Magic Heist60 to Escape - SchaumburgEscape roomIRLSuper immersive and just absolutely gorgeous room. There’s just some really fun and clever puzzles that make you feel really accomplished and proud after you solve them.
Bonus Fun Time Game Show ChallengeEscape FactorEscape roomIRLOur GM was AMAZING, very surprising, very funny, and just a bit awkward and we loved it so much. This was a very fun room, it’s almost like a game within a game.
Cheesie's Pizza Party60 to Escape - SchaumburgEscape roomIRLIf animatronic puppets make you uneasy definitely don’t do this room. I was terrified the entire time. If you can get past your fears then you’re in for in for a fun and challenging room. Make sure you read everything and search thoroughly!
The Lost ArcadePanic Escape Room - Hoffman EstatesEscape roomIRLVERY cool props and memorabilia. This is a recycled room though. If you previously did the Ready Player 2 Room here there are a lot of similarities.
True Crime: Podcast KillerPanic Escape Room - PalatineEscape roomIRLThis one was pretty difficult for 2 people. We probably weren’t even 75% of the way through when the time ended. Definitely could use an extra set or two of eyes and brains.
Serial Killers Basement - CLOSEDFocus Time EscapeEscape roomIRLThis one is more difficult than the Area 51 Room at this location. Still fun, still enjoyable puzzles.
Area 51 - CLOSEDFocus Time EscapeEscape roomIRLA fun room where the puzzles make sense. The owner is passionate about his rooms and that just makes the experience better.
Escape The Matrix - CLOSEDPanic Escape Room - Hoffman EstatesEscape roomIRLNot the most immersive which is par for the course with this chain. There’s plenty of Matrix-y props but it’s not cohesively Matrix. It does have some fun activities and puzzles.
The HeistThe Escape Game - River NorthEscape roomIRLThis was a rough one for us. Great room with great puzzles but we just had that hardest time making associations and thinking things through and noticing things. We’re definitely rusty. The room has some very unique puzzles and props.
The Timekeeper's Trapped!Escape FactorEscape roomIRLReally cool room. Tons of puzzles that make sense. It was refreshing to see some number/math puzzles that I used to love in school but never really see in escape rooms. Definitely got our brains going. Also, considering the theme is a Timekeeper make sure you know how to tell time…. We were embarrassingly bad at it.
Prison BreakThe Escape Game - River NorthEscape roomIRLIn typical prison-themed escape room style you start off in separate cells. There were 8 of us I think that did the room and it was a bit tight in some places. There are plenty of puzzles but maybe not quite enough to keep a group of our size busy. There were definitely moments where we were all just stuck on 1 puzzle to proceed but only one or two people could look at it at a time so there were 6 of us just waiting and aimlessly searching. One prop was a bit beat up and nearly impossible to use/read properly so that held us back for a while. Still it was a fun room and like the other rooms with this franchise was really well made.
Gold Rush - CLOSEDThe Escape Game - River NorthEscape roomIRLThis is a cool room. Very immersive. Great set design and props. Definitely one of their easier rooms but still a fun adventure.
Special Ops: Mysterious MarketThe Escape Game - River NorthEscape roomIRLIt’s easy to see why this chain is successful enough to be nationwide. The rooms are so immersive and well done. Special Ops is no different. It’s a very impressive room. There are some really cool props and mechanics, one of which I’ve never seen in an escape room before. There’s also one mechanic which is really well done but way too fiddly and time consuming.
Mission: MarsThe Escape Game - River NorthEscape roomIRLLike their other rooms this one is super immersive and has tons of great props and mechanics. Some really interesting and unique puzzle solving.
The Clock TowerEscape The Room - ChicagoEscape roomIRLThere were so many unique aspects to this room, many of which I’ve never seen duplicated in other rooms. But some of it was so far-fetched that we were solving things without actually knowing how we were solving them.
The ShedMastermind Escape Games - State PkwyEscape roomIRLI was terrified the entire time but it was awesome. I don’t think there were any puzzle mechanics that were completely unique or innovative but it was still a great experience and the facility will now show you some clips from your game and that was fun and hilarious.
Duke's Farm60 to Escape - GurneeEscape roomIRLVery well made/well designed room with some unique mechanics. Fun premise/plot, puzzles weren’t very challenging but it’s still a great experience. Side note: at least one of your team will need to be able to get on the ground and crawl.
City ReserveCity Limits Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThis is such a cool facility with a great overall theme that frequently gets recommended to me… but so far none of the rooms I’ve done have really impressive. The City Reserve is no different. There’s definitely overlap in the puzzle logic/design with their other rooms but there were still some great puzzles but also some confusing ones. Some of the mechanics were a bit fiddly and required a bit of additional physical manipulation to get things to open. I still give this room a thumbs up because the facility itself is amazing and the staff is great and despite not fully enjoying their rooms I still want to complete them all because it’s just such a cool concept.
The GiftRed Door Escape Room - San MateoEscape roomIRLReally immersive room with an interesting story line. There are some really clever and unique puzzles.
Escape from Blind Tiger - CLOSEDEscapeSFEscape roomIRLThis room had some really unique mechanics but was also really confusing at points. Our GM really helped us through it. Not really a fan of the vibe/ambiance though. While there were some cool props it was giving dingy basement rather than secret underground speakeasy.
