The Video Store

Video Store was the second room we played at Dare 2 Escape, and it was probably the room we heard the most about while doing our research. Even before we played, we met other escape room enthusiasts in the lobby who were still raving about it years later. Our game master also shared that the room was homemade, which made us even more curious. Thankfully, it completely lived up to the hype. The room has a mostly linear puzzle flow, but there were still plenty of opportunities for our group to work on different puzzles at the same time. We ran into a couple of bottlenecks, but those were honestly our own fault—we got ahead of ourselves and hadn't found the key that unlocked the next step yet. The nostalgic video store theme was one of my favorite parts of the experience. Growing up during the VHS era definitely worked to my advantage because I instinctively knew how to rewind a tape. It did make me wonder whether younger players who never used VHS tapes might need a little more guidance for that interaction. Most of the puzzles felt fair and well thought out. There was one visual that came across as a bit of a red herring since it seemed more important than it actually was, but aside from that, everything was logical. I also appreciated that the DVDs you weren't supposed to interact with were glued shut. It's a small design choice, but it kept us from wasting time opening every case and helped keep the puzzle flow moving. This was a fun, nostalgic room with clever puzzles, and I can definitely see why it's become one of Dare 2 Escape's most talked-about games.

I liked this game but did feel like there was opportunity to make it better. The theming was good but did leave me feeling like something was missing. Maybe I just overhyped it in my head beforehand but it didn’t give me the full Blockbuster vibes I was hoping for. It could be the small space that made it feel slightly disappointing to me. I’m not completely sure if it was just the size or the lack of a compelling storyline but this room left me a little underwhelmed. However, I did really like that there were some authentic elements to the movie rental experience. Those were nice touches that did help create the scene. Overall, I think this escape room concept (at least all of the rooms I’ve played here) suffer from a reliance on tedium. Puzzles often feel unnecessarily complex just for the sake of putting you through your paces. It works in some instances and is super frustrating in others. I expected to like this room the most but actually preferred Hop at the Ice Cream Shoppe and Camp Harvest Moon. This one is worth playing if you’re here for other games but I would temper expectations.

Great room, greater host, thanks Myka!

Something about the dvd store nostalgia just hits different. This was a surprisingly fun room with many unique puzzles solves. There’s so much to enjoy in the room that you might end up forgetting your actual mission - to escape! Highly recommended

The room was amazing, the theme was great! However, the room was not linear and there were certain thins that you would not logically think to do unless told. There were a few times we were just standing there cause we truly could not figure out the next step!! However our game master, Ruth, was amazing and helped us out a lot!! Loved the theme and the movies, but the room puzzles were all over the places and soooooooo many locks!! We rate it a 6 outta 10.

We gave the Video Store Escape Room at Dare 2 Escape a thumbs up! Overall, we really enjoyed our time and would definitely recommend it, especially for players who are familiar with Dare 2 Escape’s style of gameplay. The atmosphere was one of the biggest highlights. The retro video store theme was immersive, detailed, and fun without feeling cheesy. The set design pulled us in right away and made the experience feel more like stepping into a story rather than just solving puzzles in a room. The puzzles were creative and engaging, with a nice mix of logic, observation, and teamwork. Nothing felt repetitive, and each solved piece was satisfying. That said, a few puzzles weren’t very straightforward. If you’re new to Dare 2 Escape, it might be tough to complete the room within the time limit without using clues. Some of the mechanics feel like they’re designed with returning players in mind who already understand the company’s puzzle style. The staff was super friendly and welcoming, which always makes the experience better. They explained everything clearly, kept the energy positive, and made us feel excited before we even entered the room. Overall, this was a fun, well-designed escape room with great vibes, clever puzzles, and excellent customer service. Just be prepared to use a few clues if it’s your first Dare 2 Escape experience. We had a great time and would absolutely come back for another room!

Fantastic room and GM (Danielle) Are you a child of the 80's or 90's video stores? Then you must do this room. Loving care to really celebrate movie stores and movies from the era. The puzzles were fun, diverse, a bit challenging but fair. Everything was on theme. We completed it with 4 adult sized humans and that felt like the perfect number. Huge fan of Dare 2 Escape and they did not disappoint with this room.

Super fun room! Great theming, use of space, some fun reveals and a ton of nostalgia. Make sure to take everything in - you never know where clues are hiding!

Not very intuitive.