Starship: Final Frontier60 to Escape - GurneeEscape roomIRLFun game! Just like usual with 60 to escape, they really brought the set design! Definitely reminiscent of the set of Icarus at CU Adventures, but with several things that gave it its own 60 to escape flavor! Many of the puzzles felt just like the other games at Gurnee and Schaumburg, and we did get bottlenecked in a couple places, but the gameplay was solid and flowed pretty well. Overall, if you’re local, this one is worth hitting, and if you’re traveling for 60 to escape I’d consider putting this one on the list!
The Final MasterpieceThe Colby Escape RoomEscape roomIRLThis room was a good time! Very solid for a super old school gen 1 room. Personally, I love a room with lots of tactile locks and keys so that wasn’t a drawback for me at all. The gameplay was pretty simple, and there weren’t any puzzles that felt particularly clever, but the number of puzzles did keep us busy! The room also relied heavily on seeking and finding rather than actual puzzles, which is always a bit of a letdown. Our gamemaster was super nice and actually listened to us when we told her we didn’t want any unsolicited hints, which stands out in an industry where a lot of gamemasters tend to steamroll their teams. Overall, you can feel the passion for puzzles and history seeping out of every corner of this place from the moment you enter the lobby through every step of the room. I am absolutely charmed by my experience here, and while I wouldn’t recommend this as a room to travel for, if you are in the area this is a must-do!
Invasion60 to Escape - MilwaukeeEscape roomIRLThey hype this one up as their “most difficult room” so I was expecting some complex puzzles but tbh there were just a lot of simpler puzzles. This game really does do the “normal setting becomes sci-fi” trope in a fun and funny way, and the gameplay is a good time! The puzzles themselves weren’t mind blowing or super clever but they were still fun! Puzzle flow was a little awkward at times but not super stilted. Overall, a solid game! I’d say definitely worth playing if you’re local and one to put on the list if you’re traveling.
Pirates Curse60 to Escape - MilwaukeeEscape roomIRLThe set design in this room is incredible. From the first moment the attention to detail is fantastic and the immersion is perfect. The gameplay is a lot of fun and there are several legitimately funny moments! My only complaint is the way the gameplay is structured. At the beginning of the game they let you know that there will be bonus puzzles throughout that will be optional but that must be completed before the end of the narrative to count. We finished the narrative with 25 minutes remaining, which was honestly a little disappointing, but we didn’t end up finishing the bonus puzzles in the time remaining and just decided to finish the narrative at the last second. Idk it was a bit of an anticlimactic structure for a game. Puzzle flow was good and the puzzles were the consistently solid ones I’ve come to expect from 60 to escape. This one is a worth your time for the set design alone, and with the puzzles being a good time, the gameplay isn’t too much of a drawback. I’d recommend this one!
Merlin's Legacy60 to Escape - MilwaukeeEscape roomIRLThis game is a pretty good time! This definitely has the feel of an older game, with a worn down set that was broken in a few places, but the gameplay flowed well, there was a surprise spectacle factor, and the puzzles, while for the most part simple, were pretty fun! We had one frustrating moment when puzzle tech wasn’t working as intended just due to being worn down and a little broken, which wasted a little time, but honestly we aren’t the type of team that cares about that. The GM for this game was incredible. I can’t recall his name but he was so much fun and made the experience more ~magical~
Prison BreakThe Escape Game - ChicagoEscape roomIRLLegitimately fun game! It does have a very corporate feel, which I kind of expected from such a large company, but it was a flawlessly constructed game. It wasn’t the most mind-blowing spectacular game I’ve ever played but I legit have no complaints about it, it was just straight up fun!
Special Ops: Mysterious MarketThe Escape Game - ChicagoEscape roomIRLThis game did feel a lot less corporate than prison break! There were several clever moments and neat puzzles, but the gameplay was a little stilted and playing with 4 people felt like far too many, it’s more of a 2-3 player game. Overall, a good time, worth it if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t travel for this game
Lockbuster Video60 to Escape - SchaumburgEscape roomIRLThis was a fun, very simple, easy to play room! I loved the set and the creative shoutouts they did to other rooms the business has. The puzzle flow is well done, and the storyline is silly and fun. This is the second time we’ve played with this particular GM, and the second time something in the room was left unreset. He was able to close up the things before our time started this time, which didn’t impede anything. Otherwise he was kind and personable. Overall, this room is a good time, especially for very small teams or very new teams.
Executive DisorderTwisted Limits Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLI honestly enjoyed this one more than the passage! It didn’t have the spectacle moments that passage has, but as someone who does these out of a love of puzzles and a love of the industry as a whole, this was just a well-built room. I do have some mobility issues at the moment and there is an element that makes the room less accessible than it could be, just be aware if you’re limited like me you’ll probably miss out on some puzzles. Overall, our group of puzzle lovers had a great time. Honestly Twisted Limits is a solid place, it’s worth hitting if you’re traveling to the area!
The PassageTwisted Limits Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLOverall, a fantastic room! The set design was amazing, with several novel aspects and a great spectacle factor! Puzzles were solid, there were some interesting multi-part puzzles, and the room gave a good challenge, the 90 minute time allotment is definitely needed. The main drawback is that it’s very hard to hear your team members during different parts of the game. We played with one member who has hearing loss and she was almost rendered unable to participate at the beginning of the game. However, the noisy set feature is really cool, so it’s hard to criticize that part too much. My other criticism is the hint system/timer. It’s an iPad you carry with you throughout the game, which I’ve encountered before and honestly I just don’t like it, it becomes a burden to carry along and keep track of. At the end of the day, this game is definitely worth your time and I’d say it could be one worth traveling for.
Jurassic Outpost60 to Escape - SchaumburgEscape roomIRLThe set design, as always, was fantastic if a little busy for the size of the room. The puzzles in this room were surprisingly higher quality than I’m used to from the company. Many of them were satisfyingly complex, with only a few being simple yet tedious. The end puzzle was beyond tedious and the GM tried to cover for an unreset lock by adding onto it lol. The objective was a little fuzzy as well, and the storyline kinda didn’t exist. Overall, if you’re in the area I think this one is definitely worth it, I wouldn’t travel just to play this game.
Cheesie's Pizza Party60 to Escape - SchaumburgEscape roomIRLThis was a fun game! We had a few issues with lighting and color based puzzles but overall it was a good time. I absolutely loved the set and atmosphere, and a few of the puzzles were surprising variations that were a lot of fun. Overall, if you’re in the area, this one is worth your time.
Bio-genesis - CLOSED815 EscapeEscape roomIRLThe gameplay would be solid if it were 6 years ago or if this were a mobile game. It wasn’t a bad escape room experience but it wasn’t particularly good either. Everything was locks, combos, and keys, but honestly I don’t hate a gen 1 experience. Some of the connections between puzzle solutions and what to do with them were a little hard to follow, which made things more frustrating. The set design was nonexistent. It’s literally a white room with some things hanging on the walls and a few props around the room. Overall, probably not worth your time & money, but if you’re in the area looking for a game to play, idk, not the worst game I’ve played.
Duke's Farm60 to Escape - GurneeEscape roomIRLThis is a fun game! There are several disappointing puzzles, and a lack of the flow I’m used to at 60 to escape. The beginning of the game is poorly laid out, but once the game gets going there are several fun puzzles. Overall an enjoyable experience and one I’m glad I took the time to have. That being said, if you’re only playing a few games at 60 to escape, I’d give this one a pass in favor of others.
Revenge on the Bayou - CLOSEDClue Carré - New OrleansEscape roomIRLThis was my favorite game at Clue Carre. The set was again a little underwhelming but the gameplay is so solid and legitimately fun that it overshadows any complaint I could have. Truly a delightful time
The Voodoo CemeteryClue Carré - New OrleansEscape roomIRLFun game, the puzzle flow was a little awkward at times and the set felt a little cramped, and I didn’t love the overarching mechanics that were a thread throughout, but I had a lot of fun and was really satisfied with payoffs to each puzzle
French Quarter House Of CuriositiesClue Carré - New OrleansEscape roomIRLWhat a delightful little room in a delightful little location! The set wasn’t large scale or high tech but it was fun and functional. The puzzle flow was immaculate and the payoffs were immediate and satisfying. Overall a very good time!
Cutthroat Cavern13th Gate EscapeEscape roomIRLThe puzzles were solid but not exceptional in this room and there was very little story line, HOWEVER, the set design was incredible. I’ve never experienced total immersion like that, it lives up to the hype and more! Prepare to be blown away almost to the point of distraction by the world they’ve created with this room
Tomb Of Anubis13th Gate EscapeEscape roomIRLI will reiterate what many others have said, this is not a 60 minute room. We were a group of 4 enthusiasts and made it to the final part of the game without escaping. The puzzles were unfortunately a bit disappointing and at times frustrating. They bounced between being so simple it felt like we must be missing something and so time consuming we felt like… we must be missing something. BUT OH MY GOD THE SET DESIGN. I do not regret playing this room at all, I was so wowed by the attention to detail and the overall cohesiveness of the room, not to mention the fun set mechanics. If only I didn’t have to carry an iPad around and scan QR codes to get hints it would’ve been totally immersive.
