Hope EndThe Ministry Of PeculiaritiesEscape roomIRLTerrific NPC interaction from lobby to end. A masterclass in the art of revealing narrative through interaction design.
La Cerveseria [The Brewery]EnigmikEscape roomIRLOriginal concept, clean and well-clued puzzles, many well-thought-out multi-player interactions, great sense of humor. The GM told us they were careful to design a game where everyone has something to do, and it shows. Also you come away a souvenir you can drink :-).
Mogollon Monster: Scouting for Arizona's BigfootThe Nemesis ClubEscape roomIRLThe hype is real! Worth a trip from anywhere. Amazing attention to detail that extends into the post- and pre-game experience.
Treasure IslandBrain Games Escape RoomEscape roomIRLLots to do, funny and original puzzles, and great set; the experience was marred by several mechanical and reset problems.
Distrito 111 [District 111]Unreal Room Escape Sant Martí – BarcelonaEscape roomIRLReally enjoyed it. Lots to do (for our team of 2), gritty post-apocalyptic set with memorable interactions, clean puzzles, helpful game master. I wasn't sure how some of our tasks tied in with the overall objective but it was still great fun. (I think this game was newly-available in English, and the GM apologized for his limited English, but we had no language problems with it.) That it's tucked incongruously inside an apartment complex in a residential neighborhood adds to the charm.
The Last SupperQuest TavernEscape roomIRLOur live actor was a blast--funny and creepy and scary, and really good at improvising. I just wish we had been given more to do with him, a lot of the interaction felt like it was killing time because we were solving the puzzles pretty quickly.
Cybercity 2049Escape Barcelona 2 3Escape roomIRLGreat set and GM interaction (our GM played at least 4 different characters). If anything, this game tries to do too much: video game, zombie chase, improv, carnival game. Contains some NSFW elements that aren't really part of the gameplay.
EVIL RobotsThe Nemesis ClubEscape roomIRLThe hype is real! Worth a trip from anywhere. Amazing attention to detail that extends into the post- and pre-game experience.
The Bridge BetweenQuest TavernEscape roomIRLA lovely, happy set with lots of fun puzzles. The in-game hinting worked great and added to the atmosphere. But some of the mechanisms needed maintenance--a couple of the buttons were sticky, and there were stuck-on labels that indicated some of the hardware was fussy.
Chaos In The GalleriaOmescape - SunnyvaleEscape roomIRLHighly original. The premise sounds like a heist, but it's actually a send-up of consumerism. The attention to detail is impressive--from the goofy fake store logos ("Forever 82") to the postings in the employee break room. Most escape rooms only give lip service to story, but Chaos delivers a multi-act plot that's engaging, amusing, and immersive. Multiple meta-puzzles and cut scenes serve to frame and pace the action. A few props felt finicky or under-clued, but for the most part Chaos is extremely well executed.