Cornstalkers: Lost in the MaizeThe Escape Ventures - OrlandoEscape roomIRLWhat a fun (scary) room! Excellent puzzles, a really fantastic actor interactions. We did this as a team of four, which seemed to be a good number for the space. Having dedicated safe and not safe spaces really helped enjoyment of the room. Our host, Ashley, killed it from the get go. She let us do a room debrief after the experience and I was super impressed with how much she has to juggle on her to own to make the experience work.
Ghost PatrolTrivium GamesEscape roomIRLPractically perfect. Immersive, humorous and incredibly creative. Playing Ghost Patrol feels like you've stumbled into a lesser known room the Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.
The DomeMama BazookaEscape roomIRLWow. The Dome is kind of batshit and intense and amazing, but also kind of incoherent. Amazing sets - apparently there was a plot, I didn't really get that at all. Every interaction was super well designed and really really fun to do. Each room was very well put together, just that... often times I felt like I had wandered into an entirely different escape room when going through a door. So that was a bit odd, but The Dome is incredibly ambitious and generally pulls it off. We did it with a team of six, which is probably one person more than I would recommend. It would be extremely challenging (I'm not actually sure it could be done) with a team of two. High intensity from start to finish. The post-game video review was a very nice touch, fun to see ourselves navigate the challenges!
Molly's GameUntold Stories Experiences [prev. Down the Hatch]Escape roomIRLI play Molly's Game the day after I played The Dome and the two rooms form a fascinating juxtaposition when played back to back. I never had to worry about following the plot in Molly's Game - it really hit you over the head with the plot (which was, honestly, fairly guessable by the second room). The build is extensive, atmospheric and very detailed (although it got a little campy at points). Every aspect of the experience has been thought through and while not everything works, the highs are very ambitious and are incredibly impressive. Overall, I thought the puzzles were somewhat uneven, with some being somewhat prosaic and others very unique. The experience worked well with four players, I think more would be a crowd and two would feel a little lonely. Our GM was great, although the plot exposition ran a little long - but I appreciated understanding how different elements were integrated into the various puzzles.
UndercookedOmescape - SunnyvaleEscape roomIRLThis is one of my all-time favorite rooms - it's very different from a classic escape room. It's much less of a linear experience and more like a series of high pressure mini-puzzles but I am a huge fan of the video game Overcooked and this room definitely manages to tap into the same spirit of joyful chaos that Overcooked brings. What a fantastic theme.
Operation GryaznayavodaIn Search Of An ExitEscape roomIRLWhat a fantastically wonderful and daffy experience from start to finish. So many games have generic themes, Operation Gryaznayavoda has such an original story brought to life so effectively. Great puzzles, love how it highlights Portland (a big plus for a visitor to the city, like me) - amazing set. YOU MUST PLAY THIS GAME!
The Edison Escape RoomPalace GamesEscape roomIRLEdison Room might be my favorite escape room in the world. So thoughtfully designed in terms of interactions and encouraging collaboration within large groups, such variety in experiences. There's so much to do and there are these moments that are so breathtakingly delightful no matter what age or what level of escape room experience you have.
The Murder of Max Sinclair [prev. Case Closed]Case Closed EdinburghEscape roomIRLI adore Case Closed's Max Sinclair room. It's not the most high tech room. It was clearly put together on a pretty shoe string budget, but there so much loveliness and creativity in each part of this room! The focus is less on escaping and more piecing together the case (if you like The Return of the Obra Dinn, this game is for you). One of my favorites in the UK!
Le Taxidermiste [The Taxidermist]Deep InsideEscape roomIRLIncredible immersion and interactive narrative - the set and the effects on the room are incredible. I really like that Deep Inside aimed for something incredibly ambitious and very different from other experiences. This is an escape room that is a bit light on puzzles, but not light on experiences - and it probably helps coming in and knowing that. Slight interlude in the middle that I enjoyed, but am not sure how it fit into the narrative?
The Battle for BritainEscape PlanEscape roomIRLBattle for Britain is my favorite escape room in London and I like it so much, I've actually done it twice, albeit over six years apart (once at the old location and once with an escape-room loving friend in the current location). None of the puzzles use technology that wasn't available during the time period the room is set in. The puzzles are lovely, very well done and the fact that you are trying to stop as many aerial attacks as possible (as opposed to linearly advancing through a room) gives the room a very different feel.
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