Son of The ZodiacQuandary WallingfordEscape roomIRLFour of us played Son of Zodiac at Quandry Escape Room in Wallingford, CT, with Manny as our game host. Manny was friendly, helpful when we needed him, and did a great job without giving away too much. We actually didn’t need many clues throughout the room, which was a nice change! I really enjoyed the puzzles in Son of Zodiac. There were several fun and challenging puzzles, including one in particular that was unlike anything I’ve seen in an escape room before. It was creative and definitely stood out to me. My only real complaint was the ending. I didn’t think it was very clear what we were supposed to do, and it left us a little confused about how to finish the room. Overall, though, I had a great time with Son of Zodiac and really enjoyed the puzzles and challenges. This company has three locations (different names) throughout Connecticut, and we’ve now played at all three. I’ve enjoyed every room we’ve done. I really appreciate that their rooms are all different while still being exciting and entertaining. Definitely a company I’d recommend to other escape room fans!
Operation: GambitQuandary WallingfordEscape roomIRLFour of us played Operation: Gambit at Quandry Escape Room in Wallingford, CT, with Manny as our game host. He was friendly, helpful when needed, and let us work through the puzzles without over-cluing us. We didn’t need many clues for this room, which made the experience even more satisfying. Thos one look us a little longer than Son of Zodiac to complete. Gambit had some creative puzzles that I hadn’t come across before. Nothing was especially challenging for our group, but there were still some fun and different elements that kept things interesting. One thing I particularly liked was the ending. Without giving anything away, I thought the exit was really cool and made for a fun way to finish the experience. I definitely preferred the ending of Gambit compared with Son of Zodiac. We’ve now played at all three of this company's(different names) locations throughout Connecticut, and I’ve enjoyed every room we’ve done. I like that each location and room has its own style, so the experiences don’t feel repetitive. If you enjoy escape rooms, Quandry is definitely worth checking out!
The Code: Cyber HeistEscapology - GarwoodEscape roomIRLI've played escape rooms at other Escapology locations and have visited the Garwood location before, so I was looking forward to trying The Code: Cyber Heist. Unfortunately, this experience fell short. There were two of us playing, and the person who greeted us was also our game master, along with another employee. She didn't come across as very friendly and seemed like she was ready to go home rather than excited to host our game. We also weren't asked to sign waivers at all, which struck me as odd since that's been standard at every other escape room I've visited. The room itself was smaller than I expected, but that wasn't really an issue. The bigger problem was the game design. We needed our first clue within the first 10 minutes because, after completing the opening puzzle, we were completely lost. The logic and flow of the room felt disjointed, and even after receiving hints, several puzzles still didn't make much sense. Instead of feeling challenged, we mostly felt confused. When we completed the final puzzle, the ending was surprisingly abrupt. It felt like there should have been another section or a more satisfying conclusion. Our reaction was basically, "Oh...that's it?" I've had good experiences at other Escapology locations, and even at this one in the past, so this was disappointing. Between the lackluster customer service and a room that felt poorly designed, this visit left a bad impression.
Gangster Gnomes 2 Out On ParoleCodeword EscapeEscape roomIRLWe've played every room at Codeword Escape in Rocky Hill, and the Gnome room was another fun experience! Our game master, Vix, was fantastic—friendly, attentive, and quick to help when needed. The Gnome room is their least challenging room and is clearly designed with beginners and families in mind, but don't let that fool you. There were still a few puzzles that made us think, along with some fun surprises that kept the experience entertaining. The only issue we encountered was a technical glitch: after completing one puzzle, the key that was supposed to drop didn't appear. Vix noticed the problem immediately, paused our game time, and resolved it quickly, so it had very little impact on our experience. Overall, I think this is an excellent room for first-time escape room players and families, while still being a fun, lighthearted break for experienced players who usually seek out the toughest challenges. Having now played all of Codeword Escape's rooms in Rocky Hill, I can confidently recommend them, and I'm looking forward to checking out their other locations!
Fall Harvest13th Hour Escape Room - WhartonEscape roomIRL13th Hour Escape Rooms is BY FAR one of my all-time favorite escape room venues. I’ve played every one of their games—and I would absolutely play them all again. Their newest room, *Fall Harvest*, definitely did not disappoint! This two-hour immersive experience left us speechless. I played with a group of six others with mixed experience levels, and we escaped with just seven seconds to spare. From start to finish, the game was packed with twists and turns, surprising elements, and so many “there’s no way!” moments that I’m still in awe. Whoever designs these rooms deserves an award. If you haven’t made it here yet, it’s worth the trip no matter where you live. I’m already looking forward to whatever they create next!
Escape From AlcatrazAll In Adventures - Rockaway [prev. Mystery Room]Escape roomIRLI thought this room was ok. I didn't like the fact that it wasn't a closed in room. I also was disappointed that it wasn't multiple rooms. The overall gameplay, setup, design, and puzzles were blah. I feel it could have been so much better. I also did not like their hint system. You press a button and have to wait for someone to come to the room. The game master comes in with the manual and then you have to tell them the last thing you opened so they can read what you need to do next. I also pressed the button for a hint twice and no one came. By the time the manager came to check on us, we no longer needed the hints. The positive is that the staff was welcoming, friendly, and professional.
Houdini's Prestige [prev. Houdini's Magic Cell]All In Adventures - Rockaway [prev. Mystery Room]Escape roomIRLI thought this room was ok. One thing I didn't like was the open space, so it wasn't a closed in room. I also was disappointed that it wasn't multiple rooms. It was a lot of noise around so it was a little hard to focus on what we were doing. The overall gameplay, setup, design, and puzzles were a mix of just ok and blah. It is their most challenging room but I feel it could have been so much better. I also did not like their hint system. You press a button and have to wait for someone to come to the room. The game master comes in with the manual and then you have to tell them the last thing you opened so they can read what you need to do next. This room also didn't have a timer, so we had to set our own. I would say the only positive thing about this place is the staff. Everyone was welcoming, friendly, and professional.
The Candy ShoppePuzzleConnect Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThis room was an absolute blast! The design was fantastic, and the puzzles were very well thought out. My group had a wide range of experience levels, and the challenges were engaging and fun for everyone. There were some awesome surprise elements throughout the room, and I really loved that the puzzles went beyond the typical lock-and-key format and incorporated a variety of creative mechanics. The overall gameplay flowed extremely well and kept us fully engaged the entire time. We didn’t need many clues, but our game master, Julie, was amazing—super friendly, attentive, and always ready with helpful hints at just the right moments. The room and facility were spotless, all the puzzles worked perfectly, and everything felt well maintained. The owners, Frank and Christina, were incredibly welcoming, down-to-earth, and clearly passionate about providing an excellent experience. I can’t wait to come back and try their other rooms!
Allister’s SecretMaine Escape GamesEscape roomIRLI had been waiting on this room for over 2 years. When I saw that it was finally open, I had to make that trip from NY just to play. We had a group of 7 players and met Renee the owner again. This room had a lot if mechanics in it, some fun surprises, and really great puzzles. Our GM Camden was great. This place overall had some really great rooms and I will be on the lookout for new rooms.
Uncle Ned's CabinMaine Escape GamesEscape roomIRLThis was my second time playing this room (I played on 4/28/23) with a different group. I really like the design of this room. There are some fun surprises and the puzzles are really good. Even though I had played it previously, I didn't remember how to solve the puzzles right away.
Lucky Dice DinerExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLThis room was ABSOLUTELY one of the best I've ever played. From the design, puzzles, and overall atmosphere, this room was top tier. All of the staff was super friendly and we ended up playing 4 games in one day. Our game master for this room was Josiah. He was great even though we didn't need many clues. I would recommend not just this room, but the company.
The Blind Tiger SpeakeasyExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLThis was our 4th room of the day. Our guide Jade was great! This room had some really good puzzles. The room design I thought really embodied the 1920s. There were some elements of surprise which I found cool. Overall this was my 2nd favorite out of the 4 we did. I'm looking forward to going back and trying the rest of their rooms.
Aunt Edna’s InheritanceExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLThis was the 3rd of 4 games played at this location. Our GM Brian was wonderful just as all the other staff. I love that the staff have some friendly competition going on amongst themselves. As for the room, while there were some really good puzzles and it was a fun room, this was my least favorite for the day - simply because I thought it could have provided a little more of a challenge. Again, great design and fun room but more on the easier side in my opinion.
Baker Street MysteryExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLI thought this was a really fun room. This was the 2nd one out of 4 we did at this location. Our guide Jack was really good and provided very helpful clues when needed. There is a lot of wordplay in this room but I enjoyed it because it really keeps the mind going and will have you thinking on your feet.
MockbusterCloak and Dagger Escape Rooms - HamiltonEscape roomIRLThis room was FUN and one of my top experiences. Our GM was great (very welcoming, attentive, and respectful). I can't remember her name, but i believe she's the manager or assistant manager. Back to the game...I thought the room design was incredible. It was very nostalgic and made me feel like I was literally walking into a Blockbuster video store. The puzzles were cool and there were a couple that was a nice twist, but nothing too spectacular. There was one puzzle that had us a little stumped at first, but we were able to get through the room with minimal clues.
The Knight's QuestAmazing Escape Room - PrincetonEscape roomIRLWhile the room itself was a decent design, the puzzles weren't super exciting, and our GM didn't help the experience. I don't know if he was overwhelmed, but he seemed a little annoyed that he was at work. He wasn't really helpful in the room and we had to ask a couple of times before receiving a clue. I also didn't like the fact that he played the safety video in the lobby while other groups were coming out of their room. I just thought that was unprofessional AND we couldn't really hear or pay attention to the video because the other groups were loud. We were also just put in the room with an, "Ok, here you go" attitude. I probably wouldn't return to try any other rooms.
Star ShipCloak and Dagger Escape Rooms - HamiltonEscape roomIRLThis room was fun. There was a lot to do in there and we escaped right at the last minute. There were only 4 of us, so maybe with more people, you might escape a little quicker. Overall, the room was decent.
Friends of FriendsTwisted Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLI thought this room was fun. It's based on the show Friends, so you do need a little bit of knowledge about the show but honestly not too much. The puzzles weren't too hard or complicated, but the room had a nice flow.
Survival of the FittestTwisted Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLI thought the room was ok. The puzzles were pretty regular and nothing too special about the room. There was one puzzle though that I thought was a little misleading because they say not to move things but then you end up having to move something that you wouldn't think should be moved. The staff was really friendly though and the place overall was nice. They are a fairly new business and only had two rooms available but working on a third.
Escape Your FearsMaine Escape GamesEscape roomIRLThis room was really fun! The puzzles were great and there were some really fun surprises. I would say, if you're not a fan of creepy/scary things, this might not be the room for you to play.
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