Secrets of the PharaohRadical Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThere is so much heart in this game, it's thoughtful and made me feel really clever (and gave me a forehead slapping moment too!) I felt like we chugged right along, moving from puzzle to puzzle, always with forward momentum. It wasn't always entirely clear which lock we were finding the answer for, but for the most part things were varied enough to know. I know some players dislike run books, but I often think they make sense in "archeology" themed rooms, like this one. That said, if you are very ANTI run book, or anti-math, you may wish to check out a different game. Decidedly analog, fitting with the theme of the story. A few areas seem under-utilized, or open for more use. Our GM was so enthusiastic, and cheered us on through all three games. You were the best, Darren!
Immunity QuestRadical Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLAfter watching 50+ seasons of Survivor, I finally got to open my own piece of tree mail and live out my island fantasy! We played the co-operative version of the game, working as a team through the whole thing, but I truly wish we had been part of a larger group because I'm sure that version is great fun! Great physical games, very fun!
Exit ProtocolRadical Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLDo you ever wish you could be in a Jason Bourne or Mission Impossible movie, but not as the one jumping from rooftops and racing cars? Would you rather be the analyst in the office who is the quiet hero? Then this game is for you! And I mean this as a POSITIVE thing! You'll get to use all your deduction skills and analytical skills as you follow a series of instructions toward your goal of escape. It's a lot of work, but quite enjoyable.
The Blind PigMurfreesboro Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLWe loved this room, and had so much fun. Many locks/key pads/combos but it all feels story driven. Super fun sets/decor that make fantastic use of all the spaces. Very impressive what they accomplished. The real touches are fantastic to tinker and play with and each solve was super satisfying. Like their other room.we played (Apt A) several puzzles were multi - layered. The beginning is linear, the back half is more loose. One quibble, and this says more about players than it does about MER or any of the GMs, the onboarding involves almost too much info, which can sometimes reveal too much of what to expect. Sometimes it's nice not to know what to expect later in the game. One last thought...some of the clues seem like they actually give players too much info. There are a few props that give instructions, and honestly, they could pare the info back to possibly offer a more difficult experience to players. Maybe?
Apt A / Apartment AMurfreesboro Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLWhat a delightful room and precious tribute to MER's dear loved one. A bright and airy room is just chock full of details that you want to explore and play with. The game play is quite linear, you're pointed in a direction and just keep moving forward. All puzzles are well signposted, and many of them are multi-level, which always leaves me feeling extra clever. Are you young? There will be things in this room that you may not have used before! How fun! Are you older? You'll be cheered with some of the nostalgic touches. Wonderful and helpful GM and owners. Technically, we are visiting Nashville, but almost all the rooms there are shared rooms, or pay for privacy. We are a group of two, and not willing to roll the dice with strangers, sorry! This made us search further afield for rooms to play during our trip and it was absolutely the right decision.
Purrfect PresidentSeven Keys to EscapeEscape roomIRLWhat an absolute gem of a game, in a lovely location, easily accessible to folks from Chicago or Milwaukee. A very clever and sweet story, chock full of whimsy and joy. Also, they allow players to immerse themselves into the roles, which adds to the fun. Multiple surprises that will delight players, and some very unique puzzles that utilize cooperation . Clue delivery is unique and adds to the charm of the whole game. This room is a testament to the idea that a game doesn't have to be scary or spooky or full of animatronics or a high tech. A unique story, clever puzzles and bursts of delight can make a game incredibly satisfying. As full disclosure, I arrived to play this game after failing in a game at a different (unrelated) venue. I was feeling frustrated and defeated. Purrrfect President was the purrrfect game that I could have played to relieve me of all those negative feelings and finish my escape room weekend on a positive note.
The House of SpecterEdge of EscapeEscape roomIRLLovely set pieces, no expense spared in the visuals department. Fun onboarding and intros. It all LOOKS amazing, I only wish that it also PLAYED amazing. Puzzles included dim lighting, dark corners, not being able to see clearly, inability to discern colors properly, little flashlights that would turn off randomly, a run book that has seen better days and presents things out of order. Very difficult puzzles, with some HARD leaps in puzzle logic.
Tunnels Under LondonEdge of EscapeEscape roomIRL𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿This review contains spoilers.Unscramble𓀗
Cryptic ConspiracyTroubled Puzzle Escapes - GrayslakeEscape roomIRLCryptic Conspiracy is this location's easiest room, rated by them at a 4 out of 10. I would agree with this, as our group of two finished in 31 minutes. Despite this, it was still full of charm and we had a great time. One thing I really appreciate about this room is the use of puzzles that when completed, require the GM to trigger something. It feels more "hands on" which some companies have been saying away from. I think there is such appeal in knowing the GM is being so attentive. After taking assessment of the initial room, we were off, moving from puzzle to puzzle at a clip that made us feel clever and confident. Starting with an intuitive, moderate puzzle is always a great way to boost the confidence of any players. This room was good fun, and I'm glad we played it.
One Dark NightTroubled Puzzle Escapes - GrayslakeEscape roomIRLOne Dark Night was one darn fun game. Excellent sets/decor and props that are fun to handle/use. It was so satisfying to work with/around the substantial set pieces. Many of the puzzles are multi-layered, which gives the players such a great 'ah-ha!' moment when the info all clicks and you know exactly what you need to do. Yes, there are multiple locks, and for good reason. It all makes sense in the story and in the setting. So while I would call the room "mechanical," I'm not using that as a critique at all. On the contrary, it feels perfect.
Wild, Wilder West - The Robbery of Vulture Valley60 to Escape - SchaumburgEscape roomIRLThere is soooo much to love in this game! It's a sumptuous and immersive set, with props that are fun to handle and interact with. The quality of the decor cannot be beat (and it doesn't hurt that it's still very new!). We were a group of two and finished this room with over 21 minutes left, and were absolutely hungry for more, more, more. The flow of the puzzles was sublime, with exquisite mapping that had us feeling like geniuses every time we got something correct. We just wanted MORE. More puzzles, specifically. Sidenote, as mentioned in the details, for the first time in the history of a 60 to Escape game, the GM was absolutely apathetic. Not a morsel of interest or kindness or even... personality. I don't expect too much conversation, but maybe a smidgen? They actually said "if you have questions, they can answer them at the front desk" and we were just...dismissed. So unusual for this company, and extra unfortunate because I think they were training another employee and it would be a shame for that dismissive treatment to proliferate.
13th BasementExit Game OC - AnaheimEscape roomIRLThis was the perfect game to end our vacation on. From the moment we met Jeremiah we knew we were in for something very special. I very much appreciated the cleverness, the light humor and the thoughtfulness that went into the onboarding (wonderful video!) and continued through the entire game. It's better the less you know before going in, so I'm going to keep everything vague. You'll need to use inside and outside the box thinking for the puzzles, which are varied and for the most part super fun. Some auditory "jump scares" and also some gentle, quick, physical scares. Even for my insanely "scaredy cat" husband it was all enjoyable. Great decor and props, very substantial and "real world" feeling...it all felt great to play with, in and around. We can't wait to come back and play their other game, as well as the ones Jeremiah vouched for.
The Mad RapperScenario Escape RoomEscape roomIRLOur group of two struggled, especially with over-thinking several aspects. There is a LOT to do and I think a "divide and conquer" approach is best. Very much loved the sets, the larger interactive elements, the music and the art on the walls. Heavier theme, but incredibly unique, too.
EdelineCloud EscapeEscape roomIRLIf you are looking for a game heavy on story and light on combination locks, Edeline is your game. Do you like independent, story-driven video games? Edeline is the IRL game for you. Do you have a love/hate relationship with Victorian dolls? Book this room immediately. Do you enjoy immersing yourselves in spooky, but not gory content, and enjoy a good satisfying twist ending every now and again? Edeline is all that and more. Do you like feeling clever and useful? Making logic connections, but not doing any real math? Have a decent memory? Edeline will make you feel like genius. Are you a large group (4 or more) who are looking for a lot of puzzles and something for everyone to be working on simultaneously? Please do not book Edeline, it's not what you are looking for and you will be left disappointed. Me, I play as a duo and we appreciated Edeline for all the things it offers, as well as the things it does not. It was the perfect compliment to our set of a dozen games we booked during this trip.
Dr. Hader’s Cartoon WorldScenario Escape RoomEscape roomIRLWhat a lovely and fun story with wacky hijinks mixed in. It made me think of a silent movie plot, with a dastardly villain trying to foil a young couple. I particularly enjoyed the narration and how I felt like I was moving through the story both as a viewer and as a participant. Some really fun and satisfying "hands on" activities that felt very cool to do. As a group of two we completed the main story and were just one puzzle away from completing all the "bonus puzzles." After hearing about the last puzzle I am not sure if we would have ever gotten through it's many layers no matter how much time we had! 😂
Kapow KomicsCloud EscapeEscape roomIRLEnjoyable game, especially because I actually own a comic book store. 😂 It was a lot of fun to see these real world elements integrated into an escape room story. Lots of good puzzles that would keep all participants busy, but not struggling terribly. A few puzzles are up higher (5'5" is my eye level) but younger kids will still be able to help gather the needed information. Start of game is unique and enjoyable.
Moriarty's ManorMindFox EscapeEscape roomIRLSuperb game with sublime decor and set pieces. The puzzles were thematic and made sense for the period and the story. Almost every piece/aspect felt appropriate to the era. Mindfox is great at what they do and their staff is very well trained. Joyce was calm, measured and conducted herself in a manner that was both professional and personable, something I wish more folks her age could/would do. This room, and Mindfox in general, deserves its flowers.
Heart Of Bastet [prev. Red Giant]Lara’s Labyrinth - San Diego [prev. Quest Room]Escape roomIRLThis location isn't much to look at from the outside...but what is inside is well worth your time and money. Enjoyable flow of puzzles in a really expansive and thoughtfully decorated set. Great audio story elements as well as progress/puzzle indicators. Props were satisfying to use, both feeling and looking substantial. I'm so glad we made this location a stop during our few days out here.
DaVinci ChallengeLara’s Labyrinth - San Diego [prev. Quest Room]Escape roomIRLWhat an absolute gem of a game. Every prop and every piece of decor is substantial and a delight to interact with. It's a lot to look at, and even more to accomplish. Solving the puzzles will make you feel exceptionally clever and you'll at times wonder if you aren't the next daVinci. You aren't, but this games designer/creator might be. Our group of two struggled at times with the sheer amount of puzzles, and several times we stopped to talk about what we had and had not used/finished already, which helped keep us on track. The light can be dim in areas, especially for older eyes like ours.
Batman™: The Dark Knight ChallengeEscapology - Universal CityEscape roomIRLI give the game itself a neutral rating, neither great, nor awful, but very in line with what I expect from this company. Getting to play a game with my clever friends, and spand some quality time with them was the real highlight, in all honesty, but that's not what Morty's ratings are for. Comic and movie fans will appreciate this game. Multi-room, but a bit on the smaller, side. Group of 4 was about ideal.
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