Mansion MurderEscapology - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLUsually we don’t play rooms without awards or overwhelmingly positive reviews, but this was right at the perfect time and place, so why not. In short, set design is ok, story is mediocre, room is not particularly interesting, hard, new, high-tech, or enjoyable. Yet another murder puzzle. Tastes like a cheap cocktail. Pass. As a chain trying to grow fast, they don’t have GMs per room. They don’t track, watch, or listen your game, because they are answering many rooms’ buttons at the same time. So even if something is broken and you try to communicate, you’re at their mercy if and when they’ll respond. Support your local escape rooms who love their rooms and their players. Don’t let corporate bleak invade the escape room industry.
8-Bit EscapeEscape Room HerndonEscape roomIRLFun room full, I mean FULL of games. There is a working atari and mini games if you’re bored of the main room, but you won’t :) There are so many clue-like things everywhere, but don’t get overwhelmed, when you need something you see where it comes from. Oh, no spoilers, but how you reach the second room was super cool, kudos for the clever space use :))) Overall, perfect if you are a nintendo fan!
Meow! I'm a Cat.Exit Game OC - AnaheimEscape roomIRLWe did with a 4 and an 11 year old, our little cats LOVED it! It’s fun for adults too, such a creatively designed room. The most (maybe the only?) child-friendly room around LA, definitely recommended to do with kids, I mean cats, of all ages. Jeremiah was so passionate and kind as a GM, and also as an escape room connoisseur. We’ll be back for the other room soon :)
The Hex RoomCross Roads Escape GamesEscape roomIRLI need to start by saying that you may have absolutely different experiences and reviews for this game if you play different roles. I was the detective, and I LOVED IT. If I was anything else I knew I would be disappointed 🤣 But the beauty is, everyone in the team was fit for their roles! I don’t know how the GM assigned in the little time she had, but it was perfect. Anyway, one room was broken and it needed to be reset. The props and ambiance is nothing like The Weeping Witch, but I loved my phone and it was enough 🤣 This game also requires constant GM attention, so absolutely kudos to them!
Hope EndThe Ministry Of PeculiaritiesEscape roomIRLIt was worth waiting years for meeting Dolores. It was a real experience, not just escape from a mansion. Before then, I was tiny bit upset with The Ministry to require at least 6 people to play this highly scored room, now I understand that we needed every person. The moment you ribg the door, we started “feeling” (scared, laughing, confused, betraying, empathizing, wondering, …) and that upbeat flow never stopped, till we leave the building. Do it, play the room, and send my regards to my new best friend 🙈
Irvine School of Wizardry and the Goblin's SecretsHidden DonkeyEscape roomIRLI might have loved this room if I haven’t done Hidden Donkey’s other room. I had so much high expectations for this room so we delayed doing it with our out-of-country friends. It is not a disappointing room but some story elements don’t fit well. Also trying to make the room replayable by fitting multiple stories greatly takes away from the experience. There is just so much potential after the first room that I feel they couldn’t keep up with the imagination in this room.
The Weeping WitchCross Roads Escape GamesEscape roomIRLThe ambiance, props, story, mirrors, smoke, table… everything amazing, but HER! I don’t get scared easily, she was freaking real! Play it if you want to immerse yourself into an unreal room …trapped with her. Would I do it again? Yes. Did it set my bar as “is your live actor as scary as that witch?” for the next rooms? Absolutely yes.
Ghost PatrolTrivium GamesEscape roomIRLYet another game in my queue for so long. It did not disappoint, it had unique mechanisms to make you investigate and play more, with everything. When a game is “top” for so long, it makes me think if they also get old, this one does not. Play if you’re in the area, this very well-thought and well-attended baby of the owners deserve your full heart …AND SOUL.
Cold CaseCloud EscapeEscape roomIRLIt was a mediocre room, I didn’t even immediately remember that we did this room. Very small space compared to Edeline. We did it because of its score/awards but the GM told us that they brought the room from somewhere else, so the score came with it, which was inflated in my opinion. The live actor is scary, especially when you don’t see anything. The proximity and holding my wrist were especially uncomfortable. If you want scary, there are more creatively scary rooms.
Amnesia - CLOSEDQuest Room - Culver CityEscape roomIRLThis is a forced thumbs up from the edge of a thumbs down — just because of the twist at the end. Otherwise, paying $150 mins for 33 underwhelming minutes does not feel good, especially when we were thinking that it was just beginning to get interesting. Within that 33 mins, there is a solid 5 min that we just scream and do nothing else. The story was also broken, what happened to the p**f? Why all the d***s? Where is the c*t? Anyway, if you are amazed by live actors (just a few interactions/questions), spooked by a strong theme, and not bothered by a super easy flow, do it. Else, go do much more enthusiastic rooms. Yet another Quest Room that disappointed us, after Warlocked. We decided to do no other rooms from the company, no matter the discount is.
The LadderHatch EscapesEscape roomIRLWe usually do all rooms as two players, so The Ladder was in our list for so long. Finally we found friends, whose first ever room was going to be this one! Oh boy. Towards the end of it, it became pure madness 🤣 Definitely recommended, and as it is not a traditional room, maybe find friends who have done at least a few rooms before this one to appreciate its uniqueness and madness. Also the corporate theme is so on point that I became triggered remembering all the corporate America BS I witnessed 🤣 We will come back and maybe become something other than a ninja 😝
EdelineCloud EscapeEscape roomIRLBefore I experienced the game, I was questioning how the room has so many good scores and no awards (yet?). After the room, I get it, it leaves a mark on you… It was a beautiful experience where the integrity of the story, theme, puzzles, personas, music, and everything was perfect. It is spooky, especially if you are not a fan of dolls, or darkness. Puzzles were very interactive and creative but a bit on the easy side. There was one puzzle that we started attacking and it get triggered before we finished it, then the GM told us that certain pieces were enough to pass. Onto the story, poor Emma… it was certainly heavy. We needed time to heal after the room. The resolution was beautiful and hopeful for sure, but it needed to be extended to a few more steps so that we can also get over the heaviness. In any case, a unique room that I recommend to everyone. Hugs to Edeline.
Steampunk AliceMaze Rooms - LAXEscape roomIRLEach room teleports you to a new stage in the story, maybe the most unexpected Alice version you can encounter. The set, the props, the characters are amazing, very detailed, and you can feel the love that went into the world building. Each character you encounter on the way are pulling you more into the story. That being said, the puzzles are unique and creative but most of them are a bit “in your face” — you solve if you see, you don’t if you don’t read. Maybe except the first one… anyway. Lastly, Persy was our GM, very helpful, very enthusiastic, and fun to play together.
Murder in LondonThe Ultimate Escape Rooms - Marina Del ReyEscape roomIRLThe game starts low key but turns into a marvel of clues to find the ultimate ending. Not super high tech in terms of lasers or interactive screens but things do get triggered unexpectedly, and sounds and visuals are clear. Our GM was amazing!! I think I fell in love😍 We asked for two clues, one of them was due to darkness the other one waz due to our fragility threshold 🤣 As a special parting gift, you get to keep an unexpected personalized souvenir 🤭 Location is also amazing, you can randomly see a sea lion right outside! All in all, it was such a nice experience ❤️
Drago's Castle5 WitsEscape roomOther The room is technological and magical, I can definitely see why they got awarded for Correcting the Past for Golden Lock. However, too short, lacks complexity, lacks number of puzzles, sequential, and point and do type of stuff. There is a mystery point system, which I would have expected to have been told about beforehand. But then, the staff also didn’t know how it worked 🤦🏻♀️ So you get a seemingly random score at the end. Overall, try to be amazed in a small mall, do not drive for many hours to try it.
The Curse Of The Black KnightEscapeX Rooms - IrvineEscape roomIRLThe production value of the room is so high! You really teleport into the castle, as if you’re a part of the story. They even have thin screen holograms! Our GM was also amazing. The room is relatively easy, fun but easy, you always know what to do. We escaped with 20+ mins remaining, we spent that time chatting with our GM — best 20 mins spent! He was so knowledgeable not only about their rooms but every room from LA to Temecula! Such a pleasure to meet a fellow escape room connoisseur! Just to emphasize again, decór, story, plot, puzzles, all so in harmony.
The Tipsy TailorIntrepid Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLJessica, our GM, was awesome! The room, meh… not super creative or different, the chaos at the end was not really our jam.
PlaygroundThe Escape Game - TorranceEscape roomIRLOh the fun! This room was lower in my list due to its theme before it became a Terpeca finalist, then I gave it a chance. SUCH A FUN ROOM! There is just too many things to do here! It is designed for 8-12 people so us two escaping by ourselves should have been a standalone achievement 😂 One door did not trigger, so we lost a few minutes and the epic moment of the room, nevertheless it was so much fun to immerse ourselves into this playground. Our GM was so amazingly helpful in both good and sweaty moments, we did not need any help in the first 45 mins, the rest we don’t even remember how we ended 🤣 Highly recommended, don’t mind the theme or the untriggered puzzle and just go experience it.
An Office EscapeCinema Escape Rooms - Los AlamitosEscape roomIRLIf you are an Office fan, this is your heaven. If you are looking for an escape room with a different angle, pass this one. Puzzles were too easy that after the game we felt empty and missing. Four of us escaped with ~20 mins remaining, although we thought we were lost in the beginning. The room can look overwhelming at first but most of the props are to create the world, not used for the puzzles. GM was lovely and supporting, also immersed in the story. They told us this is their hardest room, so not sure if we’ll be back for other rooms.
Special Ops: Mysterious MarketThe Escape Game - Los AngelesEscape roomIRLPros: - Super high tech room - worth a heart❤️ - A plot twist! - Clever and unique puzzles - Friendly staff - Same day discounts Cons: - Relatively easy - They merge groups - Last box had been open before we solved it - Less number of puzzles, one of the rooms only has one puzzle - May get uncomfortable if you are 3+ people - No parking validation (14$)
