The Starlight MotelEscape Artist Greenville - DowntownEscape roomIRLStarlight Motel isn't just an escape room; it's a fully immersive horror experience. The moment you step inside, you're transported to a seedy 80s motel straight out of a crime drama. This isn't your typical escape room. It's more like a mix of murder mystery and immersive theater. The puzzles are clever and challenging, at times feeling more like detective work than simply unlocking a bunch of locks. The lighting and sound effects create a tense and suspenseful environment, and the jump scares will keep you on edge. But the real star of the show is the actor interaction. You'll need to engage with the actor within the room, improvising your way through the game. This led to some fun missteps on our part and a standout storyline with a heart stopping ending. Escape Artist Greenville has outdone themselves with Starlight Motel. It's no wonder it ranked #82 in the world on the TERPECA 2023 list!
Quest For The Temple of LightThe Keepers of BalanceEscape roomIRLWarning: Will raise your expectations to a impossibly high level. 99% of future escape rooms will pale in comparison. Easily the best-designed room I’ve played! They said "go big or go home" and gave us a multi-level masterclass in all things escape rooms.
Ghastly Escapes - Ch. 1 The Bag ManMasterpiece EscapesEscape roomIRLThe most fun I've had being "kidnapped". The flow of puzzles and pursuit kept the adrenaline high without ever feeling rushed. Nice variety of puzzles to keep us on our toes. The sets are fantastic, capped by a finale that absolutely delivers. We enjoyed the backstory and lore. It was nice that The Bagman was an equal opportunity menace. Even while being "captured" I never felt uncomfortable. I liked that they provided a non-contact option for our friend. Also there’s no timer in the room, so that doesn’t break your immersion. Play it and you'll see why it received a TERPECA Top Room nomination in 2024 and 2025.
Lucky Dice DinerExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLThis diner escape room had me jivin' and wailin' – it's easily cruised into my top 5 after hittin' 22 rooms! Really enjoyed the unique puzzles, especially all the physical objects needed to move into places. The whole set-up looked like it hopped straight outta a 50s flick. Sure, it wasn't the toughest joint in town, but that just meant more time to have a blast! Our gamesmaster was a real doll – super friendly and even took us through the whole game after we busted out. Ditch The Big Mall and head over here, cats! You won't regret it!
Yacht HeistTotal EscapeEscape roomIRLStill in my Top 10 even after playing 33 rooms. Great immersion and theming. Lots of variety in the puzzles. The goal isn't just your standard "get out in an hour" which added to the enjoyment. One room makes a big splash [pun intended] and I haven't seen anything like it since. High tech room which belies it's basement of an office building location. Highly recommend going if you live in the area or are just driving through NC on I-85 or I-40.
Ghost LightMyssTic RoomsEscape roomIRLSome unique puzzles and mechanisms in the room that were all on point with the theme. The very few locks they had were old timey that fit the room's time period. Touching ending that will stay with me long after I've played this room. Easy to see why it's won awards year after year. Worth the trip out to Brooklyn - 25 mins on subway from Theatre District. Perfectly themed if you're in New York City to see a Broadway show.
City with No SunNerd EscapesEscape roomIRLCity With No Sun was an unforgettable escape room experience—all in complete darkness ⚫️! To solve this room, we had to rely entirely on our other senses: touch, smell, sound, and even taste. From tactile puzzles to a smell challenge and more, every moment felt unique and immersive. We started in separate rooms, communicating to reunite by solving parallel puzzles. We’ve done a split-start room before, so I made some assumptions based on that previous room how things might work but I was wrong. It’s a great reminder that every escape room is its own adventure. Though the room was pitch black, I felt totally comfortable. However, it might not be ideal for those who are uncomfortable in the dark or prone to claustrophobia. If you're an experienced player looking for a new challenge, I highly recommend it. Just keep your group to four or fewer players to avoid feeling cramped—and definately play a few other rooms first to build your skills!
PlaygroundThe Escape Game - King of PrussiaEscape roomIRLWe had a ball (literally) at the Playground escape room, and it's rolled into my husband's Top 5 Rooms played ⚽️ The Playground room at The Escape Game is perfect for adults looking for a challenge. Despite the school theme, the puzzles are complex, high tech and require teamwork. Many memorable elements, especially two at the end. I'd suggest at least four teammates to be able to get all the puzzles done in time. We had a family of five, that we didn't know, join us in the room. The kids were especially helpful - the teenager immediately started in on a math puzzle, and the tween noticed some stuff in lower places where the adults hadn't looked. This room was tough and had LOTS to do, and without those additional people not sure if the two of us could have gotten out in time. Above and beyond customer service from the manager working the front desk. We mentioned we had done two rooms in another one of their locations, and she presented us with a The Escape Game Passport. We’ve subsequently carried it with us to another of their locations, and have used it to plan some future escape room centric vacations. Note that The Escape Game offers buy 3 get one free sales a few times a year around holidays, so if you're planning on doing multiple rooms or having multiple players in the future, it's worth trying to catch a sale from them.
Defenders of the Sunken RealmThe Keepers of BalanceEscape roomIRLThe submarine was amazing, felt like a Disney ride! Atlantis was gorgeous and ethereal. More physically challenging than Temple of Light. Would recommend playing this room first to better appreciate it's beauty before experiencing the over the top extra-ness of Temple.
Montauk ProjectMyssTic RoomsEscape roomIRLNice variety of puzzles and mystery theme. Not too difficult with two experienced players. Game master Jen was great, we only needed one hint. If you're only doing one room at Myss Tic I recommend Ghost Light, but Montauk still better than some independent rooms I've done.
