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Reviews

Reviews

Monster in the Museum

Monster in the Museum

RI Riddle Room

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This is the newest room at RI Riddle Room, and to be honest I would have much rather they made it into 2-3 escape rooms instead of this one "large" escape room with a lot of empty space. The concept is interesting but several things about the room just annoyed me that may not bother someone else. 1) For a 90-minute room I would expect more puzzles, instead this feels like it has less puzzles than any of their other four 60-minute rooms. 2) Several if not all of the interactive puzzles/props were made inhouse and none of them were made particularly well or built to last. There are wood Screws sticking out that are meant as handles and are already loosening up. A rotation puzzle that doesn't rotate very well given it is wood on PVC not ball bearings or even evenly cut. A platform on rollers that doesn't roll particularly well even though the solution requires finesse. A puzzle with pegs that don't slide very well and even triggered with the wrong solution. I could go on but you get the point. 3) Several aspects of the game are just designed to suck time, so it takes most of the 90 minutes, perhaps so you don't feel cheated if you beat the game in under an hour. Everything from waiting for interactions with the actors (they were great but most of it wasn't needed) to withholding puzzle pieces until they felt you had completed all of the puzzles you had all the pieces for even when members of your team are standing around looking for something to do or waiting on the actors/characters to do something so you can move on to the next thing. In general, these delays didn't feel they added something and many could be accomplished with less actors or even flashing lights. 4) The room is rather empty. For a "large" game it has a lot of blank walls and empty space. other props that are oversized (one almost comically oversized) just to fill the space. There are thankfully very few things in the game that aren't useful but that just means most of the space is dead, but on the plus size there is a very low chance you will be bumping into each other. 5) Overall, the room just feels cheap. Like it was more about keeping costs down than providing a great experience. Multiple rooms would have cost more, maybe not in people as this game has two actors/GMs, but in design and execution. The puzzles being homemade and having multiple design/execution flaws just make it seem that the choice was made to save money more than to do something more customized. In summary, the few puzzles the room had were ok, though fighting with some to work was definitely a negative. The kept commenting about what else they want to add to the room over time as if they knew it wasn't finished but opened anyways. So, while it was entertaining and I am glad I did it and did enjoy it, it isn't up to the quality of their other rooms. I went in very hopeful, and came out entertained but would definitely have trouble recommending it to serious escape room addicts unless they are looking to simple complete every room in the area. I fully expect this room to evolve and keep improving but it just felt incomplete and tired at the same time. The most ironic thing about it is that the monster aspect has very little to do with more than 80 percent of the puzzles, and the game could be reworked with a different theme keeping most of the puzzles while eliminating the actors and taking better advantage of the space. Though the actors were genuinely better than any of the puzzles in the game!
Vanishing at The Velmont

Vanishing at The Velmont

RI Riddle Room

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This is fun and well-appointed room. Good set dressing, the clues make sense and flow. Though some things seem to have been "fixed" over the years that just don't work as well (ie. objects replaced that no longer fit the same or get stopped from going to far as the other 4). They didn't really cause more than a minute delay/confusion but easily figured out. A couple things didn't want to open as easily as they should. But some of that can be related to years of abuse. Over all the puzzles were fun and made sense. The ending sadly isn't as grand, and you can guess you are done but they need to come in and confirm it. The object you are looking for appears but its securely in place. Some things when unlocked will fall which can definitely cause a reaction. Lots of getting down to interact with things lower in the room. In short this is one of the two best rooms at RI Riddle Room.
Forest of Fortune

Forest of Fortune

RI Riddle Room

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This a fun room with a good atmosphere. There are a couple puzzles that require almost a scavenger hunt to find everything, but it isn't too tedious. Over all the puzzles are fun and flow really well. There are a couple that are just too exact and take time fiddling with them and another that you have to solve a bigger puzzle/scavenger hunt to get the answer but then you need to use that answer to do something 4 times which is really over kill. This is one of my two favorite rooms there.
Escape from the Future - Puzzle Break

Escape from the Future - Puzzle Break - CLOSED

Royal Caribbean - Anthem of the Seas

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This was entertaining as a free pop-up style escape "room". There are four double sided floor standing pieces (kind of a foot or two wide and about 6 feet tall) places in the 4 corners of the game area and one center piece in the middle. You are given clues and a piece of paper to fill out using what you find in the various areas to get the final solution. Very makeshift and barebones experience, but it was fun and challenging. The puzzles meet the theme, but its a very portable experience that could be setup in most rooms if they decided to move it. No real set dressing.
7 Deadly Sins

7 Deadly Sins

Escapology - Braintree

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Fun puzzles though a little all over the place, but still interesting. Theming of puzzles didn't always seem to fit the theme of the room. There are maps on the walls that are poorly labeled that would definitely be easier with outside knowledge (hard to say if it is required). There the decor/set dressing felt rather cheap like all the money was spent on one prop that didn't seem to fit anyways. Headstones that were cheap and stuck to walls. Pictures that were part of the wallpaper and looked flat and out of place and at weird heights. Staff was super nice. We had a minor issue and they came right in and resolved it.
Cosmic Crisis

Cosmic Crisis

The Escape Game - Lynnfield

  • Escape room
  • IRL

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

The Clock Tower

The Clock Tower

Escape the Room - Boston

  • Escape room
  • IRL
If I could give this a lower rating, I would. Mostly due to the GM. The absolute worst GM I have ever experienced in well over a hundred escape rooms. I had heard that the company had gone downhill, but this is far worse than I could have ever imagined. The GM was a cross between arrogant and indifferent. I could blame some of it on just poor staffing levels as he seemed to be doing both GM for this and another room (which we could hear when they finished) plus covering the front desk, but it was definitely more than that. It was general lack of caring or customer service. We spent 15-20 minutes literally yelling to get their attention only to with only a few minutes left to get responses that showed they definitely were not paying attention. When the GM came in after we failed the game on the last puzzle (a math puzzle that wasn't clicking after 20 minutes of trying and with nothing to write down on). We complained and their response was "I did tell you that hints were at my discretion." I have had frustration in escape rooms before, but this was aggravation of being ignored and them frankly not caring or even implying it was on purpose when he genuinely was not likely paying attention and perhaps was annoyed by us trying to get their attention. We asked them to explain the last puzzle and then pointed to the clue of a clock and asked us what time it read, we told them and they insulted us stating we obviously don’t know how to read an analog clock (which we had not only done through the entire game multiple times), but after they insisted it read a different time, they did the math wrong and eventually admitted we stated the correct time. It took them several minutes of explaining and changing the explanation before it semi-made sense but it was convoluted. The game itself was alright but had many quirks. Like pulling down things higher than in most escape rooms and felt like you’re breaking something for an early puzzle. But more annoying is there is a fast-cycling screen at the beginning of the first room in a dark area that felt almost seizure inducing. It gave me a headache and made me stick to my stomach to even look near, and it served no purpose for it to do that or be that bright. When doing puzzles near it, it made it harder to see things, and did most things squinting or with my eyes closed when near it. There is also a object painted red in the second room right next to a lock labeled as not part of the game, so it took some time to realize that the red didn’t mean it was in play. There was also a hard to notice door which we were delayed noticing it opened. Some other parts of the room were a little warn and it seems some parts of the puzzles were removed. There is a shelf for 8 objects of which we only found three, and they lead to conflicting answers (one combination says it is something while another said it wasn’t which isn’t very helpful as far as clues go), so you just need to guess or hope, but more likely just feel like you are missing something that isn’t there. There are multiple things that won’t stay in place like the final puzzle in the first room needs to be held until it triggers. Over all the puzzles were decent but some were a mixed bag and very vague. Though how we were treated by the GM means I will not be back to Escape the Room in Boston until it is under new ownership. A good GM can make or break a game and this one took a borderline decent game and turned it to not just a frustrating experience but an aggravating one that made me leave angry. There are far better companies in Boston to spend your money on. I would sooner light mine or fire than to return to another game here, which is sad as I have enjoyed several of their past rooms. It was however that bad of an experience. We had done two other rooms prior to this on in the same day and didn’t experience any of these issues down the street at a competitor.
Atlantis Rising

Atlantis Rising

PanIQ Room - Boston

  • Escape room
  • IRL
As usual with PanIQ rooms it looks fantastic. Puzzles can be a little vague, some feel designed for brute force solutions over providing the information needed to solve it otherwise. This room had no locks or keys, all things automatically triggered, but some didn't trigger the first time and need to be fiddled with. There is a musical clue, which while annoyingly repeating until you solve it isn't clear enough to hear. GM also comes in very quiet and hard to hear over background sounds. Similar with audio instructions can me hard to hear/understand. Puzzles are varied and interesting. Some have obviously been changed over time as things broke. Overall it is a fun game, but be prepared to ask for more hints than you would at other rooms in the area. Mostly because of your inability to hear a clue or something not activating the first time. GM was nice and seemed to fully understand the challenges.
Boom Room

Boom Room

Room Escape Boston

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Fun game, though some puzzles are very vague, leading to more assumptions than I would like. There is also a puzzle at the end that requires outside knowledge which I am not a fan of and could easily be resolved. Multiple instances of darkness as a puzzle with limited light source that can be aimed but not moved (which means multiple instances of accidentally looking directly at the light). There is also a directional puzzle with figures that point in a direction that doesn't match the puzzle clues (figure direction needs to be ignored, again could easily be fixed). Some decoding would benefit strongly from having something to write on (white board is available after a certain point but not portable).
Insane Asylum

Insane Asylum

PanIQ Room - Boston

  • Escape room
  • IRL
But experience. First room is a little vague. As with several of their rooms there is what appears to be an easy answer but then match is involved (and in some cases outside knowledge but stuff everyone should know). The rooms in this one are smaller so better for a smaller group. And most puzzles are linear requiring only one or two people at a time. There were two of us in there. It's a mix of visual and physical puzzles and a couple mazes or teamwork challenges. We could have brute forced the final puzzle and saved about 10+ minutes, but we finished with plenty of time left and got to do more challenges.
Baggage Bandits

Baggage Bandits

Upside Down Escape Games

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Fun themed room of a trains station. 90% keys or combos to open boxes, but a few other random inactions which were nice to change it up. Puzzles themselves were varied and fun. Lot of math (they provide a calculator). There were also a lot of the same locks, so we would try the combinations on multiple locks until we found the right one. Puzzles were interesting and varied. We over thought several or missed something obvious (ended up asking for a hint when we just forgot there was another place we could look). Most of this is automated, but some parts are triggered by the GM. We had one we wasted several minutes trying to figure out what the next puzzle was when the GM just didn't trigger it (making it impossible until they did). We asked after what happened and were told the cameras cut out for a few minutes (possible, but my guess is from looking in the GM's room is they were talking and just not paying attention).
Nocturnal Keep

Nocturnal Keep

Upside Down Escape Games

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Fun room with a medieval and wizard type theme. We did it with 2 people though the minimum online is 4. They charged us more per person but less than it would cost for 4 people. Though realistically the room isn't physically much larger or more puzzles than other rooms and it wasn't being booked anyways and required the same staffing as other rooms so the extra fee shouldn't be needed. The game itself is a lot of fun with some interesting and different puzzles. Some obvious clues and some very vague ones. Some are just hard to see due to the lighting and novelty lanterns given. There were a couple slow reactions to solving puzzles; either due to a slow main computer for the game (which was definitely the case with the wizard video animation) or just the GMs not actively monitoring the game for things they manually trigger. We used a couple hints foolishly, both for things we already knew the answer to. And the vague hints just forced us to focus and try again (or in the case of one lock shine a better light on it to see what was really needed). Overall finishing in under 60 minutes for a 75 minute game with only two people (on a game they only let you book online with 4 or more) isn't too bad. And we had a lot of fun doing it. We did another of their rooms on the same day and will be back for the third (and hopefully fourth) soon.
Alice et le Chapeau Du Chapeau Fou du Chapelier Fou [Alice and the Mad Hatter's Mad Hat's Hat]

Alice et le Chapeau Du Chapeau Fou du Chapelier Fou [Alice and the Mad Hatter's Mad Hat's Hat]

Escaparium - Montreal

  • Escape room
  • IRL
More unique room, though definitely showing its age. Many of the props and decor are damaged. They attempted to make it more of a mind bending set of puzzles than logic based. They are still pretty logic based just more vague hints. One musical clue it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the tones (if there even is one). Lots of mirrors used (one is a mirror into a mirror making it hard to see). There is a video with a much longer than needed (to the point of frustration) time between loops. But mostly there is damaged foam, magnets that have lost their power, trying to see something in a dark space, and inserting a small item into something that looks like it might get stuck, and of course a floor that was pealing up. Ended up needing a lot more clues than I really should have. And a lot seemed to be automated or improperly reset. Needed to complete two connected puzzles to get the final key to one part, likely because another part wasn't properly reset and opened on its own. Everything appears to be manually triggered by the GM (I admit it saves money on sensors, and our GM was definitely paying attention most of the time though some hints started multiple steps back from where we were). Multiple things pointed to this, including almost completing something and it being triggered before we did.
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