The HeistThe Escape Game - OrangeEscape roomIRLFun room with good use of theme. A great family friendly game with a variety of puzzles and some scavenger hunt type clues. This is a fairly easy game and a good game for beginners.
7 Deadly SinsEscapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLThis rooms is billed as one of their more difficult rooms. Some of the puzzles were somewhat complicated, but it’s generally more of an intermediate level room. There were some fun moments and special effects. We enjoyed the puzzles in this room, they were challenging without random things that don’t make sense even when you solve it. There are some pretty big red herrings, but it didn’t affect the game play.
Batman™: The Dark Knight ChallengeEscapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLI gave the room a thumbs up based on the theme and cute storyline, but it almost got a thumbs down. There were too many technical issues and unnecessarily frustrating elements. It’s a pretty simple generation 2 room with some intermediate elements. There were three situations where something “unlocked”, but there was no indication (sound, light, doors popping open, etc) to indicate that anything happened. It turned into a semi-scavenger hunt along with us thinking we solved the puzzle incorrectly. I am totally cool with difficult puzzles and red herrings….. this wasn’t that. This was just poor execution. Overall, the them is cute and if you don’t mind some inefficiencies, or you are a big Batman fan, it’s still worth playing. But maybe make sure you get a discount to play this one. There are so many other rooms that are better.
A Pirate's CurseEscapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLGood theme, some cute props and production value was pretty average. Combination of gen 1 and gen 2 puzzles. Very easy game. Good for beginners. Staff is friendly and kind. Game master was really unenthusiastic. We finished in 24 minutes and he opened the door and simply said “do you have any questions?”. It was very anticlimactic. Overall, a fun room, but only worth it if you get a discount. Maybe not worth full price for how easy the game was.
Scooby-Doo™ and the Spooky Castle AdventureEscapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLThis was a cute, campy, simple game with good use of theme and some nice technology. Overall it’s an easy game best for beginners or kids. I went with my husband and two teenage boys. We had a good time with some funny moments. It was definitely not a stressful game. Very relaxing fun! The game masters are friendly and kind. However, a little dull. At the end of the game we were told that me “maybe” beat the record for fastest time and then asked us if we wanted our picture taken. That was it. No excitement, no celebration, no congratulations. Very anticlimactic.
Investigation LostQueen Mary EscapeEscape roomIRLThis was a really unique experience! What a great location with so much history and a fantastic theme to base an escape room on. The production value is excellent and there were some unique puzzles. This Gen 2 room is a wonderful option for an afternoon out. Escape room, tour the Queen Mary, dine in one of there restaurants and a view of the city. Loved it!
Lost CityEscapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLFun Game play with fairly simple puzzles. Good room for beginners with a mix of Gen 1 and Gen 2 tech. Pretty basic/generic theme but a decent set.
Who Stole Mona?Escapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLSimple set with mix of gen 1 and gen 2 tech. Pretty basic gameplay but had a couple of surprisingly intricate puzzles which made it more fun.
The Demented DoctorThe Ultimate Escape Rooms - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLDecent game play and some fun puzzles. I enjoy rooms that have interesting entrance points and this one had that. It’s a basic Gen 1 room with lots of combo locks and keys. Good for beginners.
Secrets of the PharaohsThe Ultimate Escape Rooms - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLA fun room with Gen 2 puzzles. Theme is pretty common, but still fun. Tip: wear closed toes shoes.
Flynn's ArcadeBrain Games Escape RoomEscape roomIRLThis is a very cute and well themed room. I loved the throwback to the 80s and there are some really creative ways of weaving in the theme. The game play was pretty straightforward with a mixture of Gen1 and Gen2 type puzzles. They use technology that feels appropriate for the 80s. We had a couple of puzzle malfunctions, but still fun overall. Good for families and beginners or mixed experience groups since there are a good variety of types of puzzles.
The Vault - CLOSEDPlanet Escape RoomEscape roomIRLThis was one of the better bank vault sets we have seen (and we have seen plenty). Nothing spectacular or unique, but inside the vault looked decent. The gameplay was fun, but a little glitchy. You can easily complete puzzles out of order and if you do, then it makes some of the subsequent puzzles not work correctly. GM was really friendly, positive and upbeat, I always appreciate that in a GM. Overall the room is best for beginner/intermediate players, or just a more relaxed experience.
Ghost StoriesBrain Games Escape RoomEscape roomIRLWhat a fun room! We did this as a family of four with my teen kids and everyone loved it. It has a cute spooky theme that isn’t scary at all. It was great for Halloween time. It’s a very non-linear task oriented room with some really fun aspects. My kids have done about 50 escape rooms and rated this one in their top 10!
Special Ops: Mysterious MarketThe Escape Game - IrvineEscape roomIRLThis was a great experience! The production, effects, staff are all top notch. The room is well themed, the puzzles are interesting and challenging in a way that makes sense both as a puzzle and for the story. This room was on the darker side, but flashlights were provided, so that helps. In general, games at this company are on the easier side, but also have great special effects, and unique puzzles. Mostly Gen2 type room and great for a mixed experience group. We had three newbies in our group and we escaped with plenty of time. Everyone had a blast!
Lunar MissionMaze Rooms - VermontEscape roomIRLI wanted to like this room because it has a well thought out theme and a cool layout, but it fell short for me. It started out promising, but after the first couple puzzles, it became frustrating mostly because it was WAY too dark for a room that required reading. Much of the room is in blue light & some of the signs are black letters on a red background that mostly disappears in blue light. It’s an older room that needs some updating to keep it relevant. I wouldn’t recommend this room unless you bring your own flashlight.
Sky OdysseyMaze Rooms - VermontEscape roomIRLThe production and size of this room is impressive. I wanted to love it because there were some really cool set reveals…. But I think it needs a refresh. The game play itself would have been fine, but some of the puzzles were a little glitchy and one puzzle was simply incorrect, so it was a pretty dissatisfying moment. The room also relies heavily on sound for many of the clues and since you can do multiple things at once, the sound is frustrating because one drowns out the other. It’s also rather dimly lit, so reading is tough. Overall, we had fun and liked the theme, but it’s clearly an older room past its previous glory.
The ReelPuzzle Effect - San Luis ObispoEscape roomIRLCute theme. I have played over 80 escape rooms and I don’t think I have ever played a movie theater theme. The game was fairly linear and mostly gen1 puzzles. Fairly lock/combo heavy, but a couple fun and unique ways of getting a code. I took a group of 5 teens and they did an amazing job. Perfect family theme and a great beginner level room. Overall, we enjoyed it.
Ghost HuntersMaze Rooms - Robertson BlvdEscape roomIRLThis is a newer room with a great theme and some really fun and unique elements that make the room special. It’s a high tech room with some cool details and fun ways to solve puzzles. I especially liked the use of the theme throughout the gameplay. However, because it is a high tech room, there were some frustrating moments when the tech either didn’t work properly or was a bit glitchy. It made for stalls in the game and a some unnecessary extra work. The game master was energetic and friendly, but a little lacking with the clue giving. Maybe he was just really busy. We only asked for one clue the whole game and he didn’t seem to know what we had already tried, so it took a while to get info that helped us. Overall, it was a really fun room and I recommend it for families or groups of friends.
Inksidious - CLOSEDEscape Room 66 - Los AngelesEscape roomIRLSuper cute game with a nice theme carried throughout. I liked the look of the black and white room. It felt like you were in a comic strip! The puzzles are well done, all low tech and very lock heavy. Production value is mid-level. Big props to the game master, Tuesday! She is super high energy, fun, friendly and encouraging. Loved her vibe! This is a great entry level room.
The Fun HouseCross Roads Escape GamesEscape roomIRLOverall this is a super fun and well produced game! We played the adult version with pre-teen and teen kids. It was a just the right level. It is a very low tech and lock heavy room. It has a cute and original hint system that made for some funny moments. Side note: If you have any people/kids in your group who are shy or sensitive to being embarrassed, I suggest you mention it to the game master before you start the game. Overall, I recommend this room for family fun.
