Christmas Escape Room - CLOSEDEscape Room Era - AnaheimEscape roomPop upThis Christmas-themed escape room was filled with themed decor and props… it really felt like a holiday workshop. Clever use of lights and the second area had a fun interactive element. Be prepared for a live actor, but not a scary one! Lots of locks and combinations… a great room for a family with kids!
7 Deadly SinsEscapology - NorthridgeEscape roomIRLThe room itself was well-themed… this location is great with using details to create an immersive environment. There are a few special effects (loud noises, fog, flashing lights) but nothing too scary. A few of the puzzles had obtuse elements that we wouldn’t have figured out without a hint. However, the GM kept posting hints without being asked. We’re expert-level solvers and it was a bit deflating to start noodling on a puzzle only to have the screen ping with clear and detailed instructions for how to solve it. I suspect they’re overcompensating for the abstract and difficult elements. If you’re experts, remind your GM ahead of time to hold off on hints until you ask.
Pharaoh's Tomb - CLOSEDMaze Rooms - HollywoodEscape roomIRLPharaoh’s Tomb had great immersive theming and few clever technological puzzles. Not a lot of combo locks and a few logic challenges. Puzzle pieces were a bit worn… one item was hard to read and one item was so fragile it broke in our hands. But a solid, fun room that’s not too difficult. Keep in mind there is a crawling section; however, you can ask the GM in advance for an alternate route through that section. Easy parking with dedicated spots.
Secret Mission - CLOSEDMaze Rooms - VermontEscape roomIRLSecret Mission was an immersive Russian spy mystery. The props/music definitely fit the theme and the period. Puzzles were mostly mechanical with a handful of combination locks. GM was very helpful and the “walkie talkie” for this room was a neat period prop. A few of the puzzles were not quite working. One locked door was unlocked when we entered, so triggering the puzzle did nothing. We were unable to figure out the directions for one puzzle, but somehow accidentally finished it. I’d give this room an easy-medium rating. We finished in 40 minutes with a team of two. Parking at the location is tricky at busy times (lunch especially). Lock your car in this location!
Spy DogsMaze Rooms - LAXEscape roomIRLSpy Dogs is a puppy-themed spy mystery. You have to get into the canine spirit to solve it! Most areas and passageways of this room are sized for dogs, so watch your head! (Not the best room for people with knee issues.) Nearly all mechanical/logic puzzles, not combination locks. The puzzles were tied in well with the theme. One of the puzzles had a delightful element I’ve never encountered before in a room. The props were in good shape and there were lots of different areas to play in. We encountered technical issues with two of the puzzles; however, our GM didn’t step in to radio us and trigger them until we’d been at it for a while—losing several minutes on each. I realize issues happen, but I’d prefer the GM help out a little faster when players are doing the right thing and it isn’t working. GM was friendly and helpful with requested hints. I’d give this room an easy-medium rating. Great for kids. Plenty of parking in a huge lot. Bathroom here is finicky, so go before you arrive.
Magic KingdomMaze Rooms - VermontEscape roomIRLMagic Kingdom is a magical forest adventure. Dark and moody, but not scary. There is one element in the room which came as a surprise and is not doable for people with low mobility. Fortunately, only one person in the group has to perform the required action. There are also steep stairs that only need to be done by one person. There were a few locks with unique and fun methods of opening. One mechanic was never really clear to us how it operated, but we muddled through. Everything did work though. GM was helpful when contacted for hints. I’d give this room an easy-medium rating. Great for kids who love magical things. Parking can be challenging during busy times.
Blackbeard's Lost TreasureBack In Time Escape Rooms - East TorranceEscape roomIRLBlackbeard’s Lost Treasure is a high seas pirate adventure. Every element was perfectly on theme and the puzzles were delightfully tied into the atmosphere. You can choose the regular or advanced (two puzzles are removed) version. We did the advanced and just eked out an escape with two minutes to spare. There are LOTS of puzzles in this room, but there’s a good narrative progression to guide you through them all. Getting started was tough for us because we missed the opening clue… focus on your searching when you get in! The were nearly all mechanical, not combination locks. Gameplay was fast and fun. Everything worked. In advanced mode, you gotta book it through the room. GM was helpful and friendly. I’d give this room a hard rating. Good room for a bigger group so you can grind on different elements at the same time. Parking was easy.
The Sword of Hattori Hanzo - CLOSEDBack In Time Escape Rooms - Harbor CityEscape roomIRLSword of Hattori Hanzo is a gorgeous samurai themed room. Every element was thoughtfully related to the time period. The room was totally immersive and all the puzzles were intricate mechanical challenges. The room was hard, but followed a logical progression. A solid medium difficulty, but felt easy because the narrative was laid out so well. Everything worked and the GM was great. A few of the puzzles were particularly well conceived and we’re still talking about them weeks later.
Popstar Revenge101 Escape Rooms - Oaks Mall LocationEscape roomIRLPopstar Revenge is a race to get a star singer to the stage in time for the show. The room was on-theme, but fairly sparse in terms of decor. All the puzzles worked and the GM was on point with hints. Nothing overly athletic required and a fun surprise when you finish. I’d give this room an easy-medium rating. Good room for kids and teens. Parking was easy and there are lots of other shops & restaurants in the mall.
Darkcade101 Escape Rooms - Oaks Mall LocationEscape roomIRLDarkcade is an arcade themed room. The decor was a bit on the sparse side, but still immersive. Puzzles were fun and innovative. A bit on the easier side, good for first-timers. GM was helpful and friendly. Parking at the location was easy and there are lots of other activities at the mall.
Men In Suits (MIS)Maze Rooms - LAXEscape roomIRLMen in Suits is an alien themed room, reminiscent of Men in Black. The gameplay was a bit chaotic, with props and game pieces in play across multiple areas. It’s also loud in there, with lots of sound effects and music—some which play repeatedly. Our GM was helpful and on the ball. When we tried puzzles just a bit wrong, he was able to nudge us in the right direction. Be ready to crawl through tight spaces—there’s no alternate entryway.
Tesla’s SecretArchitect Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLTesla’s Secret is a mad scientist themed room, and bears only a passing relation to Nikola Tesla, it’s mostly science in general. Some clever puzzles here. GM was helpful when needed. A nitpick… we were given the usual “no need to use more than two fingers to move an item” but in reality a large prop had to be overturned to find a clue. We spent far too long NOT moving it because of the instructions. Also, not a huge fan of rooms in which players are separated with no way to get back together without solving a puzzle. I’m disabled and sometimes I need help with puzzles… if my partner is locked away, we could end up stuck.
TombstoneMaze Rooms - West LAEscape roomIRLTombstone is a western-themed room… the decorations in each of the locations were spot-on, detailed, and very immersive. Not a particularly difficult room. We did it in 38 minutes with two people. You typically need three people to play this room, but our GM said he’d help us when we got to the puzzle for three… EXCEPT we accidentally did something to trigger the puzzle properly with a prop. So it is technically possible to do with two. Overall, pretty dimly-lit, so be ready to squint. The ending to this room had a delightful theatrical surprise.
Sherlock Holmes & Beautiful MindMaze Rooms - Robertson BlvdEscape roomIRLSherlock Holmes was a really fun room. Not much to tie the story to Sherlock, but some really clever puzzles. One challenge required intense cooperation and timing between team members—well designed! The main room and adjoining rooms have very different vibes, which is fun. The puzzles are pretty linear, so it led us through the story fairly logically. We finished with 20 minutes to spare with two people.
Casino Heist - CLOSED60Out - West LAEscape roomIRLCasino Heist is a casino-themed room which feels a little old school. Some of the props were aging and didn’t quite work the way we expected. We had to ask for help because of a difficult-to-hear clue in the room and a vaguely-labeled prop later on. A good beginner room.
Jack The RipperMaze Rooms - Culver CityEscape roomIRLJack the Ripper goes into the search for a serial killer. The puzzles are very intertwined with the theme, but we needed help with a couple of confusing elements. Props were a little worn, but still usable. The overall experience is good amount of work for two people, but might not be as challenging for a group. The ending had a bit of a jump scare, but still fun.
Cyberpunk SamuraiMaze Rooms - LAXEscape roomIRLThe decor in the rooms were both very different and very immersive. A bunch of clever and fun puzzles that tied in well with the theme. You’ll need at least one member of the group who is fairly physically active.
The Dragon's LairMaze Rooms - Culver CityEscape roomIRLThe theming on Dragon’s Lair is really great and the puzzles are mostly linear. There was one puzzle we kept failing at because we didn’t realize that it wasn’t about speed… there was a trick to it we’d missed. A lot of delightful elements that made the space come alive.
Whatever Happened To The Garretts?Maze Rooms - West LAEscape roomIRLThis is one of my all-time favorite escape rooms. The 80s theme is spot-on and the puzzles all tie in perfectly. Then, as you move through the story and uncover more of the story, the theme shifts to something entirely unexpected. A really great room to play with kids as there are puzzles that they’ll really enjoy.
The Wizarding School - CLOSEDQuest FactorEscape roomIRLI liked the theme of Wizarding School, but we really had a hard time with the logic of the puzzles themselves. First, there were a lot of props that fit into spaces intended for clues, but ended up being red herrings. We wasted a lot of time with those. Then, another puzzle was totally unclear until the GM explained it… we later determined there would have been no way to get that information without help. Finally, another puzzle kept timing out due to technical issues and we were very frustrated. We came away without the satisfaction that usually comes with completing a room.
