Vampire ManorMission X EscapeEscape roomIRLWe completed the room with a total of 6 people. Two in group had been in the room before but failed. The room is very atmospheric and a lot of the puzzles are unique and interesting. The directions we received in the room were unfortunately poorly worded. For example, one direction implied that we needed to perform an action to a certain object but we did not have that object and apparently didn’t need it, but we nevertheless wasted time looking for it. There was also a typo on a note that appeared significant but turned out just to be a typo.
Amazon SurvivalEscape TacticEscape roomIRLThis was a good time! It’s Amazon themed and thoroughly decorated (using fake plants and animals which should be expected), but it does still take a little theater-of-the-imagination for full immersion. There were a few surprising and unique mechanical features, and a couple of crawl spaces that would be fun for kids. Overall, a moderately-high quality room with unique puzzles. I’d recommend it!
Pirate's KeepUnited Escapes of America - Lake NormanEscape roomIRLOur group of 5 had a great time. I’ve certainly had more immersive experiences, but I do think the room was overall well decorated and helps to create the pirate-y vibe. The room is primarily traditional locks, but there are a few surprises that were very delightful! I consider this a very family-friendly room.
The Da Vinci ChallengeLara's Labyrinth - HadleyEscape roomIRLI adored this room. The room is fully immersive and the puzzles emulate the kind of wooden, yet elaborate technology you’d hope to find in a Da Vinci themed room. We had a group of 7, and we began the room separated, which is always fun. The puzzles are tough, and I’d be pretty shocked if someone managed to get through it with no hints. There’s one puzzle involving arranging objects that was particularly difficult. But all in all it was a really special experience!
The HeistMind Head Escapes [prev. Room 5280 - Greensboro]Escape roomIRLI really wanted to enjoy this escape room because it was interesting to play inside a 100+-year-old house. Unfortunately, that also detracted heavily from the immersion. It very much so just felt like we were in a room in a house, and puzzles didn’t feel particular unique or special.
Be'WitchedLara's Labyrinth - WethersfieldEscape roomIRLThis was a very weird experience in a good way. It’s one of very few rooms I’ve done involving live actors. We specifically chose the raunchier version, which turned out to be, well, quite raunchy. We had a lot of fun, and it was extremely memorable. Excellent decorations, but it was the live acting that truly made it remarkable.
The Man From BeyondStrange Bird ImmersiveEscape roomIRLThis was truly a breathtaking experience. Strange Bird Immersive lives up to its name with an immersive story experience from the moment you walk in until the moment you leave. Live actors helped to bring you into their world. Even the explanation of the rules was given in character. Every challenge fit into the narrative with each solution offering another piece of the story. From beginning to end, this felt more like a narrative experience than it did a game. Normally a single-room escape room feels a little simple for my tastes, but the ways that new unique and interactive tools were exposed keep the excitement and wow-factor alive. Every challenge stood out, and none felt arbitrary. Our actors (Lexie Jackson and Brock Hatton) played their roles excellently. It feels indulgent to make any additional asks, but I personally would have enjoyed more of a back-and-forth conversational experience with the actors, but I also understand that some would prefer to let them guide the show. Truly remarkable.
The GatewayLocktopia Escape RoomEscape roomIRLThis was a fun one! The goal was to close a portal to another universe. There were about five or six challenges we had to accomplish before we got to the final step. The room was well decorated, but did still feel more like a game room than a fully immersive experience. The challenges were interesting, but fairly simplistic and linear. The challenges and their rewards felt somewhat loosely connected to the story.
Lunar LockdownBull City Escape - DurhamEscape roomIRLOnce the game started, there was little I'd calling surprising. But there were a few cool facets of the room. First, there was a large door that automatically slid open once certain qualifications were met. It wasn't a surprise door since we could see it from the get go, but it was interesting knowing that we were working directly toward another room. The challenges were all very different and followed the space theme. There was a working simple computer in which we had to write codes or look up information. The main thing bringing it down is that some of the materials felt cheap and hurt the immersion.
ClueBreakout Games - GreensboroEscape roomIRLDesigned by Hasbro, Clue is based on the board game by the same name. It's very cleverly designed, and there were certain parts of the experience that made it feel like there were things actively happening just beyond the walls of the room, which was very exciting. It was overall very immersive, challenging, and left me wondering how it was put together.
