NoirESCAPE! AlaskaEscape roomIRLWe decided to tackle this after completing the tomb. The set is incredible. You really do get transported to a whole new world. The props were in great condition. We had one puzzle that we tried to fidget with for 10+ minutes, until we finally got it to work. There were quite a few OH WOW moments, and unique things we haven't seen before. Overall, really well thought out room with unique twists and turns. Just a couple snags for us which is probably more of an "us problem" than a game design or flow problem.
The TombESCAPE! AlaskaEscape roomIRLTackled this while in town. The set is incredible. From the minute you step through the door, you're immersed in the tomb. Very linear game that helped us stay on task. Very enjoyable experience.
Deadwood SaloonEscape AnchorageEscape roomIRLFirst, we want to thank this establishment for being able to accommodate us last minute. We were super nervous when we prepared to start the room when we were told the average number of clues used. It took us a moment to get started, and we did need a handful of hints, but we felt pretty successful throughout this room. Puzzles had those "ahhh ha" moments. There are a LOT of puzzles! With only having a group of 3, we did have a few locks that became bonus puzzles, and we got 2 out of 3. The last one we needed just an extra minute or two which our GM graciously gave us. I found the puzzles fun, a mixture of simplistic and sophisticated, and engaging.
Conjured KingdomsAlaska Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLWhat an absolutely fantastic room. You can tell the owners poured their hearts and souls into the room. There was so much to do, and we had fun every step of the way. The props are in great shape, and every added bit made this one of the most immersive experiences we've done. We only had half our usual group and were JUST short of finishing, but the owner graciously let us finish the last puzzle or two. Will be boasting about this room for a long time - we aren't sure any of our PA friends will make it out to Alaska, but I sure hope they get to experience this room sometime.
The Galactic War: The Invasion Of The XarnaiEncrypted Escape - West ReadingEscape roomIRLThis was fun and challenging! We need a bit of guidance (we were rusty) but enjoyed what every puzzle had to offer! Can't wait to come back and do the other rooms!
The Haunting Of Hyde HouseGatlin's Escape Games - Downtown GatlinburgEscape roomIRLThis was fantastic. We haven't had the opportunity to do many "scary" or "spooky" rooms. I had this on the wishlist for our family vacation. It was our third theme from Gatlin's Escape, and it lived up to the hype. Our Game Master was attentive and gave perfect nudges without giving us too much. We loved the spooky elements and found ourselves saying "that's so cool" multiple times throughout the game. Just when we thought we were through, we'd find more to do. Really love the effort they've put into these games, and I was impressed to see all the tech working in all the rooms we played.
Masters Of MagicGatlin's Escape Games - The VillageEscape roomIRLWOW. We almost didn't do this room, because I was prioritizing another theme first. However, some family plans changed, and we were taking the kiddos so we chose the Masters of Magic. Boy, it did not disappoint. We did specifically ask not to be given clues unless we pushed. Our game master was super helpful and didn't give any spoilers to puzzles we were working on. The elements of this room were spectacular. Everything worked as it should, and it was so fun and unique. I'd highly recommend.
Big Maw Bertha's Fussin' & A' Feudin' Moonshine Hill HootenannyGatlin's Escape Games - Downtown GatlinburgEscape roomIRLWe selected this one due to the unique theming and previous reviews. We thoroughly enjoyed the room. Our Game Master was super friendly and fun (I think we even had him laughing at some of our shenanigans.) theming was on point.
Timeliner: Train Through TimeThe Escape Game - Pigeon ForgeEscape roomIRLHad to introduce my brothers family to the high-tech side of escape rooms. They thoroughly enjoyed seeing how tech can work. All the tech was smooth. We enjoyed each stop on our adventure.
Pirate's CoveAxxiom Escape Rooms - NewarkEscape roomIRLOof, this one was rough. Like prior reviews, there were things that seemed counter intuitive. Props are pretty old and worn which makes some items challenging. Since we didn't want to be pushed with hints every minute, we tried to avoid reading the screen. Which was honestly pretty easy, because the font/color is so hard to read on the background. I did REALLY like two specific puzzles in the room, but strongly disliked the others. I feel this place could have good potential if they just developed clues WITHIN the room instead of prompting clues to tell you how to walk through the room. It feels much less like an escape room when you don't get to have any "ahha" moments as you interpret a clue.
The Curse of LilithAxxiom Escape Rooms - NewarkEscape roomIRLI was cautious going into this based on prior reviews. I can confirm they're accurate. We were told at the beginning "we didn't need to ask for clues because they would provide us clues when they saw we needed help with something". In some cases we would get something open and I don't think 30 seconds would pass before we were told what to do. In general, I'm not a fan of dark rooms because it just makes solving things more difficult. For a completely dark room, I was surprised that they did not provide a light source. However, you were told you could use your phones for flashlights, Google, and calculators. Several puzzles were solved with us saying "I don't know how that worked, but I guess we got it right". We're still not sure if we did it right, or if they had some override buttons. Because we would try something once, it wouldn't work, then we'd try the exact same thing again and magically the second time it worked. I agree with most other reviews, many puzzles couldn't be solved unless you were told how to do them, and you felt pushed through the whole room. The sounds were so muffled by other sounds it was hard to understand when verbal messages were played.
Subway EscapeEscape Room PittsburghEscape roomIRLDid this room because of the "wow factor" discussed in prior reviews. Set design was fantastic. Puzzles were alright. Some were really interesting, but we also struggled with a flawed math puzzle.
Mystery MansionBreakout Games - Baltimore TimoniumEscape roomIRLWe did kidnapping 2 the day before doing this. We had high hopes. Unfortunately we felt there were some logic leaps or necessary outside knowledge needed. We did ask for some clues and ultimately escaped. There were some neat features but we found ourselves less than satisfied beating this one.
Kidnapping 2: Afraid of the DarkBreakout Games - Baltimore TimoniumEscape roomIRLI'm not usually a fan of dark rooms. But we had to give this a shot. And I'm glad we did. The puzzles were logical and right when we were about to ask for a clue, something would always click. Very much enjoyed the room and some puzzles I've never seen before!
CarnEvilEscape Games Live - YorkEscape roomIRLUnique room. Enjoyed the creep factor. We struggled with knowing if we completed tasks or not as we may have solved multiple puzzles at the same time and weren't sure what triggered what.
OutbreakSteel Key EscapeEscape roomIRLVery good decor. Was very impressive. Some of the tech seemed a bit off, as things would trigger but we couldn't figure out what had changed. The final puzzle we solved but the game master had to come in and trigger the actual tech even though our door had opened.
Cold CaseSteel Key EscapeEscape roomIRLSeveral red herrings. Has potential, but we also didn't have the greatest GM. Asking for clues took a really long time for response.
Cowabunga ClassroomDo You Even Escape?Escape roomIRLLove! this one brought me back to my kid days. Really enjoyed some of the references and the game flowed well.
Mind/HatterEscape The CapeEscape roomIRLFun room for 3 of us. Flew through several puzzles but really stumped ourselves on a few. Enjoyed the decor and mystery
Hotel Experience: Room 113 - CLOSEDCan U Xcape?Escape roomIRLThoroughly enjoyed this room. We had a large group, so it was a bit tight. But a good time.
