Le Château du Supplice Éternel [The Castle of Eternal Suffering]Sauve Qui Peut - Saint-JeanEscape roomIRLSauve Qui Peut has seriously levelled up with The Castle of Eternal Suffering. They’ve built an immersive, fantastical world with interesting characters and beautiful environment. Every time we entered a new space it was exciting because we didn’t know where the story and gameplay was headed next. As a colourblind player, there were more colour puzzles in this game than I think I’ve ever encountered in a game. But because the puzzles were so engaging, I didn’t mind it, and my helpful teammates coached me through them, allowing me to participate.
Le Grand Hôtel De ParisThe One EscapeEscape roomIRLWow, just wow. This is the kind of room that I’m sad I played because it means I’ll never get to experience it for the first time again. The team at The One escape should be so proud for building this masterpiece of immersive horror entertainment. I can’t remember the last time I felt this scared.
Hope EndThe Ministry Of PeculiaritiesEscape roomIRLThe most perfect blend of immersive theatre and escape room games, Hope End at The Ministry of Peculiarities is one of the most unique, well-crafted, and fun games I’ve ever played. The staff and actors were fantastic, and my entire group enjoyed the experience, comparing notes for 10 minutes after the game ended. I can’t wait to see what they build next!
40 ThievesMindTrap Escape Room - TemeculaEscape roomIRLRight from the beautiful intro that mixed projection video with real-life environments, I could tell this was a special game. 40 Thieves was so much fun. For our group of three experienced players, we just barely made it out. There is so much to do in this room so larger groups are encouraged.
Election DayAppleseed AvenueEscape roomIRLElection Day by Appleseed Avenue is a bold and refreshing take on escape rooms, blending crime-solving and even an autopsy into a whimsical puppet-filled world. It felt like stepping into an old-school CSI video game, scouring evidence, evaluating crime scenes, and piecing together clues to crack the case. With a generous 100-minute runtime, the game gave us plenty of time to immerse ourselves in the beautifully designed sets, which were so charming and full of personality that I didn’t want to leave. The humour was adorable, the characters were delightful, and we found ourselves laughing throughout the experience. That said, I did wish there were more spaces to unlock as we progressed, as this could have created additional moments of surprise and adrenaline. Some of the gameplay leaned heavily on screen-based tasks, which, while appealing to some, made the pacing feel slower for me at times. There’s also an intriguing detective-room cabinet with numerous compartments that only opened a few times. This felt like a bit of a tease and is a missed opportunity for more interactive reveals. Still, these are small critiques of what is ultimately a creative and highly enjoyable escape room experience. Election Day is an impressive debut and one I expect will quickly become a must-play for escape room fans visiting or living in Los Angeles.
The AlchemistSherlockedEscape roomIRLWow, wow, wow. The Alchemist is one of the world’s most creatively breathtaking escape rooms. Take my word for it: I’ve played over 200 games. If you are in Amsterdam and enjoy a challenge, beautiful sets, and immersive experience, The Alchemist is a must play. I would love to experience it again just to see the finale scene (which I won’t spoil for you here). The team at Sherlock has outdone themselves. I played all of their games while I was in town and The Alchemist stands far above the other two games, though I hear they are refurbishing the other two games soon.
Mogollon Monster: Scouting for Arizona's BigfootThe Nemesis ClubEscape roomIRLIt’s hard to put into words just how special The Nemesis Club is. Plucked straight out of something you’d find at Disney World, The Nemesis Club is a top-tier escape room that is a must visit for anyone in Phoenix. I can say with confidence that this is one of the best escape room companies in the world. We played all 3 games but the clear standout favorite was the Mogollon Monster Bigfoot game. It might even be in my top 10 of all time. The owners put such whimsy into all their games and even the lobby was perfectly designed. I felt like we’d entered a supervillain speakeasy behind an ice cream shop and I wanted to spend my entire day there. The game itself is fantastic from top to bottom. I even want to replay it because it was truly that good.
Ctrl Alt RebootEscaparium - LavalEscape roomIRLThis is such a fun game with incredible large-scale sets, living up to the polish and gameplay that Escaparium Laval has become known for. Throughout the game, you are accompanied by a special friend and they were a true highlight of the game. The puzzles have a good level of difficulty and really help drive the story forward. Because the game is long I do wish that they had optional seating in and some of the later portions of the game because fatigue started to set in. I was disappointed to see that generative AI was used in the creation of the band music, as well as the TV commercial in the game. I feel it detracted from the quality of the experience.
EXTERMINATED: Terror at the JunkyardEvasive Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThis room was a scary great time. Shout out to Aaron for being a great game master. He put so much energy into his performance and made it a lot of fun for us.
Sal's CyberneticsThe Immersive MachineEscape roomIRLSal’s Cybernetics was such a fun game. The cyberpunk theme was beautifully done and I left with a new best friend in Crumbz. The puzzles were unique and Kay was such a welcoming host. A fun little secret: if you visit the immersive Century Grand Bar in town and enter the phone booth and dial CRUMB9, you can get a special message.
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