Cosmic CrisisThe Escape Game - Seattle DowntownEscape roomIRLI did this game with 7 kids under the age of 10, and it wasn’t easy, but if they can make it out, you probably can too.
Lab RatHatch EscapesEscape roomIRLA charming room that forces a shift in perspective that feels incredibly unique. I know many people say 4 is the right amount, but we comfortably managed it with 2, so if you have a smaller group and you’re feeling wary, I say go for it. The theming was unlike any room I’ve done before, and the space felt immersive, without anything feeling extraneous. Thomas, our game guide, was a delight.
A Pirate's CurseEscapology - LynnwoodEscape roomIRLThis game wasn’t BAD, but it definitely wasn’t GOOD. The biggest issues came from the GMs and the hint system. One of my personal pet peeves is receiving unsolicited hints, and unfortunately this room crossed that line multiple times. We were given nearly a dozen hints we didn’t ask for, even though we escaped with plenty of time left. Several of those hints referred to puzzles (or sections of puzzles) we’d already solved, which made it feel like the GM wasn’t paying attention. The puzzles themselves were fine… nothing especially clever or memorable, and a few felt pretty basic. One thing that stood out (in a not-so-great way) was one puzzle that relied on outside knowledge. Most traditional escape rooms include all the information you need within the space itself, but this room required knowledge that wasn’t provided. While the knowledge in question was aligned with the theme and wasn’t difficult for us personally, it still felt like an unfair design choice that could potentially trip up other teams. We finished with about 10 minutes to spare, but I walked away feeling disappointed. I wouldn’t recommend this room or venue based on this experience, though I might check back in a few months to see if they’ve tightened up their game management and overall attention to detail.
Mystery At Innsmouth: An Official Arkham Horror Escape Room - CLOSEDHourglass EscapesEscape roomIRLA cool room. Nothing extraordinary, but the vibes were cool, and the puzzles all felt like they contributed to the story. I appreciated that it was non-linear, meaning that multiple people could work on different puzzles at the same time. All three members of my group were busy 100% of the time, which I appreciated. Afterwards, they let us go back and recap to one another what we had been working on while the others were occupied.
Spell StruckThe Escape Artist - West SeattleEscape roomIRLA solid game. Some of the tech elements were a bit crusty, but everything worked. Some elements really required thinking out of the box, which I appreciated (especially after playing their other room directly before). Game Master Ava was outstanding (and was running two rooms simultaneously like the absolute superstar she is). Such a fan of the people here. They care so much about the games, Escape Rooms in general, and making an exceptional experience for everyone who comes through their doors.
Dive To AtlantisThe Escape Artist - West SeattleEscape roomIRLAs many reviews mention, this game moves! It’s cool! I don’t think the “Hard” distinction is particularly accurate, but it really depends on the experience level and skill of your team. I think some of the puzzles were unique, and the game progression made a lot of sense. The real highlight of this adventure is the staff. Everyone I’ve met at the Escape Artist (or any of the other Sure Lock locations) has been more than delightful, and they deserve endless praise for their professionalism, and their passion. Truly exceptional.
Ghost LightMyssTic RoomsEscape roomIRLI think about this room regularly. It was so beautifully done, so immersive, so intentional. I wish I could forget about it just so I could do it again.
Midnight ManorEscape Hour Gig HarborEscape roomIRLI really enjoyed this game. The story was well flushed out, and the gameplay all seemed to tie into the story and the scenario we were given— That might seem like a given, but I have played too many rooms where we were faced with puzzles just for the sake of having another puzzle. Nothing here felt unnecessary. There were a couple of holdups where my group got stuck, but overall I found the problem solving to be intuitive while still being appropriately challenging. It’s not scary, but I was spooked (though I’m a weenie), so I’d say be prepared for a light startle or two.
The StorykeeperLocurioEscape roomIRLVisually stunning, really unique and cohesive storyline, and a really clever hint system. This is a game I’ll remember for a long time 😊
The 13th FloorThe Escape Artist - West SeattleEscape roomIRLMy partner and I did this room this evening and enjoyed ourselves. The staff at The Escape Artist seems incredibly kind. Our host was so friendly and helpful throughout, and very assuring when he saw us struggling with some of the more tech-heavy puzzles. The initial room is cool because it moves (that’s the big selling point for The 13th Floor), and I think that movement was exciting and novel, but didn’t really impact the gameplay all that much. The first part of the game is in a dark room and relies pretty heavily on flashlights, so having extra hands to hold lights is useful, but kind of tedious. The number of times I was fumbling with locks whilst trying to hold a flashlight was embarrassing. When we got to the second room, it was nice to have more light, but the puzzles in the room didn’t quite feed into the story in the same way the puzzles in the elevator did. There were multiple mechanical puzzles that relied more on skills than they did problem-solving. I found the ending rather anticlimactic. In summary: I liked the room. I didn’t leave disappointed. This room met expectations, and I think I’ll leave it at that.
Rise of The Mad Pharaoh - CLOSEDHourglass EscapesEscape roomIRLThis was my second ever room, and I played it with a large group, which left plenty to be desired as there wasn’t enough to do to satisfy that many players. That said, I think this is a great beginner room, especially for a smaller team.
The Curse Of The Black KnightEscapeX Rooms - IrvineEscape roomIRLThis room doesn’t deserve a thumbs down, but if there was a “neutral” option, I would probably select that. I was really exited to do the Curse of the Black Knight due to the overwhelmingly positive reviews, but left somewhat disappointed. Here’s why: PROS: This room has a really imaginative storyline and the game itself was so much fun! The effects were terrific and there were a lot of elements that caught us by surprise. They were masters at making a small space feel massive, and the mechanical and technical elements worked together in perfect harmony. CONS: This room has a 99% success rate with most teams finishing in 30-45 minutes, so I felt a bit cheated. You pay for the whole hour, and I’m one who loves getting down to the wire (I’m less concerned with finishing with record time and more there for the ✨experience✨). If the success rate is that high, I think they should probably make the game more complicated, or add some puzzles. The room is also quite small, and left several party members without things to do. I honestly wouldn’t recommend playing this game with more than 3, and would likely opt for two (we had 4). Overall, a good room (especially for beginners), but I left feeling like the room lacked stakes because of its overall simplicity.
The Tipsy TailorIntrepid Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLOverall, I think it was a really strong game. The storytelling was great, the puzzles were creative, and the design was seamless. The team at Escapement is lovely and they deserve all the praise. This may not a great room for a whole team of beginners, but if you have some experience, this is a good first room to bring a friend to.
Legend of TheradoniaEscape Hour Gig HarborEscape roomIRLI loved this game. I left the room buzzing with adrenaline, and I still talk about it months afterwards. There were so many unique surprises, and thrilling little twists in this escape. The story was well-integrated into the room, and the sheer variety of puzzles was impressive. This is worth a trip out. I’m super excited to take on other rooms in Gig Harbor.
Steampunk AdventureMy Escape ClubEscape roomIRLA fun room with a few too many red herrings for my taste. The puzzles are unique, but there is a lot of bustling up and down stairs, and yelling at your friends from different levels in effort to communicate. Overall, a fun (and quite original) experience with the exception of minor design flaws. I’d recommend it!
The Dark RoomCognition EscapesEscape roomIRLThis is a game that relies heavily on locks, and has little to no tech… and I kind of enjoyed it. It’s a little spooky, but definitely not scary, and I think it provides a lot of room for collaboration and creative problem solving. This is a great beginner room; nothing fancy, but a really good intro to game mechanics for a new Escape Artist. I will say that this game really relied heavily on the darkness, so the atmosphere was lacking. Also, the storyline deals pretty heavily with the weaponization of mental illness, which I didn’t love. All this said, I had fun in this room. I brought a friend here who had never done a room before and this was enough to hook them, so I’d call it a success.
Prison EscapeFlee: The Ultimate Real Life Escape GameEscape roomIRLOf the games I’ve played at Flee, this is one of the best. Interesting locks, and enough variety of content to keep the experience engaging throughout. If you’re headed to Flee, this is the room I would recommend.
Museum HeistFlee: The Ultimate Real Life Escape GameEscape roomIRLThe second generation locks malfunctioned and gave us clues out of order, so we were left trying to solve puzzles we didn’t have the means to solve yet. The GM was like “Yeah, I noticed that. That shouldn’t have happened” but did nothing to intercept the game and tell us that, which was a bummer because a lot of time was wasted. We left this room feeling pretty disappointed.
Steampunk SubmarineFlee: The Ultimate Real Life Escape GameEscape roomIRLI’ve played nearly all the rooms at Flee, and this was my least favorite. We got stuck on a puzzle that couldn’t be solved with hints or problem solving, but instead relied on skill. I want to give it the benefit of the doubt, as this is one of the first rooms I’ve played, but I can’t say I’d recommend it.
Project Delta - Sci-Fi Thriller - CLOSEDAI Escape (Archimedes Inspiration)Escape roomIRLHigh tech and incredibly immersive game. A little spookier than anticipated, but thrilling and memorable!
