The Chesapeake Bay ButcherColonial Escape RoomEscape roomIRLThis is the third room we’ve done with Colonial Escape Room in Williamsburg and they’re consistently among the best between VA Beach and Richmond. This will probably be my longest review so I’ll focus on the SCARY, IMMERSION and PUZZLES. The room has been reviewed as one of the scariest on the east coast. While, that could be true (and the waiver discussion reinforces that expectation), the biggest bogey man is the one your brain creates out of the darkness and low lighting. If you can just push through what you have to do knowing it’s a game, you will leave very satisfied. Think of it as a very well executed Halloween house that you might experience at a theme park but more immersive and with a game element. Immersion is top notch. Really feels like a place you shouldn’t be and it’s a rather big escape room in its entirety. You’ll need to work quickly and keep moving. They say they put you in a horror movie and it’s as close as any of the rooms we’ve done anywhere (pushing 20). No clock in the room and no hints from your game master who is otherwise very involved in your game. There are a lot of locks in the room. A LOT. If there’s one ding on this room is that virtually every puzzle is a word or number lock with a couple exceptions. And while it’s a very linear sequence, we were able to compile clues that made it unclear what went with what. In hindsight there are means to sort it out of the very low itself didn’t pose a challenge to even seeing some of the clues or locks. No phone lights are allowed. We were hung up a bit in one area and were pushed past a couple solutions to get us to the FINALE in time to have a chance at success. That was another sequence of interesting and fun puzzles that we solved through someone’s attention to detail and, honestly, experience from another room. Despite being pushed through a couple puzzles we left this room excited and satisfied more than any other room we’ve done. There are so many puzzles that it didn’t matter and made me question whether the number of puzzles could actually be slimmed down a bit. Definitely constructed in a way that it could be optional. Highly recommended. Fight through your fear, don’t let it distract you from the puzzles and pay attention to details. In return you’ll have the best horror themed escape room yet.
The DollhouseBlack Cat Escape RoomEscape roomIRLNot scary or creepy. There is a doll house and a lot of dolls but it’s actually extraneous to the room and puzzles in general even if roughly included in the plot. The puzzles are not hard. A couple depend more on how you manipulate them than being difficult lit to solve. Overall a fun and well decorated room. Linear of that matters to you.
The ChosenCurtain Calls XscapeEscape roomIRLOur family of 4 is closing in on 25 rooms done between VA Beach and Richmond. This location is among the best (we’ve done the magical miscalculation here too). This room especially is among our favorite 5 or so. I won’t say much other than it’s pretty nonlinear most of the way with funnel points to love on. We have two kids that are great at rooms but still require rehashing clues and puzzles multiple times. I’d say the puzzles were straightforward and we managed to escape (barely) but as a family we tend to get unfocused. I wouldn’t rank it as hard for anyone experienced but it still feels packed for the 90 minutes. First room we did more than an hour and I’d say it was needed but things kept moving. Lots of mechanical locks but the requirements to solve the codes are where the unique turns come in. And many requirements are unique. Highly recommended. If you’re squeamish, you’ll only be fighting your own mind.
The Magical MiscalculationCurtain Calls XscapeEscape roomIRLOur family really liked this room. We’ve done a lot of rooms and this was a fun take on one aspect of the boy who lived. We brute forced a couple clues otherwise you will need a good eye.
The Stray Cat SpeakeasyBlack Cat Escape RoomEscape roomIRLSecond room at Black Cat. Immersion was nice and puzzles were fun. It’s nonlinear so not always clear what goes with what which is part of the fun. Plenty of things in play at once to keep 5 of us engaged. Some locks, but puzzle types were well balanced and felt natural overall.
Escape To NeverlandOperation EscapeEscape roomIRLGreat theme and quality in the room. Very immersive. One odd puzzle that I think they helped us through but one of our favorites out of the 10 or so we’ve been to.
Mystery MansionBreakout Games - Virginia BeachEscape roomIRLFun room. We thought it was on the hard side though it was one of the earlier rooms we did.
Cabin 11Escape Room Virginia PeninsulaEscape roomIRLFun room with cool puzzles we hadn’t seen anywhere else. Theming was nice.
