it stopped sooner than expencted. âIt's a bit short and easy for experienced enthusiasts. We played as a team of 2 enthusiasts (paid for 3 tickets) with a lot of time left (at least 20 min) and no hints. I'd recommend 2 players. No crawling or climbing needed. My ranking of the Daydream rooms (all locations) starting with my favorite: 1. Botanica Greenhouse (Brimley) 2. Dream Portal (Danforth)
New Haven OrphanageConfundrum Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLRating: 3.5/5 - Enjoyable room with a scare actor and a mix of locks and tech Pros: âOur GM/actor did a good job and gave me a couple good scares. It's not particularly high energy (like actors that chase you), more creepy/unexpected. âSet looks decent and was appropriately weathered and dirty feeling. It was more than a couple rooms. âRoom was very dark but we each got a flashlight. âOne player gets a special role at the beginning. âAmbient audio added to the spooky mood. âPuzzles are straightforward which works for a scary game. I do not want challenging mental puzzles in a scary room. âMix of padlocks and basic tech (RFID sensors) Room for improvement: âAmbient audio was a bit too loud but I think it's to mask the the sound of the actor coming in and also the noise from the surrounding rooms. âEnding wasn't as climactic as I'd hoped âSet and props are showing a lot of wear and tear We played as a team of 3 enthusiasts and completed it with plenty of time left, I'd recommend 3-4 players. Everyone may need to crawl/crouch.
Hong Kong AfterdarkOmventure - MarkhamEscape roomIRLRating: 2/5 - Really cool set, but the hardest room I've ever done. Unfairly difficult for non-Chinese players. Pros: âSet is expansive and looks so good, I've been to Hong Kong and this has all the right vibes. âMultiple rooms and good use of vertical space. âJust about everything is integrated tech, I don't recall any combo locks. âSome puzzles were enjoyable âInteresting narrative and murder mystery concept Cons: âIf you are not familiar with Chinese language or culture, this game is unfairly difficult. The issue is that for some puzzles, you need to learn how to read/write Chinese characters or how to play Chinese games before you can even start solving them. They do have posters telling you how but it takes up so much extra time and mental energy. I am ethnically Chinese but born in the US so I was able to help my team a bit but it was not enough. This room seems like it was imported from China with some translation done but it wasn't modified enough to better suit North American players. Never in my 300+ rooms have I completely given up on a puzzle and just asked for the solution until now, that happened twice in this game. âWhile I like the concept of doing a murder mystery, it was too much on top of an incredibly hard escape room. The escape room part is only 1hr 45 min, the the last 15 min just for the murder mystery part. âThe GMs watch multiple rooms at once, it seems like a different person responded each time we asked for help and they weren't following our game. I also dislike when rooms use walkie talkies. âWe got stuck on a puzzle even though we knew the solution because of a poorly designed timing issue. A GM came in the room to help and couldn't even get the puzzle to trigger properly the first time he tried. Another puzzle we got stuck on because the sensor didn't trigger correctly. âThe puzzle flow is confusing, there were many moments where it was difficult to know what to do next because the set is cluttered with extraneous info (though the clutter fits the theme) or we didn't see/hear something open. âThe final physical puzzle was actually fun in concept, but ended up being frustrating because of finicky sensors, unforgiving timing, and increasing difficulty. We played as a team of 4 with mixed experience and made it to the 2nd to last puzzle with multiple hints when we ran out of time (they did come in to show us what we missed). If you want to succeed, I'd highly recommend more experienced players, maybe 5-6. I REALLY wanted to like this game, but it ended up being the most disappointing game on my 22 game trip to Toronto. I loved Motel Betty at this location though, so go play that if you enjoy scary games.
The Tomb: Raiders of the SwordRevo EscapeEscape roomIRLRating: 5/5 - The ultimate, real-life Tomb Raider adventure. THIS is what all tomb rooms should strive to be. Pros: âThis set is incredibly high quality and fully immersive, floor to ceiling, every inch is decorated. Not a single item in the room that takes away from the immersion (no timer screens or out of place tech). They spent 4 years building this and I'm not surprised it took that long. Once you're in the tomb, everything feels real, the wood is actually wood, there's real metal, all the stone feels like stone. âThe set feels huge with multiple sections and rooms. They put so much effort into this, you will want time just enjoying the vibes. âThe puzzle style is unique in that everything you do make sense in the universe of the story, it's fully mimetic. I love that there is no escape room logic, it feels more like a Tomb Raider game. There are a couple of traditional escape room type puzzles but they make sense in a tomb. The also provide a unique bypass for one which makes sense in the universe and requires communication instead of puzzle solving. Everything else feels more like a realistic challenge or task. âInteresting use of items. âVERY physical, as someone who enjoys crawling and climbing, I LOVED this. The difficulty is not too bad, it's approachable for most people who are fit. But make sure you have at least one person who is agile. One physical challenge had a hint of danger to it which made it more exciting, but only one person needs to do it. âSo much tech, tactile, and physical interactions. Not a single combo lock or key to be found. âGearing up (helmet, elbow/knee pads, gloves, and smart watches) for a room builds excitement. I'd recommend gloves with good grip. The helmet felt sanitary since they provided hair nets. âThe "time loop" aspect was weird at first, but it gave a narrative reason for why we were getting messages (which was how they provided gameplay and environmental info) and I later bought into the concept. âLots of communication and teamwork required. âTomb is appropriately dark but the helmets had headlamps. âThis was my 300th escape room and instantly became my #1 favorite. âGM was friendly and helpful when needed (though we didn't need any hints in this room). Minor nitpicks: âThe room is a bit more guided than the other two rooms with less space for alternative solutions. This isn't necessarily a negative if you like guided gameplay. âWeaker narrative compared to the other two rooms. âEnding was cool but maybe not quite as climactic or exciting as I had hoped. We finished as a team of 3 enthusiasts with 22 min left and no hints. I'd recommend sticking to 3 players, maybe 4 if everyone is not up for all the physicality. My ranking of the 3 rooms here starting with my favorite: 1. The Tomb (by far the coolest room here) 2. The Lab 3. The Bunker
The Sorcerer's SecretCrypto Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLRating: 4.5/5 - My favorite Crypto room with a fantastical narrative and magical puzzles What I loved about this room: âBeautiful, fully custom set with great use of vertical space âFully tech-based with many magical moments and multiple animatronics âStrong, engaging narrative with multiple characters. It felt distinct even among the countless other wizard rooms out there. âWonderful lighting, audio, and video design. The spotlighting made it easy to know what you needed to work on, the custom video animations looked so cute and added to the story. âPuzzles were fun, tactile, and fit the story, not too easy or hard âClimactic, boss battle ending âMultiple rooms to discover and explore We played as a team of 3 enthusiasts (paid for 4) and finished with around 12 min left and no hints. No crawling or climbing required. My ranking of all 6 rooms here: 1. The Sorcerer's Secret â¤ď¸ 2. The Lost Shipwreckâ¤ď¸ 3. Below Zero â¤ď¸ 4. The Extraction â¤ď¸ 5. The Cursed Temple đ 6. Kilgore Cabin đ
Botanica GreenhouseDaydream Adventures - BrimleyEscape roomIRLRating: 4.5/5 - Fantastic, whimsical game with fun puzzles and tech. If Meow Wolf made an escape room. Pros: âThe set is wonderful with huge custom built plants and props, it's so artistic and unique. The vibe reminds me of Meow Wolf but with a cohesive style. Everything is vibrant and filled with details. âInteresting, weird storyline and characters that made me smile, it had a satisfying ending. âVery large space with multiple rooms to discover and explore. âGreat lighting and audio/music. âLove the puzzle style and flow, everything made sense and fit into the universe of the game. Some things were more task-like which I enjoy. Overall it gave me so much joy. âSome teamwork needed âAlmost everything is tech with only a couple padlocks. The tech is interactive and tactile, lots of fun moments. âGM was friendly and attentive Minor nitpicks: âSome parts of the set feel a bit plain, particularly the grey walls, flooring, and ceiling. We played as a team of 3 enthusiasts with plenty of time left, one nudge used. I'd recommend 3 players. 1-2 players may need to crawl. My ranking of the Daydream rooms (all locations) starting with my favorite: 1. Botanica Greenhouse (Brimley) 2. Dream Portal (Danforth)
The Lost ShipwreckCrypto Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLRating: 4/5 - My 2nd favorite here with strong tech and a great set âLove the animatronics and effects, it reminds me of Disney, at least one "wow" moment. âSet looks wonderful and appropriately weathered with great use of vertical space. âPuzzles were enjoyable and I like how they tied together in the end, everything made sense. âEverything is tech and well integrated into the set and narrative. âGreat lighting, audio, and video/animations. The spotlighting made sure we knew what to work on next. âDecent storyline and I like the book that presented you with info. âMultiple rooms to discover and explore. âSome teamwork/communication required. âA likeable character that guides you through. Room for improvement: âWith so many pirate rooms, it's hard to stand out. While this is among the better ones, it doesn't do anything particularly special. âThe flooring is grey painted concrete, this takes away from the immersion and beautiful set. We played as a team of 3 enthusiasts (paid for 4). No crawling or climbing, there is one minor startling moment for 1 person. My ranking of all 6 rooms here: 1. The Sorcerer's Secret â¤ď¸ 2. The Lost Shipwreckâ¤ď¸ 3. Below Zero â¤ď¸ 4. The Extraction â¤ď¸ 5. The Cursed Temple đ 6. Kilgore Cabin đ
The Steampunk ExpressThe Imaginarium: Playground for the Creative MindEscape roomIRLRating: 2/5 - Lots of tech with an interesting set, but too many things I disliked. Pros: âGood looking set with an interesting steampunk theme, decorated floor to ceiling. âEverything is tech, no padlocks. Tech is integrated well with some tactile and physical manipulation. âMultiple rooms to explore. âAmbient audio helped add to the immersion. âNon-linear puzzles, the entire team can stay busy. âGM was helpful when needed. Cons: âOne puzzle involved a cool mechanism, but it malfunctioned and required the GM to enter the room to help. âMultiple memory puzzles and they don't provide anything to write with. I have a terrible memory when it comes to patterns and numbers and need to take notes. âIt had two of my least favorite puzzle types, jigsaw and sliding blocks. I dislike these because you have no "aha" moment, you just need to do them so they feel like time wasters. âThere was a computer that functioned as a runbook. I personally dislike this style of play since you have to keep going back to the computer to reference info, especially with nothing to write with. The fake software/GUI on the computer was also simulating a modern Chrome browser which clashed with the steampunk aesthetic (though the computer itself was decorated like steampunk). âVisible wear and tear, especially on the wooden props. This is especially noticeable after playing at Crypto who refreshes the props regularly so all their rooms look brand new. âOne part of the room was completely undecorated and plain with a large, store-bought prop, this took away from the immersion. âThe room and lobby were uncomfortably warm when we played, I was starting to sweat just standing around. GM confirmed their A/C was working but it was still too warm, they even had fans running in the room and in the lobby but they were blowing hot air around. For some reason their Wilshire room was much cooler. We completed the room successfully as a team of 3 enthusiasts. I recommend 3-5 due to the non-linearity. One person may need to crawl. My ranking of the rooms I played here starting with my favorite: 1. Grand Wilshire Hotel 2. Steampunk Express
