Servants of SleightThe Exit Games FLEscape roomIRLThe theming of each area was terrific-- they all felt like the places they were trying to emulate. A nice combination of physical manipulations and mental challenges. I was a little disappointed with the magic shop area, which felt like it had a lot of great potential that was unrealized and a lot of intriguing decor that was just that, decor. The opening space was great, and the "secret" space was also satisfying. I liked that within each space the gameplay was non-linear, allowing for teams to figuring things out on their own in their own order.
Pins & Needles Tattoo ParlorThe Exit Games FLEscape roomIRLThis was a fantastic room, although calling it a "room" does it a disservice. Other venues would have fit 2-3 different escape rooms into the footprint of this one experience. They put a lot of thought into all aspects of this game-- narrative, decor, pre-game, props, audio, etc. Our gamemaster was terrific-- really sold the story and vibe through the pre-game and late game. The game itself had a mechanism I haven't seen before in other escape rooms, which was delightful. There is one area that is completely bottlenecked by something that could use stronger signposting-- there's so much to look at in the room, it was easy to overlook the one important thing that you need to get started. Otherwise the game was fantastic, with strong theming and narrative. Normally I'm sensitive to rooms that use a lot of locks, but I didn't mind them at all here because for the most part they were well-integrated into the setting. Well worth the drive from Orlando.
Dark LullabyEscape Artist Greenville - Hampton StationEscape roomIRLWe loved this room. The puzzles are mostly mechanical and worked very well, fitting in with the creepy retro bedroom theme. The narrative was well-executed, reinforcing the theme and providing context for the puzzles. Great use of lighting to both set mood and direct the player's attention. The audio throughout added to the atmosphere. The live actors were used well. This was my favorite of the three Chimera Corp. rooms, narrowly edging out Castle Fluffendorf, which was also great.
Quest For The Temple of LightThe Keepers of BalanceEscape roomIRLThis is a phenomenal, must-do experience. Building this room must have cost a fortune, and you can see, hear, and feel that money. The sets are epic and lush, the lighting and effects superb, the props detailed and hefty. You can smell the wood when you walk by walls of crates. The spaces are big, fully-realized, and epic. We were agog throughout. The staff were in character from the moment we walked in the door. The experience wasn't flawless-- there were some details we had a hard time making out in dim light, to the point where we brute-forced through all the possible combinations. At one point you receive information that you can't review, so your memory better be up to it. One puzzle could have been designed to provide better affordance toward the proper interaction. But these are minor bumps to smooth out. While there are puzzles, this isn't a puzzle-forward room. It's a cross between interactive theater, a theme park attraction, and an escape room. At one point you receive a newly-forged object, and that object is warm to the touch. That's AMAZING attention to detail. We adored it, and if they actually complete all the rooms they plan (including a 3-hour experience taking up the entire second floor of their very large building), we will definitely be back to do them all.
Operation Arctic Storm: The Final MeltdownThe Escape Ventures - OrlandoEscape roomIRLThis was a solid room, even though it is completely lock-driven-- virtually every puzzle yielded a word for a wordlock, a numeric lock combo, or a physical key. The puzzles themselves were nicely varied, well-themed to the environment, and plentiful. The game takes you through quite a few spaces, and while the set dressing is rather spartan, it works within the arctic research station setting. I'll note that the slide-- which you're told about before you start-- is NOT slippery at all and really not possible to "slide" down-- use the provided rope instead. Our team of three enjoyed it, finishing with no hints with almost 25 minutes to spare (out of 90).
NevermoreNocturne AdventuresEscape roomIRLThis room was an unexpected delight. Like many others we raised eyebrows at the residential basement location, but there's nothing unprofessional about this operation which is higher quality than most other rooms we've done. It was obviously a labor of love from people who care about the subject matter. We loved every minute and every aspect of it. The setting is appropriately intimate. If you know your Poe, you'll appreciate the Easter eggs. We were immersed for the duration of the experience, an experience that exceeded expectations. We also loved meeting and talking with the owners afterward, I'm sad we couldn't do their their other room, Ripper, on this trip, because they've earned my trust with Nevermore. Highly recommended!
A Not So Fairytale EndingLock, Clock, and Peril Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLThis room, like all the rooms we did at this location, is packed with things to do-- a very high "puzzles per square foot" ratio. We loved that! The fairytale theme comes through nicely through multiple spaces, each with completely different visual treatments and themes. All of the puzzles made sense and locks were used sparingly. The room, which starts fairly small, kept opening up into more spaces. When we finished, it felt a bit like completing a marathon, with a real sense of accomplishment.
Castle FlüffendorEscape Artist Greenville - Hampton StationEscape roomIRLCharming room enhanced by some delightful puppetry. Framing device notwithstanding, the story is a well-worn trope of rescuing a sleeping princess. But everything is done quite well, and the interaction with the florist-- from the realization of what we needed to do to its execution-- is one of my favorite moments from any room I've done. I wish we'd taken a picture of it.
Teleporter TrialsLock, Clock, and Peril Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLAnother great room from this location, with a playful spin on a "figure out an alien spaceship" theme. A good variety and quantity of puzzles kept us busy throughout.
WreckedMasterpiece EscapesEscape roomIRLWe really enjoyed this room. The audio and visual effects created a great atmosphere, and the set design delivered on the junkyard theme. There were a lot of locks, but in this room they made complete sense-- of course an iron fence, an office shed, or even an outdoor garbage can in a junkyard would be locked. In this room the locks reinforced the fantasy. But beyond that, the puzzles were creative, thematic, and fun. There was a cooperative puzzle I particularly enjoyed. The finale doubled down on the theme in a cool way. Don't be put off by the "investigating a serial killer" theme-- there's a moment that's a little creepy but nothing truly scary. This was a great room our group of 3 thoroughly enjoyed. I do wish the narrative could have been integrated more tightly into the gameplay. Our host gave us a big info dump after we finished to explain what was going on narratively, and we would have loved those beats to have been delivered by the room itself rather than merely alluded to.
