8bityoda
9 escape rooms
The theming, atmosphere, and props were all genuinely well done and set a great tone from the start. The puzzles themselves were creative and we had a lot of fun working through them as a group. That said, the experience was held back by some frustrating technical issues. On multiple occasions we had the correct solution to a puzzle but it simply would not register. It was only after calling for help that it would suddenly accept our input, which made it feel more like a technical failure than a skill issue. When we did call for assistance, we were often pointed back to exactly what we were already doing, which didn't help much. The communication device used to reach staff was also a real pain point. The audio quality was so broken and static-heavy that you had to piece together fragments of what was being said, which added stress to an already frustrating situation. One puzzle in particular, involving a classical mechanical device, was a significant time drain. We understood the concept quickly enough but the mechanism itself behaved differently from how these devices actually work in real life. We were told to just do it faster, but there is only so fast you can go, and we tried every variation of speed with no luck. It is hard to understand what speed they were looking for, or how speed even factors in given that is not how these devices actually function in real life. Overall this room has a lot going for it. The design and creativity are solid and worth experiencing. But the bugginess of several puzzles ended up overshadowing what should have been a great time. With some technical fixes this would easily be a "heart" experience.
Gameplay
Atmosphere
Story
Difficulty
Hard
Ideal number of players
4
Scary
Spooky
Was anything broken?
Yes
Easy to find location
Yes
Parking
Easy
T
Trey (Owner)
Dear 8bityoda, Thank you very much for your feedback on our experiences. We're thrilled you came to visit. And we're very grateful you appreciated our craftsmanship, and the attention to detail we try to apply to every inch of what's beyond our time machine doors. We love hearing that you enjoyed our props, theming, decoration. Moving onward, to address some of your criticism, and supply some of our own commentary - that will clarify what's been mentioned for everyone who might read this - after we did not receive your heart. Let us please start by saying, throughout your game, multiple times our GM gave you clarifying instructions to move from step to step to proceed with a puzzle you'd halfway solved. We all wanted you to solve each puzzle in a reasonable amount of time so you'd have a chance to solve every last puzzle in this game. Yet because there are more puzzles in this game than any other we've ever created, and since we know how hard it can be sustain vigor during this game in particular, an escape game marathon, we admire the fact that you did not give up. This game is very long, and very challenging, and that's why we love it so much; because what this game creates is an opportunity to overcome a challenge of an unusual sort. This is not an easy game - for anyone - as I'm sure you can attest. We're proud to provide something that takes an escape challenge to the next level. However, after speaking with our team, we are sure you were not once redirected towards solving what you'd already solved. For clarification on this point, let us suggest that understanding a concept in the abstract is different than tangibly applying a solution that works to solve a problem at hand. Therefore, we feel this kind of contextual framework you've provided about our game flow is unfortunately very misleading towards those that may read this exchange. With one item in particular, you did not correctly solve it once. And we feel that that's alright. It happens. In reality, most people who attempt this puzzle have had to rapidly adapt their style of operating this device. We agree that the puzzle is very challenging, and it requires dexterity, a more intense form of concentration, and a willingness to simply not quit when a complicated procedure is required. Also, we know the device works, and it is not broken. Right before your group played, a group of young men were challenged in the exact same way, and they were able to succeed in solving the puzzle with the exact same instructions from our GM. So we can say for sure the technology being debated functions correctly. Expanding somewhat, without giving away spoilers to those reading this, who've not yet had a chance to play this game, the technology in question does not require an historical comparison to solve in the present. Instructions to solve this device's challenge on the day of the attempt are exactly that: a solution to the challenge today. Inviting an outside and historical example no one can verify with certainty into your criticism of our game seems like a way of attacking our game that we feel comes across a bit harsh. What's more, the instructions you received from our GM were not an attempt at simulating what may or may not have happened from when you were younger, nor what has happened in history, as you argued in the lobby after the game completed, just precisely what was going to work in this particular moment. Additionally, arguing a puzzle is broken because, "that's not how something works in real life," feels a little unfair because at the end of the day, this is a game, in an imaginary world, and we're only trying to present a themed exploration into a fictive universe for entertainment. The walkie-talkies: we turned up the volume all the way for you and locked the channels beforehand. When there was one small malfunction, we supplied a backup walkie-talkie, but that was less than ten minutes into your game. It's also possible you accidentally adjusted the volume knob on the top of the device while handling it. Happens quite often. We apologize that this malfunction made your game more challenging. All things considered, we're very happy you came to visit, and very glad to hear there were elements you enjoyed about your experiences. We're updating many things inside our games. And we look forward to possibly earning a heart from you in the future. Thank you very much for your feedback. Happy escaping! -Xscapeworks
May 6, 2026

