The Pharaoh's Lost RelicHour to MidnightEscape roomIRLThis theme has certainly been done to death, but this one stands out nicely from the crowd. The set was really well done and included audio cues. I really enjoyed many of the puzzles and the room just kept revealing new spaces.
Crypt of ShadowsHour to MidnightEscape roomIRLThis was such a cool use of total darkness in a room. I really liked the way that you could go from the area with totally darkness to an area with light so that you werenāt just stuck in pitch blackness if you didnāt want to be there. The set was well done, including a soundtrack and some lighting cues. A lot of the puzzles required teamwork, which I love. This one was definitely my favorite at Hour to Midnight.
Assassin's Deadly GameHour to MidnightEscape roomIRLThis one didnāt hit the same heights as Crypt and Nibiru, but it was a good game. The set made sense and it had a couple of really fun and unique puzzles.
Operation GryaznayavodaIn Search Of An ExitEscape roomIRLYour first task is to get into the place and it only gets more charming (stranger??) from there. The set was straight out of the 80ās and the interaction with the GM/computer was fun. I usually donāt care about the story, but this one really stands out and the story drives the experience. The puzzles were creative and there was plenty to do.
Lombino's CasinoIn Search Of An ExitEscape roomIRLThis room had some of the most difficult and multi-layered puzzles that I can remember in a room. Fun, and clever, but brain burners for sure. The videos of Vinny Lombino were hilarious and kept the room lighthearted. The set was adequate and the story was okay. This is a good room, but not outstanding to me.
Ronnieās HouseNW Escape ExperienceEscape roomIRLThis one toes the line between a love and like for me. The set was good and matched the story. The scare factor was fine and not over the top. Some of the puzzles really stood out and one of them makes my top 10 of all times.
Operation: D.B. CooperNW Escape ExperienceEscape roomIRLThis is a fairly linear room with a lot of traditional locks. The story is unique (weāve only played one other DB Cooper room). The set was decent. Some of the puzzles lacked signposting.
Atomic CafeNW Escape ExperienceEscape roomIRLCute, little room. The GM-led intro is fun and unique. The puzzles were straightforward, but still interesting. Very friendly staff.
Jurassic ToursNW Escape ExperienceEscape roomIRLThis room has so many fun, nerdy references and Easter eggs ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ mixed with a bit of hokey, eye-rolling humor, which made for a good time. I appreciated the fact that you have to make a decision about 2/3 through the game that decides the puzzle path that you will see through the rest of the game. The puzzles were fairly straightforward and most of them only require one person. I wish there was more teamwork involved in the puzzles, that the space was a little bigger, and that the view through the windows was a little more realistic looking. Overall, itās well worth doing.
Sins of WhitechapelKey and Code Escape Rooms - South Reno Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLI believe that this is currently the best scary room in Reno, and I enjoyed Freakshow, Dead Silence, Blood of the Original, etc., but this one really stands out. The set, including the physical room, soundtrack, lighting and sound cues were all very well integrated into the experience. The chapelās vaulted ceiling and the door to the chapel were wonderfully done. I usually donāt care about the story, instead I normally focus on the puzzles, then set, but I really enjoyed how the story revealed itself at the end. And, everything made sense within that storyās framework. The puzzles were good, and made sense for the story, and there were a couple of good āthatās really coolā moments. I am not a horror fan; donāt watch scary movies and avoid haunted houses, but I thoroughly enjoyed this room. It had the right amount of spooky atmosphere and gore, and it all worked together. This theme/setting could definitely be polarizing for some, but you can also say that it is unique and not the usual trope of a killer has you trapped so you better figure a way out before he returns, and I appreciate this. The room is on the dark side and there are a couple of small spaces so this may make it difficult for certain people, however, not everyone needs to enter these spaces. Parking is simple and the staff was great. *** note: we played this room as a beta test group so it is subject to some small tweaks before it opens, but I feel that it was 98% or better in its final form.
Prisoner 775Key and Code Escape Rooms - South Reno Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLGreat set and some innovative puzzles made for a fun time. The staff, Mikayla and Izzy were very friendly and welcoming. The new rooms at Key and Code are a huge step up and worth visiting.
ExcaliburKey and Code Escape Rooms - South Reno Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThis is a really fun room. The set is fantastic and the use of lighting and sound to enhance the set really makes it wonderful. I like the puzzles. None of them were particularly difficult, but they all worked well with the theme and the props were well done. If youāve played a similar room in Boise, no worries as they are different enough to still enjoy this one.
Operation NightwalkerKey and Code Escape Rooms - SparksEscape roomIRLGreat set; the actual room, lighting, fog, and sound were all good and added to the overall vibe. The story is interesting and makes sense in the space. The puzzles were good and matched the theme. The room is difficult and I would imagine that casual players will struggle. The signposting is lacking a bit and the low lighting added a bit to the difficulty. The only real complaint though is that it was unclear what triggered upon completion of a puzzle. Itās definitely an above average room and enthusiast will enjoy it and will be challenged. If youāve done a room with a similar name at MindTrap in SoCal, please note that although both rooms were installed by the same company, they are totally different rooms.
BiohazardDeadline Escape Rooms 2Escape roomIRLI really enjoyed this room. I was a little nervous that I wouldnāt because of the theme and because there were so many locks visible when you first enter, but the story really came through and there was a mix of tech and locks and everything fit the space nicely. There were a few stand out puzzles that really impressed and the set was really well done. Deadline always does a nice job, especially considering that it is all made in-house.
Vikingās Hammer ā RagnarƶkKey and Code Escape Rooms - SparksEscape roomIRLI thoroughly enjoyed this room. The set is really well done and on theme and I kept looking around, enjoying it long after we finished the room. The soundtrack, audio cues, and lighting enhance the experience. The puzzles were all fun and intuitive. I also like the puzzle paths; the first space has one puzzle and then it becomes non-linear with plenty to work on in the second space. These then converge into one puzzle that gets you into another space where it becomes non-linear again, allowing for the team to split up again, until it once again converges for the final puzzle. I love when rooms do this. It allows you to split up and work in multiple puzzles, but then pulls the team back together again at key points in the game. I would say that this is medium in difficulty. Novices may struggle with a couple puzzles, but enthusiasts will probably be fine. This is definitely a top three room in Reno and arguably number one at this point in time. I highly recommend it.
The NemesisMission Escape GamesEscape roomIRLIāve done a few spaceship themed rooms, but this one stands out from the others. The physical set is really well done and feels like youād expect a spaceship would be, but this one also did a great job of integrating sounds, video and lighting into the gameplay as well. There are a ton of puzzles, and a couple of them are on the difficult end of the spectrum, so Iām recommending 4-6 for this room, which is more than I usually recommend. The puzzles were all fun, on theme and tough (in a good, clever way). Mali, our GM was great and we chatted about escape rooms prior to our game. I also like the unique hint system in this room; letting you select a level of hint that youād like. I was genuinely pleased with this room.
13th BasementExit Game OC - AnaheimEscape roomIRLI really enjoyed this room. It was a lot of fun to play a room that poked fun of horror rooms. It has the set of your typical horror themed room without having you feel on edge the entire timeā¦..or at all. I was really curious to see how a spoof on a horror room would go and how they would be able to add humor, but they definitely pulled it off. From the poster in the lobby talking about too much use of black light, way too many directions for the directional lock, crawling for the sake of crawling, etc., (see picture), to the over the top and hilarious intro video, to making fun of the waivers, the jokes came through and it was a ton of fun. All the while being surrounded by a typical gory, horror set. I really enjoyed this. Give it a try if you havenāt played it yet.
Meow! I'm a Cat.Exit Game OC - AnaheimEscape roomIRLI was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this room. The set was cute, the theme and premise are unique and whimsical, and the puzzles were fun, despite being on the easier side. Itās a room designed for beginners and families, but is very enjoyable for enthusiasts. I would not hesitate to recommend this room to anyone. The owner was great to chat with and is very much an enthusiast.
Black DragonEscape Room LAEscape roomIRLWow. The back alley set is really impressive. There are a lot of puzzles in this expansive room and they were definitely more difficult than the average room, and more difficult than other rooms at this location.
Here, Kitty KittyEscape Room LAEscape roomIRLFunny and unique theme. This room is by far their smallest and least impressive, set-wise, but it is fun. It has some interesting puzzles and everything was on theme for an old cat lady. The GM is in the room with you the entire time, which I am not a fan of. Itās just uncomfortable.
