Through The Sugar GlassQuest TavernEscape roomIRLQuest Tavern is phenomenal. I’d only been there once before this game and it was just as good as this time. Me and my partner are proficient at escape rooms and when these guys say their rooms are for experts they mean it. We struggled with puzzles (in a good way) and walked out humbled as our GM Diego had to give us some extra time to finish. We certainly played on hard mode with just the two of us (last time we had a third) but that’s what we wanted. We wanted a challenge and the pure amount of puzzles and space we had to cover gave it to us. The room looks small but is built so ingeniously that it hides 3 levels and integrates multiple puzzles into each space you visit. Though we needed to concede to a hint or two we still had an amazing time getting to see the whole thing.
Pandora’s BoxTrapped! Escape Room - Los AngelesEscape roomIRLPandora’s Box was a wonderfully simple but unique escape room. Getting close to the 150 mark, I’ve seen a lot of cool effects in the rooms I’ve done but this one still had stuff that I hadn’t seen before. The conceit of the room is Pandora’s Box opening and the gods of the 4 elements being released upon your group. Their representations of those elements were beautifully integrated through effects like heat lamps, fans, and water sprinklers. The puzzles were pretty straightforward but explored a myriad of ideas. The space was also well-utilized as I didn’t expect a second room but was surprised to find one. Rose was a lovely gamemaster and personable host.
Big Brain Labs60Out - HollywoodEscape roomIRLBig Brain Labs is such a cool labor of love from the guys behind it. Having met the big brain it came from, lead developer Grant put so much thought into the design, puzzles, and technical accessibility making it an exciting game for all ages. It’s high tech without being subject to screen-heavy gameplay. Not a lock or key in sight, just beautifully crafted, sleek, physical puzzles. When doors open, they’re smooth; when buttons are pushed, they click. The room is satisfying for every sense - colorful, clean - it’s a marvel for the eyes and hands. The gameplay is straightforward but memorable, the ending is fun yet dramatic. The only downside is one puzzle takes a bit longer than others - not by any spike in difficulty but sound cues that have to play. I have almost nothing but good things to say about BBL (👀) and I think everyone should try it.
Escape Blair WitchEscape Blair WitchEscape roomIRLUnfortunately the great set design was ruined by the overly helpful live actor. The first two rooms, classic escape rooms: solving puzzles as a group, asking for clues via walkie, discovering things ourselves. Then about a third of the way through, Jamie joins our party looking for Ashley. Now I understand you need to push people through a room if your schedule is booked but the beautifully designed room suffers when you need to force people through. It felt that at every turn, before we had a chance to look for a puzzle, we were told what the puzzle was by the actor. In a regular environment this would be a dope experience. Being that it’s Vegas and essentially a tourist trap, the genuine fun is sucked out by the time constraint and subsequent live actor enforcing it.
Flynn's ArcadeBrain Games Escape RoomEscape roomIRLFlynn’s Arcade is a room that feels as good to play as it is to look at. Pictures give off the exact 80s aesthetic the room is going for. I won’t spoil anything but the progression of the room is surprising, from entrances that reveal themselves to the rooms you get to explore, there’s so much hidden and it’s satisfying the whole time. In our game one piece did not activate automatically which stuck my team in one spot a little longer than we wanted but even then we got out with some 25 minutes remaining. The puzzles are a mix of classic codes and locks and Survivor-esque challenges that keep gameplay exciting. Highly recommended this one.
Ghost StoriesBrain Games Escape RoomEscape roomIRLMe and my team drove a long way to Brain Games cuz their reputation preceded them. I’d heard very good things about Flynn’s Arcade but when traveling so far we had to do a second, so we started with this room. This room had so much to do but nothing you could do at the same time as your other teammates. That only became an issue when we realized that we went a couple minutes over at the end. As a team who’ve played a combined 300+ rooms, we usually know how to bide our time, but with no timer in the room we were left wondering how teams with kids finish within the hour. The in-room help was the driving force telling us where to look next, but that was the gimmick, not an overbearing or doubtful third party, so I felt it was okay. At best the constant help from the GM was welcome and charming, at worst it was hand-holdy. A lot of the puzzles were fun to solve with only a few feeling somewhat underbaked; if they maybe trimmed a bit of the fat I think it would fit neatly into 60 minutes. But the set design is gorgeous, the physical activities themselves are fun, and you can tell a lot of heart and thought went into it.
The Tipsy TailorIntrepid Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLI love locations like Intrepid because of the hand-built nature and quality of everything. Tipsy Tailor was a setting I’d never seen with a story I’ve never heard and a large number of puzzles to solve. For a group of seasoned players like ourselves, we did the room without any bumps and it was all very fun to solve, sadly being so good with 4 of us meant I missed some of the major puzzles. The live actor portion was not distracting to the gameplay overall, only the preamble and exit had a little more meat than anticipated. Allison was a wonderful and host and game master that made Tipsy Tailor a really cool game.
PlaygroundThe Escape Game - OrangeEscape roomIRLI think I first played Playground some 5 years ago at this point so forgetting most of it was worth it to experience again. I knew bits here and there but watching my friends experience it for the first time was the best part. I think this room is one of Escape Game’s best no matter where you play.
Cosmic CrisisThe Escape Game - OrangeEscape roomIRLHell yeah dude. The room rips. Didn’t really have expectations going into it. I’ve done a handful of space themed rooms prior and not often are they my favorites but this one felt the most realistic and entertaining of the bunch. I think my team lucked out having only 4 because that seemed like the perfect number. Spaces weren’t too crowded but all puzzles went swimmingly with the brain power and cooperative nature of each step. The concept of destroying a spacecraft rather than fixing or rebuilding one gave the room a pleasing resolve and kept us engaged throughout.
Timeliner: Train Through TimeThe Escape Game - OrangeEscape roomIRLGotta love a good train room. Timeliner combines time travel and trains (à la Back to the Future Part III) and makes a wildly entertaining escape room out of it. Going from past to present to future and solving puzzles in each era makes progression simple enough to follow but enticing enough to continue. There’s never a dull moment - only downside might have been the quality of puzzles. Rarely were we really stuck for too long; puzzles were quick and bite-sized. However the ones that did take longer had really great set pieces to focus on.
The Haunted TerminalIntrepid Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLI was already hyped for the room going into it because the theming is awesome. Ghost subway station? Love the idea. In practice it’s a mix of Ghostbusters and 80s horror IP. I could see Haunted Terminal as a weird kid’s movie you’d find on VHS at a thrift store. It nails the energy and though there were a lot of number locks in the room, the theming and voice work from the characters in the game make up for it. The puzzles are satisfying to solve and make the ending even moreso when it all falls into place.
Black DragonEscape Room LAEscape roomIRLBlack Dragon had been on my list for a while. The pictures online make it look very cool and in person it’s even more-so. Though there is a live gamemaster/actor in the room, they are really just set dressing if you’re capable enough at escape rooms. Some rooms force the human element into the game so much that it ruins your personal experience. This was a perfectly balanced use of a live actor. My main gripe about the gameplay is there is so much to do you truly NEED more than 2 people to complete everything in time. Though I usually play with one other person, I played here with 5 friends and as much as we had a great time, I always hate the feeling of missing something. The gameplay and puzzles were phenomenal otherwise… I guess that’s the double-edged sword of it all: you make everything so fun and engaging to solve that when someone else does it you feel you’re missing out. Really awesome room.
Here, Kitty KittyEscape Room LAEscape roomIRLA room with the build of an old house always hits. Here, Kitty Kitty has that old aesthetic and loads it with puzzles. Most puzzles don’t require too much in terms of heavy thought, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Having a ton of easy or medium-difficulty puzzles keeps things moving and interesting as it becomes more speed-based than intelligence-based. You never feel slowed by any one thing because it feels so satisfying when things open and give you more to solve. Whilst smaller than Black Dragon, they really cram a lot of personality into the game. And again, though there is a live gamemaster, they do not interfere with the flow or pace of the game which is appreciated.
The Magic CottageInfinity EscapeEscape roomIRLFor two people, this room is tough. I read previous reviews saying Magic Cottage was easy in terms of puzzles but for two of us there was a lot to do and the perfect amount of time to do it. The setting and set design is phenomenal. Though the second room is less stellar, I think that’s how many escape rooms are: your main set piece is more thought out leaving the end feeling rushed. That’s really my only complaint is not being able to use more in the second room. All the props are genuine and handmade. You really feel the passion and creativity the owners brought to the table. Some rooms nowadays rely on dreaded AI for art or voiceovers - Magic Cottage is real, human engineering at its finest and it floors me when I find places like this. Definitely play here if you haven’t yet.
Chernobyl Disaster: Moments AfterThe Escape RevolutionEscape roomIRLEscape Revolution has two huge pluses on their side: the amount of space they have to work with and gorgeous sets that use the space phenomenally. Where I think Chernobyl faltered was in puzzles. Someone else’s review mentioned leaps in logic which I agree with to a point. The puzzles feel more realistic when it’s not as simple as “find the code, find the lock” but there’s a balance some places strike that this room just missed for me. Some puzzles, like the one using a spray bottle, I had never seen before and were really cool to watch play out whereas some were as straightforward as finding fuses for a fuse box. The vacillating between those highs and lows are my only real critique. Chernobyl is still realistically built and beautifully decorated, but for me the puzzles themselves are what pale in comparison to the rest of Revolution’s rooms.
Wrongfully ConvictedThe Escape RevolutionEscape roomIRLI can understand how people see this as Revolution’s best room. It’s got it all: 2 floors, a ton of puzzles, jumpsuits, a [cool way of getting from one floor to the other that I won’t spoil]. Your group starts separate like any classic prison break room and from the very start you have break things to get out. THIS really felt like escaping. On the side of their building it says “It’s Not a Game” and I felt that in this one. Wrongfully Convicted was deeply immersive and had us doubling back to solve puzzles, with one of the best/hardest final puzzles I’ve ever been tasked of solving in a room.
Tavern [Chapter 2]Enchanted Escape Room - HollywoodEscape roomIRLOut of the first two chapters here, I enjoyed the Tavern a smidge more than Belly of the Beast. I think the build is more attractive and the puzzles are a bit more creative. Again, my biggest gripe is how many number locks there were, and I’m sure that’s only because I have been spoiled with more high tech rooms. There’s a lot to do and I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Everyone can be working on something but the room is also contained enough that you won’t miss what other members of your group are solving.
Belly of the Beast [Chapter 1]Enchanted Escape Room - HollywoodEscape roomIRLFor a low budget escape room in LA, this is what everyone strives for. If you don’t have a big budget to back you, and you want to build a room, Enchanted shows what can be done. Though the building itself is below a law office, you walk in and it truly feels otherworldly. There are a lot of fun ideas for puzzles in this room and creative hides for 4 digit codes. Though most of the locks are analog, there are bits where the mechanisms keeping puzzles and rooms hidden did surprise us.
The Mad RapperScenario Escape RoomEscape roomIRLMad Rapper’s reputation preceded it - the room has a good variety of dexterity puzzles, word puzzles and visual puzzles, half mechanical, half technical. It’s got a great flow and cool progression: starting in the studio and a successful ending landing yourself a spot in the crew. With a story special to itself and big puzzles and set pieces, Mad Rapper has its reputation for a reason. (The ending was wild too and I’m glad I didn’t have it spoiled)
Dr. Hader’s Cartoon WorldScenario Escape RoomEscape roomIRLDHCW’s only downfall is the sheer AMOUNT of physical number and word locks around the room. The ways you GET the codes themselves are certainly creative but at some point it becomes a lot when each space you open is just covered in locked boxes and doors. The story is a lot of fun and the brownie points at the end give quick players a fun extra challenge including some of the hardest puzzles in the game.
![Tavern [Chapter 2]](https://images.morty.app/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/c4dd99a5-590c-4e68-9d78-8492065b9b92.jpg)
![Belly of the Beast [Chapter 1]](https://images.morty.app/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/9b34d93f-c899-4fbd-b3af-73689431dead.jpg)
