The Alchemist's ChamberSomewhere SecretEscape roomIRLCharming, infinitely memorable. I wish I could do this room over and over and over again. The mechanical cleverness built into this room and incorporation of local history left my teammate and I with stars in our eyes. If successful, you walk away with a new quest. A treasure hunt for which we spent weeks diving down historical rabbit holes and digging through archives for clues. It was enthralling. My since admiration and appreciation goes out to the gal that designed this room. (I swear I don’t know her and this is an honest and unbiased review 😁) This is the only room that prompted me to purchase gift cards for friends and family to enjoy. Don’t miss out on this hidden gem.
Budapest ExpressEscapology - DenverEscape roomIRLAfter completing all of the rooms available from the Escapology chain, (at the locations near me) this is probably one of my favorites. The set design and props are immersive enough to create a “feel” and there is plenty to keep a group of 3 to 4 busy. Overall, most of the rooms at Escapology are mid-level good. Nothing outstanding, but enjoyable enough to scratch the puzzle room itch. Probably more impressive for folks that are new to the hobby and good for mixed groups of enthusiasts that are bringing friends into the experience for the first time.
Outbreak - CLOSEDEscapeWorks Denver - Convention CenterEscape roomIRLIt’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s missing here, but the whole group left thinking…..that was only ok. The puzzles were fine enough, but the set design felt second-rate. Nothing was broken or malfunctioning, but I think the “props” (non-gameplay items just for design) felt kinda icky. I didn’t feel like I was in a medical lab, I felt like I was in the storage closet where they keep old broken stuff that nobody cleaned. There were some creative and enjoyable puzzle solutions but there was also a deluge of unincorporated data/writing/reading material as well as time-suck red herrings that were more annoying than clever. In the end, it all felt a bit sloppy. Some escape rooms feel curated for an awesome experience. This room feels more like it was slapped together for a business opportunity.
The Book Of SoulsMystic Escape Room - LittletonEscape roomIRLThis is one of those really cool looking rooms that makes you feel like you’re living in the storyline. The aesthetics are on point and the props are well made. Each puzzle was enjoyable and unique, but they didn’t make logical leaps just for the sake of being difficult. While the puzzles were challenging, I have to say that it’s not a “more people are better” situation. We had a team of 4, and all agreed that it would have been most enjoyable with two, maybe three max. Part of this is due to the physical space/square footage of the room, but the other part is that the puzzles are completely linear and you will basically have 1 to 2 people working on a puzzle while the others watch and wait for their turn at cracking the next one. I also wouldn’t recommend this for first timers, as the difficulty might get frustrating if you’re completely unfamiliar with some common escape room puzzle concepts. Net-net: if you’re a habitual room escapee you’ll love the design, mechanics, and features of the room, but be conservative with your party size. You’ll want to keep all the puzzles to yourself.
Treasure Hunt - CLOSEDMission EscapesEscape roomIRLThis was my favorite of the two rooms here. Definitely challenging but we still managed to escape with two people. Like the other room, the puzzles and solutions were creative and the room designer didn’t stick to the typical “find a code, open the lock” tropes that a lot of rooms rely on. The play through was fairly linear and easy to follow while offering enough red herring solution methods to keep us on our toes. Would definitely recommend.
Arizona Shootout - Most WantedEscapology - DenverEscape roomIRLI wish there was an option between thumbs up and thumbs down. This one was a bit “meh” for me. It was fine, we escaped with two and everything functioned like it should have. It wasn’t a “bad” experience but at the same time it certainly wasn’t unique or memorable. Pretty run of the mill with little to no pizazz. (Despite the fact that it’s based on the OK Coral shootout, and my favorite movie is Tombstone….but I digress) Of the rooms at Escapology, this is probably the least “inspired” as far as puzzle styles are concerned. Good enough if you’re jonesing to do a room, but certainly not anything novel.
Lunar Escape - CLOSEDMission EscapesEscape roomIRLOwned and operated by the room designer and game master. Lunar escape had some challenging puzzles and was thoughtfully designed. There were some really unique elements and he used a variety of solution tactics. Overall, it’s a well-crafted and entertaining experience!
