2020 Online Escape Room Recap

One of the many fine online games played this year!

Over the course of this crazy year, we had the opportunity to play a few more online escape rooms, in addition to some great ones like "The Truth About Edith" and "The Ruins" earlier this year. Here is our recap of new games played

Play-At-Home Escape Room Recap

Lost Escape: The Steampunk Adventure (Lithuania)

This was a physical room that was available for online play via an avatar who was extremely friendly and welcoming. Prior to playing the game, we were sent an email with some images that provided a closer look at some elements in the actual room. While the gameplay was standard for a linear escape room, the contraptions and steampunk devices were just wonderful to see and "play" with. It was one of those rooms that would have been great to play in person because of all of the tactile puzzles (no padlocks) and cool gadgets to fiddle around with. There were some nice special effects (again, wish we saw them in person) and you could the passion that the creators had in producing a nicely polished game. 

The Steampunk Adventure game transports you into an immersive world with tons of delightful and interactive mechanical devices. To top it off, we had a superb Avatar that perfectly helped us along the way and we can't wait to play their next adventure!

• Set Design: Great!
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: €10/person
• Number of players: Up to 6 (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Agent November: Virtual X-Caper (London, UK)

Based on previous experiences, I believe that games in London always have great actors. This could be due to either of the following reasons: Actors are London's greatest export / Anyone with a British accent sounds prestigious. Virtual X-Caper was no exception as the actor in this game was brilliant in a comedic and whimsical fashion. The game starts off with you seeing/hearing everything that your avatar sees and they did a great job in making us feel that we were in his head.

As you might have guessed, the highlight of this game was the actor interaction that took place in what was otherwise a basic set and a common spy theme. Sometimes we would laugh as our spy proceeded to be silly while in the back of our minds we wanted to shout out "we don't have time for this you fool!". There were a decent amount of padlocks to open, paper puzzles to solve, some meta video games nods and some nice touches of real life elements. While this game might be a bit on the lighter side for puzzlers, I think that anyone with a good sense of humor will appreciate the game for what it is. I tend to prefer immersion over puzzles and I quite thoroughly enjoyed this experience because of the puns and the witty character at hand. 

If you are looking for a lighthearted, witty and genuinely hilarious online escape room, you should definitely play Virtual X-Caper! Can we have more of Agent November please?

• Set Design: Basic
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: ~$20/person
• Number of players: Up to 6 (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Omescape : Pursuit of The Assassin Artist (Sunnyvale, CA)

This is another really fascinating online only game where we had a video game-like mechanic of having "multiple lives". The decisions we made could lead to our Avatar's death and the game would start over from scratch and we'd have to repeat our actions in order to advance again. The element of role-playing was big so if you are into that, you would definitely like this game. While the puzzles were not overly complex, there were a few times where we had to do things that are not permissible in an actual escape room. Overall, the unique format and the great dynamics of having two actors makes this a great room if you could swallow the price tag of $190/game. 

Pursuit of The Assassin Artist delivers a top of class experience with a novel game mechanic that will reset your expectations of an online escape room!

• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $190! flat fee per game 
• Number of players: 2-8, (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

60out : Orion's Ridiculous Revenge (Los Angeles, CA)

This was a free game offered by 60out and was a mix of a point-and-click game with cut scenes that were used to move the story along. There was a live game master that helped with setting everything up but was for the most part not part of the game. At first when I heard about the format, I had my doubts but the game was well done and funny if you are ok with some raunchy humor. There were a lot of adult-only references so keep that in mind if you are thinking about playing this game. We had a lot of laughs and your enjoyment will be a lot more dependent on who you play even with compared to other games. At times, we could fast tracked our way through or half-heartedly play along with some of the sillier elements but we were all fully engaged!

• Difficulty: Easy
• Price: Was free but now $15/person
• Number of players: Up to 8, (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Society of Curiosities : Mysterious Map Heist (Online/Physical)

We received an envelope in the mail that brought us on a treasure hunt for. The contents of the envelope were some paper puzzles and some clues to help find an artifact of some sort. What was really clever about this game was how they integrated real life concepts that blurred the line between game play and reality. One of the most gratifying aspects involved interacting with one of the characters in the game via actual text messaging. We didn't know if we were texting a bot or an actual person so we tried some off topic messages and it really felt like there was a real person on the other end. If we can't tell the difference, then does it really matter?

• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $30-$40/person 
• Number of players: 2-8, (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★

Image from societyofcuriosities.com

The Escape Game: Truth Seekers (Nashville, TN)

This game was a modified version of The Escape Game's "The Heist" room and a tie-in to a new show, "Truth Seekers, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost on Amazon Prime. Just like their other game (Ruins) that we played, we had a live avatar who took directions from the group and played through a physical room. The same 360 degree room view and inventory was used which really helped with any sort of motion sickness that one might experience. Our avatar was helpful and very professional and The Escape Game seems to always excel in this aspect. Overall, the game was pretty short (32 minutes) but a great entry into the world of online escape rooms.

• Set Design: Fine 
• Difficulty: Easy
• Price: Free
• # of Players: 2-8 (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★

Wild Hare Escapes: Serf's Quest (Online Only)

This retro-style point-and-click game was a parody of games like King's Quest. The 8-bit look along with the old school feeling were spot on. One of the highlights of this game was all the puns which gave the team a few good laughs. One room for improvement would be to automate hints with text boxes as opposed to having a live game master read them out to you. We were two remote groups that were essentially playing the game independently so any tasks that one group did, the other would have to backtrack and do the same.  This format would be better suited as a single player/connection game.  

• Set Design: Nice 8-bit graphics
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $25/person
• Number of players: Up to 10 (we recommend 2-3 with one connection)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: N/A, not an online escape room

 

The Room VR: A Dark Matter (Oculus Quest) 

This multiple award winning VR game was extremely polished and clean. So far, this game was the closest a virtual game could get in terms of replicating the feel of a physical escape room. While the old school theme wasn't one of my favorite, the game play was so gratifying and smooth that I kept getting sucked back into it.

• Set Design: Amazing VR sets
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $30
• Number of players: 1
• Duration: 4-5 hours
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Other Online Rooms Previously Played

• The Truth About Edith Review: A top notch online only game that is highly recommended!
• Ruins Review: Another top game that we also want to play in person.

We hope this post helps out anyone who is looking for some online escape rooms to play!

Note that some of the above games may have been complimentary to our team.

Denver Escape Room Recap

A short stop over in Denver allowed us to play a handful of really fun games. We did not have much time but we were still able to hit most of the top locations in the area. We were also fortunate enough to make our way to Fort Collins for a day as well and the below will recap our experiences.

Impressions & Observations During Our Denver Escape Room Trip

Getting Around
We opted to use ride apps to get around because renting a car for some reason was almost $100/day. It worked out cheaper for us this way and were lucky to get a lift up to Fort Collins.

Game Impressions
The level of polish for the games that we played was high and the puzzling was also challenging. One of the games we played had such a stunning atmosphere and another was difficult to the point where I could see a lot of people struggling to enjoy the moment. More on this to come.

Do Other Things 
We really did not have much time but many people have recommended a visit to Colorado Springs. Perhaps the next time we visit we will be able to see a little more of the area and the surroundings.

Denver Escape Room Recap

Rabbit Hole  (Louisville, CO)
Games played: "Frost Base Z" and "Paradox"

"Frost Base Z" took place on a magnificent frozen base straight out of the movies! While the "virus in the lab" theme was far from unique, the execution of this game was at another level compared to most games out there. The puzzles were thematic and it made us feel that we were in a different world. It might be because I am a huge sci-fi fan but I really enjoyed the tech used to integrate the puzzles and move the story along. This was our favorite room in Denver.

"Paradox" had an inventor's theme and the central gameplay revolved around a sleek looking centerpiece. The game started off in an ordinary fashion and there were some really visually spectacular effects that took place. Solid game play, similar to "Frost Base Z", but with less discovery.

• Set Design: Amazing!
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $30-$40/person 
• Number of players: 2-8, (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: Frost Base Z ★★★★★, Paradox★★★★½

Conundrum (Arvada, CO)
Games played: "Experiment C73", "Hollywood Mystery"

"Experiment C73" was a psychological experiment that had a lot of "aha" puzzles. There wasn't anything flashy but the gameplay was clever, clean and different enough to be a very enjoyable room. I am biased towards rooms that make me chuckle. 

"Hollywood Mystery" was a standard room meant for beginners and it would actually be a great starter room for anyone. It's easy and gets your feet wet in the world of escape rooms.

• Set Design: Average 
• Difficulty: Easy/Medium
• Price: $25-$40/person 
• # of Players: 2-8 (we recommend 2)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: Experiment C73 ★★★★½, Paradox ★★★

303 Escape (Thornton, CO)
Games played: "Homicide Hotel"

"Homicide Hotel" was the new kid in town and almost nobody we knew had the chance to play this game. I normally skip horror rooms but was assured this was more creepy than scary. The room turned out to be a pleasant surprise with great immersion and discovery. It was on the easier side but it is defintely work playing if you are in the area.

• Set Design: Great!
• Difficulty: Easy
• Price: $30-40/person
• Number of players: 2-6 (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

 

ConTRAPtions (Fort Collins, CO) 

Games Played: "Plight of the Margo Part 1 & 2"

"Plight of the Margo" was an interesting game. The set felt like an actual industrial spaceship like what you see in the movies. The computer interface was something out of a movie. The props were great and there were so many things in the room that...we often did not have a clue what to do. This 3 hour game had a LOT going on and the level of difficulty was very high. We played with two newbies and you could tell that it was just too much. At times, some teammates would spend 20 minutes on a task where they knew exactly what to do, it just was hard to get right. Indeed a polarizing game but nonetheless quite impressive for seasoned veterans looking for something different.

• Set Design: Great!
• Difficulty: Very Hard
• Price: $76/person 
• Number of players: Up to 10 (we recommend 4-6)
• Duration: 180 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (for the puzzle inclined only) 

Other Escape Rooms In The Area

Some other rooms that we heard great things about during our research and talks with locals but did not play were:

• Rabbit Hole: We didn't get to play "Ruins of the Mystic Temple"
• Fort Collins Escape Room: Just a few blocks from ConTRAPtions but we didn't have time to swing by.

We hope this post helps out anyone who is hoping to venture off to Denver to play escape rooms!

North Carolina & South Carolina Escape Room Recap

One of North Carolina's escape room stand outs: The Crystal Cave @ Valcarol

The Carolinas are often touted for having great Southern food but how is their escape room scene? Not many people in our network have played games in the area and this was not planned as an escape room trip but, as usual, I threw in a few games here and there :) There was a prominent local blogger (www.escapeadventurer.com) that we relied heavily on for recommendations so here is a shout out to Brandon for answering all our questions!

We based ourselves in Charlotte, NC and traveled to a few cities that were all within a two hour drive, as noted below. Based on our research, we believe we hit up pretty much the best rooms that were open in the area.

• Concord, NC - 30min northeast of Charlotte
• Indian Trail, NC - 30min southeast
• Greenville, SC - 1h45min west
• Columbia, SC - 1h35min south

Impressions & Observations During Our Charlotte Escape Room Trip

Responsive Escape Room Owners & Employees
We sometimes reach out to owners/employees in order to facilitate the booking of back to back rooms and almost every single one was super responsive. Not only were they responsive, they were also extremely kind and friendly and more so than almost any other city that we have been to! It must have been the Southern hospitality you hear about! 

Getting Around
As you would expect, a car is needed in order to get around. Traffic seemed to be light, even during rush hour except when we were driving back to Charlotte from Greenville (Sunday evening) where the opposite direction was backed up for miles.

Local Charm
All the games that we played were crafted with TLC. Some ranged from high quality homemade to some pretty elaborate sets. While the themes we encountered were not original, we still had a lot of fun playing every game.

Do Other Things 
If you are visiting Charlotte for the first time, here are some ideas of what you can do other than escape rooms:

• U.S. National White Water Center (Charlotte): This is a must visit if you love any sort of outdoor activity. You can choose over 30 different things to try, ranging from a man-made white water rafting course, rock climbing over a pool, treetop climbing, ledge jumping, zip-lining, etc. Plan to spend the whole day here!

• Food (Charlotte): Try out "Oh My Soul", a South African plant-based comfort food restaurant with a nice outdoor seating area. It is located in the NoDa neighborhood, which is absolutely charming to walk around.
• Food (Columbia, SC): "A Piece of Soul Vegan Kitchen", arguably the best chicken sandwich I've ever had in my life!

North Carolina & South Carolina Escape Room Recap

Escape Artist Greenville (Greenville, SC)
Games played: "Starlight Motel", "Classified" and "Zero to Hero"

"Starlight Motel" was a favorite amongst locals, including other owners, and had the traditional creepy serial killer theme. It had the largest footprint of all the games we played at this location and the highlight was the actor interaction. I typically find that a good actor enhances the immersion of a room and that was definitely accomplished in Starlight Motel. Other than a few light jump scares, it was not that scary relative to other rooms we have played in cities like LA.

"Classified" was the preferred room by some team members as the theme was cute and more unique. I did not know what the theme was before booking and I think it would be more fun going in not reading anything about it. I would say that this room is just as fun as Starlight but in a lighthearted way. I highly recommend doing this room along with Starlight Motel if you are passing by the area.

"Zero to Hero" was a split room game that was fun but there was a lack of adventure. Think of it as a test or a trial of sorts, which fit the theme perfectly but then took away from the immersion. Like the other two rooms, there was actually a good amount of technology embedded in the puzzles.

All three games we played were extremely polished and clean. Set designs were great and puzzles were all pretty fair. Escape Artist was definitely one of the highlights in the area!

• Set Design: Great!
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $30-$35/person 
• Number of players: 2-8, private (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: Starlight Motel & Classified ★★★★½, Zero to Hero ★★★½

Starlight Motel

Zero To Hero

The Final Door (Columbia, SC)
Games played: "Down The Rabbit Hole", "The Vampyre"

"Down The Rabbit Hole" was one of the top rooms that we played on our trip! We do tend to favor lighthearted themes and games with a large footprint which both fit this game perfectly. I've played a few Alice in Wonderland games and this so far has been the best one. I have never seen the movie so there were probably some references that flew over my head but I knew enough to have a really good time. Most of the puzzles utilized padlocks but that didn't detract from any of the gameplay. A must play in Columbia!

"The Vampyre" was also a high quality room with some nice effects. I would say that this room had a similar calibre in terms of execution to "Down the Rabbit Hole" but with more technology wrapped in a more common theme. There were some nice customized elements in this game though that will be sure to make you smile.

Both rooms had a great sense of discovery as you moved along the game. Ratings are for both rooms.

• Set Design: Great! 
• Difficulty: Easy/Medium
• Price: $30-$35/person 
• # of Players: 2-8 (we recommend 2-4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

Down The Rabbit Hole & Vampyre

The Valcarol Missions (Concord, NC)
Games played: "The Hidden Lab", "The Crystal Cave" 

"The Crystal Cave" was set in the year 3049 and we were a crew trying to repair a water filtration system in a post-apocalyptic world. This game was a real treat as we were greeted with a spectacular set with some awesome technology. With a good variety of puzzle types and spacious area, the game was a standout in the market.

"The Hidden Lab" had us search for a vaccine to save humanity. Once again we are in the year 3049 where padlocks no longer exist! As you develop the vaccine, you get to interact with a futuristic centerpiece that you don't often see in escape rooms. Along with some nice reveals and some nice effects, this game is on par with "The Crystal Cave".  

Both games are part of the same storyline and form two parts of a trilogy created by the owners of Valcarol. The set design and immersion were one of the best in the Charlotte area and the amount of automation that was programmed was impressive. We got to peek at the control center for all the games and what was created by a team of two people was unbelievable.  Ratings are for both rooms.

• Set Design: Amazing!
• Difficulty: Medium/Hard
• Price: $26/person
• Number of players: 2-8 (we recommend 2-4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

Valcarol graciously provided complimentary games for us!

The Hidden Lab

Masterpiece Escapes (Indian Trail, NC) 

Games Played: "Deadwood Saloon" and "Drained"

"The Deadwood Saloon" had a standard theme but was more involved them many of the other Western games that we played. For a group of two, we were pretty busy figuring out how to solve everything. 

"Drained" was designed for kids and while there were some out of the box puzzles, there were many things in the room that were not to be touched. Given that there was searching involved, this rule made it somewhat awkward with the in-room GM.

• Set Design: Deadwood Salon - Great, Drained - Average 
• Difficulty: Medium/Easy
• Price: $25/person 
• Number of players: 2-8 (we recommend 2-4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: Deadwood Saloon ★★★★, Drained ★★★

Deadwood Saloon

Drained

The Box (Charlotte, NC)

Games Played: "Cold Case Killer", "The Ventriloquist"

"Cold Case Killer" had a nice start where we were greeted by the GM in character. The room itself took place in a standard home with a nice twist along the way. 

"The Ventriloquist" takes place in a single room but with some nice puzzles in a somewhat unique take on the serial killer theme.  

Both rooms are great for those starting to get into escape rooms.

• Set Design: Average
• Difficulty: Average
• Price: $28/person 
• Number of players: 2-8,  (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating:★★★½

The Ventriloquist

Timed Out (Charlotte, NC) 

Games Played: "Precinct"

This started off as a standard "whodunit" mystery and with the help of a few plot twists, became much more exciting. Solving cases had never been more fun and even the opening of padlocks were enjoyable because of the theme. There were quite a few things that some enthusiasts will have seen many times before but the satisfying ending sets it apart from other games with the same theme. 

• Set Design: Average 
• Difficulty: Above Average Price: $28/person 
• Number of players: 2-5, private (we recommend 2) 
• Duration: 60 minutes 
• Overall Rating:★★★½ 

Escape Plan (Columbia, SC) 

Games Played: "Floor 23" 

This game took place in an elevator and the setting was superb. There were some quality effects and jump scares all packed into a tight space. The puzzles however, often required leaps of logic on more than a single occasion so takes hints liberally. 

• Set Design: Great! 
• Difficulty: Hard 
• Price: $28/person 
• Number of players: 2-5, private (we recommend 2) 
• Duration: 60 minutes 
• Overall Rating:★★★½

Other Escape Rooms In The Area

Some other rooms that we heard great things about during our research and talks with locals but did not play were:

• Exit Strategy (Charlotte): With 2 locations, this was the first company in Charlotte to open up escape rooms. They were unfortunately closed when we were in town.
• Mind Games (Rock Hill, SC): CarnEvil was also recommended by owners and is directly in between Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC. 
• Escape Plan (Columbia, SC): We didn't get to play Mutiny here

We hope this post helps out anyone who is hoping to venture off to Charlotte to play escape rooms!

The Escape Game: Ruins Forbidden Treasure (Online)

I have not played many online games and was debating whether I should play any rooms that were converted from a physical escape rooms to an online one.  Would I be doing myself a disservice by playing a top notch game (in-person) that was reduced for a virtual audience? Given the current state of affairs, I decided that I would play The Escape Game's latest room online with some friends who have not played many escape rooms before. From The Escape Game's site:

"You’re on a relaxing aerial tour of a remote jungle when everything suddenly falls apart. You’re stranded at the foot of ancient and mysterious temple ruins – home of a massive fabled treasure. Adventure has come knocking and the treasure could be yours for the taking! Fortune favors the bold. Will it favor you?"

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles 

This game was played via an in-game actor with a webcam. The actor would take directives from our group to solve various puzzles in a similar fashion to other online games we played. The main difference here was that once you entered a room, you had access to a 360 degree photo of it and could peruse the space at your leisure in order to determine what was important. That made a HUGE difference in terms of not getting motion sickness which basically forced me to quit games in the past. Having everyone search through this virtual interface was fantastic and an amazing way to recreate the escape room feeling at home. There was also a virtual inventory box where items would appear when the in-game actor found something, and then disappear when it was no longer needed. 

The set looked amazing, and did make me feel that I was missing out a bit on the immersion by not playing the physical room. There were some fun tactile puzzles and room transitions that would definitely have been better to play in real life but playing them virtually was still a great experience. 

The use of the technology was excellent, just like in their Special Ops game. We really did feel like the game took place on a movie set. Some enthusiasts might find the puzzles to be less challenging but for 98% of players, including myself, they were perfectly fine for the theme. 

If you are able to play this game in person, I would highly recommend that you do, otherwise playing this game online would be the next best thing.

Memorable Moments 

I love how The Escape Game perfectly immersed us into the world of adventure and the journey from room to room was seamless and exciting. Some of our teammates were in awe about what actually happened before our eyes!

Room For Improvement

One of the puzzles towards the end would have been much easier to perform in-person with multiple hands. Given this was adapted for online play, there wasn't much that could have been changed so it's understandable given the circumstances.

Overall Thoughts

I would think that this room is up there with one of the tops rooms I have played at The Escape Game (the other being Special Ops). I might actually even replay this room in person if I ever get chance!

• Set design: Excellent
• Difficulty: Average
• Price: $28/person
• Number of players: 3-8, (we recommend 3-4), private
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating (For Online games): ★★★★★

See their website here: https://theescapegame.com

Disclosure: The Escape Game comped the tickets for this game

Logic Locks: The Secret Of Eliza's Heart (Online Game)

This post was written by Daniel M., who we had the pleasure of playing this game with. He has played escape rooms all around the world and one of our best teammates!

This was our first experience doing an escape room remotely and it definitely scratched my escape room itch while sheltering in place! The physical room is in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and was completed via video call with our game master/companion holding a camera as we instructed him on what we wanted to do in the room. The game master was in character throughout the escape which really added to the experience. We played as a team of four from two different locations which worked well. From their website:

"Greetings Investigators! My name is Richard Fimblewood and soon we will meet face-to-face - or at least screen-to-screen. I am quite relieved you signed up for the task of helping me to explore the study chamber of the infamous explorer Elizabeth van Leeuwenhart. I do have to admit that I am still a bit nervous. We have only one shot and a limited time to make this work… However I'm sure that with your assistance it should all work out."

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles

One of the biggest downsides of doing a physical escape room remotely is that you lose a bit of atmosphere by not actually being in the room. That said, our game master’s narration (and trepidation!) as he interacted with the room and puzzles, and his quips and humor did help keep us fully engaged. Technology and set design were similar to what you’d expect in higher end generation one rooms. The puzzles were clever but overall there weren’t very many of them. However this is probably required since you can’t divide and conquer different tasks or even search due to the remote aspect of the game.

Memorable Moments 

This room will always stand out for me as our first endeavor with remote escape rooms. It's amazing to be able to experience an escape room halfway across the globe from the comfort of your home. Additionally the finale of the room definitely built suspense and left me satisfied.

Room For Improvement

The only slight complaint was how the video was filmed. While the GM tried their best to keep the camera steady one of our team members became nauseous and wasn’t able to complete the game. However, the rest of us felt ok.

Overall Thoughts

Eliza’s heart was a great introduction to remote escape rooms and I love the fact that we can now play rooms that we probably would never get the chance to go to. One other pleasant surprise is that they mail you a few additional puzzles for completion at home.

Envelope with a bunch of goodies!

These were fun and on par with upper end puzzles from box escape games. These were a great way to revisit the theme and have some more fun!

• Set design: Fun and in line with Gen-1 rooms
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: 23 Euros per person/private
• Number of players: 2-7 (recommend 2-4)
• Duration: 80 minutes
• Overall Rating:  ★★★★ (½★ bump for extra gameplay at home)

See their website here:  https://www.logiclocks.com/live-video-escape-rooms

Logic Locks graciously provided complimentary tickets

The Escape Game: Unlocked (Online Game)

The Escape Game is one of the largest corporate escape room companies in the world. Over the past two years, I played five of their games and if you are ever in one of the 17 cities they are present in, you should make an effort to stop by.  My favorite rooms were Special Ops and Playground and both were some of the top rooms I have ever played. We jumped at the opportunity to play a brand new, digital only game: TEG: Unlocked VOL 1 & 2. From their site:

"The Heist - Vol. 1: Chasing Hahn 

Work as a secret agent to thwart the infamous art curator and suspected art thief, Vincent Hahn. You’ll need to uncover his true identity, connect him to a crime, and work with the International Police to finally exact justice. With the help of your Intelligence Agent, you’ll need to stop Hahn before another masterpiece goes missing. *This volume, “Chasing Hahn”, is a continuation of The Heist story, but you don’t need to play The Heist escape game first. The experience will be the same whether you’ve played The Heist or not. 

The Heist - Vol. 2: The Silk Road: 

Vincent Hahn just barely escaped, but Intel has noticed some suspicious activity in Hong Kong. According to reports, Hahn is dealing with artifacts related to the Silk Road. Your mission is to go there, find Hahn, and capture him before he can get away. "

Design, Technology & Puzzles

The format of these games were as per the below:

The dossier was comprised of PDF files that acted as the evidence from the heist. There were quite a few files to go through and the game utilized an online terminal to verify your solutions to various puzzles. As you correctly determine answers to the mission, things opened up and you are granted access to more material to study. 

The Dashboard interface was slick and it reminded me of the what I have seen in one of their physical escape rooms. Think of it like something that you would see in a Mission:Impossible movie. Here is their trailer to give you an idea of how the game looks:

 

Vol. 1 was actually a physical kit that went sent out to people and then digitized and offered online.  The puzzles were focused on examining evidence from a crime scene and somewhat similar to what you would find in a standard escape room that had paper puzzles. The overall gameplay was definitely not as exciting as a physical room and going into it knowing this would help set expectations.

I believe that Vol. 2 was conceptualized as a digital only game which was why we felt that it was a lot stronger in terms of immersion and gameplay. There were some interesting puzzles that involved multimedia elements that really made it a lot of fun. We enjoyed the presentation and the flow quite a bit.

Memorable Moments 

Vol. 2 was definitely an improvement on its predecessor and the way that the story unraveled with the use of video was very clever. It seems so real despite not having a live person acting in the game! The feeling of being a remote secret agent and working with field agents was fantastic!

Room For Improvement

There was an instance in Volume 1 where outside knowledge was needed and it was not known to the group until we were forced to take a hint. I think we spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure it out and it was pretty frustrating to find out that we had to Google the answer.

In Volume 2, we almost missed a critical segment of the story by pressing the "back" button on the browser. We tried to go forward but the story was gone and we were able to get it back by going into incognito mode. Phew!

Overall Thoughts

Online games are definitely not the same as physical but for $10, we highly recommend playing Vol 2.

• Design: Clean Input Interface
• Difficulty: Above average for Vol. 1, Below average for Vol. 2
• Price: $10/game
• Number of players: 1-4
• Duration:  Play at your own pace but likely 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: TEG Vol 1 ★★★, Vol. 2 ★★★★ 

See their website here: https://theescapegame.com/unlocked/

Mad Genius: The Truth About Edith (Online Game)

This post was written by Melanie R. from Montreal, Canada.

This online escape room is perfectly suited for the current circumstances of the COVID-19 quarantine. It was a 4 player game and we played it as 2 players from Montreal (Melanie/Jay) with 2 players from California (Randy/Sarah). We were unsure of how an online escape room would work, but we were pleasantly surprised, to say the least! Randy and Sarah played the precursor to this game, The Cat Lady (a physical escape room in Portland OR that won the honors for a top Escape Room in 2018) and they loved the comedic elements and creativeness of it all. From the Mad Genius website:

"You may recognize Edith Humphreys, your sweet neighbor with 24 cats. You may have even helped her out, snooped around her apartment. But there's something about Edith that doesn't quite add up... she looks way younger than she is, she says she was born in 1902 but that she's 97 years young... and she lives at a business called Mad Genius Escapes?! What is going on here... "

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles

The game takes place over a Zoom meeting and even though my husband and I were in the same room, it was necessary to have separate computers to complete certain puzzles. It was truly a game for exactly four players who all need their own computer in order to play. 

There was a wonderful mix of prepared content, online navigating, dynamic puzzles and live online interactions. The game flowed extremely well, and with all the technology involved, there were absolutely no malfunctions. Mad Genius' description of "an eccentric mix of a video game, an escape room, and a great who-done-it story" was spot on and because it was created as an online game (versus adapting a physical room for online play), there were absolutely zero "shaky camera" elements. 

Memorable Moments 

The whole experience was very memorable. You can tell that there was a significant amount of energy that was put into preparing all the components of the "room" in order to give people an original and fun experience. It was fun to be able to play this with friends out of town, without hopping onto a plane! If we had to single out one part, it would be the finale where the more you play along, the more fun it is!

Room For Improvement

It is hard to suggest areas that would require improvement because it was such a different type of escape room experience. It probably would have been better to know in advance that players living in the same household should play in different rooms to avoid echoes and feedback. Some components were also meant to be played without seeing each other's screen.  

Overall Thoughts

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Within the category of online escape rooms, as of now we can't imagine anything better than this. This game was very well organized, challenging and highly interactive. An effort was made towards the teamwork component, which was very fun and interesting. Bravo!

• Set design: Excellent for an online game
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $80/team, private
• Number of players: 4
• Duration:  60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

See their website here:  https://www.madgeniusescapes.com

MODIFY Disclosure: Mad Genius graciously provided complimentary tickets

Escape Room LA: Atlantis (Los Angeles, CA)

Escape Room LA is known for having some pretty great puzzle content in a really beautiful space. The first game that we played there a few years back was "The Alchemist" and the parallel puzzle tracks kept the four of us busy until the end. Last year we played "The Pyramid", which had a much more elaborate environment and once again we were busy puzzling right up until the end. I'm glad to say that the progression from their oldest to their newest room has continued to improve as both the immersion and puzzles were fantastic for Atlantis. The one thing that could vary your experience is the fact that these are public rooms. From their website:

"An invitation from an eccentric professor leads you through a secret portal into the fabled lost city of Atlantis. As you search among the ruins, you’ll solve mysterious clues and puzzles, while discovering the long-lost pieces of Poseidon’s fabled trident. Find all of the pieces and escape before your air supply runs out! Set out on the adventure of a lifetime as you explore the spectacular underwater world of Atlantis!"

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles

The game started off in an ordinary study but the escape room is called Atlantis so it's not really a spoiler to say that your journey will become much more exciting. As we delved into Atlantis, it was apparent that the creators had some great ideas on how to create a convincing "underwater" environment in a rather large footprint. Like other Escape Room LA games, there were parallel puzzle tracks so if you play with strangers (we were lucky no one else booked) you might not know what went on for a good chunk of the game. The puzzles consisted of a lot of symbol matching and were thematic with the storyline.

Memorable Moments 

Walking into Atlantis was such a joy!

Room For Improvement

The first act of the room is extremely ordinary. While this can make the latter part of the game much more exiting, it would be nice to have the start of the game to be as impressive as the rest of the game.

Overall Thoughts

Once again Escape Room LA has created a really fun experience with some solid puzzling in a great environment. If you can book an early slot with your own group, you will have a great time with the variety of puzzles and the cool theme.

• Set design: The second half stands out a lot
• Difficulty: Above average
• Price: $29-$39/person, public
• Number of players: 4-8 (recommend 4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

See their website here: https://www.escaperoomla.com/atlantis

Disclosure: Escape Room LA graciously provided complimentary tickets

Breaking Point Escape Games: Whitmore Estate and Patient 17 (Rancho Cucamongo, CA)

Breaking Point Escape Rooms was the new guy in town when we played their adventures. Not many enthusiasts had played any of their rooms and we decided to try them out despite being quite out of the way in Rancho Cucamonga (+40 miles from LA). The focus of this review will be on "The Secret At Whitmore Escape" and some comments on "Patient 17". From their website:

"The Secret At Whitmore Escape
An award winning crime novelist inherits his family's mansion after their untimely demise. Soon after, he is reported missing. Residents throughout the local community are on edge as they witness strange events on the property. Can you uncover the secret at Whitmore Estate?

Patient 17
An undercover agent is working for a doctor who has ties to missing women. A disturbing series of video updates reveals that her cover may have been blown. Do you have what it takes to save her? Or will you become the doctor's next patient?"

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles

The Secret At Whitmore Escape
The set takes place in house which was a really common theme and something we have seen many times before. While an appealing environment is key to having a great room, what sets this game apart from the others was the impeccable execution. The game flow was smooth and everything was polished to the point where you can't help but appreciate the effort that went into the entire game. I dare to say that the level of polish rivaled some Disney sets but homemade by only two talented individuals. There were no red herrings, no heavy searching and a good variety of puzzles. The rooms were bright and clean which often isn't the case for games that take place in an old mansion. There were also large physical contraptions that made inputting numbers fun!

Patient 17
The clean style game play was also evident in the first room that Breaking Point released. While not as intricate as Whitmore, this game still provided some great puzzles and clever use of spaces.

Memorable Moments 

The Secret At Whitmore Escape 
There was one moment that made some of us jump...just a little bit :)

Patient 17
Some great "aha" moments make this room really fun!

Room For Improvement

I'll be nit-picky and say that I wish the themes were more unique.

Overall Thoughts

The Secret At Whitmore Escape was an exemplary room in that it had a great aesthetics that were matched by some clean game flow and some clever puzzles. It's quite rare to see all these aspects come together, especially for newcomers in the space and we highly recommend this room for all levels of players!

• Set design: Spot on
• Difficulty: Average
• Price: $35/person for public, more for private
• Number of players: 2-10 (recommend 4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: The Secret At Whitmore Estate: ★★★★½, Patient 17 ★★★★

See their website here: https://breakingpointescaperooms.com/

Disclosure: Breaking Point graciously provided complimentary games

The Perfect Escape: Mr. Wong's Chinese Restaurant & O'Bannion's Safe (Arlington, TX)

On a recent trip to Dallas, I only had time to play at one location and landed on "The Perfect Escape" based on some enthusiast recommendations. I played two rooms with a few new faces who were also first timers and they turned out to be cool teammates! Mr. Wong's Chinese Restaurant was The Perfect Escape's top room and O'Bannion's Safe was their first endeavor. From their website:

"Mr. Wong's Chinese Restaurant
The kitchen is buzzing! Celebrity chef Mitchell Nom is coming tonight to film and episode of his famous Food Escapes TV show and review Mr. Wong’s famous dumplings on camera. But Mr. Wong had a family emergency and had to quickly fly back to China.

After years of learning under Mr. Wong, it’s now up to you and your co-workers to make the perfect dumplings and save Mr. Wong’s chances of winning the coveted Mitchell N Star!

O'Bannion's Safe
We’ve lost contact with several agents trying to put away known local thug Franky “Sawed-Off” O’Bannion. Our informant has tipped us off that a large amount of evidence that could put O’Bannion behind bars for good is being held in a safe nearby. The issue? The safe is located in one of O’Bannion’s illegal storefronts that is participating in money laundering. Travel back to the 1920’s in this escape room experience! Find the clues to crack the code, open the safe, and put O’Bannion away before his goons come snooping."

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles 

Mr. Wong's Chinese Restaurant
At first I thought the set design was rather basic, but then I thought "this is exactly what a Mom and Pop Chinese restaurant looks like!". It looked like the real deal because of one good reason: The creator's parents actually owned a restaurant and the equipment was repurposed for this escape room. The dining area and the kitchen felt genuine and it was quite an impressive feat for a couple of people to build out on their own. There is always a hint of charm when you enter a room that has been crafted by someone with passion and in this case, their actual childhood surroundings.

The puzzles were varied and were for the most part thematic throughout the experience. The game served up a menu of puzzles that often had some funny nods to Chinese restaurants. The fun heated up as we entered the kitchen with quite a few challenging puzzles. There were some elements that could be tricky to solve if a team doesn't stumble upon some hints that were cleverly hidden.

O'Bannion's Safe
This game starts off in a barber's shop with some standard fare puzzling. Similarly to Wong's Chinese Restaurant, the second part of the game built up to a more unique scenery. The physical footprint of both games were large and unexpected which is always a pleasure. There are some cool elements that were mixed into the finale that made for a good time!

Memorable Moments 

Walking into a Chinese Restaurant and seeing the...oops no spoilers. :) O'Bannion's Safe had a great transition between acts.

Room For Improvement

For Mr. Wong's, there were a few puzzles that seemed to rely on unguided searching, which is always tricky because you don't know if you are missing something or if you already have everything you need. O'Bannion's had a lot of padlocks but it was understandable for a older room.

Overall Thoughts

If you are in the Dallas area, the Perfect Escape will definitely keep you entertained and wanting to come back for more. If you have time for only one location, you should try out Mr. Wong's Chinese Restaurant and O'Bannions Safe!

• Set design: Good
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $30/person, public
• Number of players: up to 8-10 (recommend 4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

See their website here: https://perfectescaperoom.com/

Disclosure: The Perfect Escape graciously comped these games

Sauve Qui Peut: Wrath Of Poseidon (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada)

"Reussite = Success!"

Located about 40km (25 miles) from downtown Montreal, Sauve Qui Peut was a hidden gem in an otherwise remote and small town. There were quite a lot of games to choose from (nine) and we played "Underground Bar" (18+ theme with a lot of laughs) and, what many say was their best game, "Wrath of Poseidon". The review will focus on latter. From their website:

"The God Poseidon, powerful and undisputable king of the seas and oceans, deplores that for several decades now, humans have been heading towards disaster. They are all the same, unable to take care of the planet, they plunder forests, depopulate and pollute the seas. They jeopardize the survival of all species.

Poseidon is angry and now wants his revenge on humans who have betrayed future generations. He threatens to flood all lands to end the painful weakening of the planet. Your mission steal? Collect Poseidon’s trident before it’s too late…"

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles 

The set design was good with a lot of attention to detail. The start of the game took place in a submarine and was pretty standard as it involved opening quite a few padlocks. The later parts of the escape room integrated more unique puzzles with really clean game flow. There was a fun change of scenery towards the end that we appreciated and it connected well with the overall theme.

There were some sections in the submarine that seemed like a massive red herring but thankfully we were told from the start that they were purely for decor. One thing to note was that the physical space was tight so less players would be the ideal number, otherwise there would be a lot of running into people when navigating the room.

The overall quality of this game was far superior compared to many other small towns that we have played in.

Memorable Moments 

The final stage of the game tied extremely well with the overall theme. It was unique and something we have never seen before. We actually struggled a lot at this point when a child would have probably solved it rather quickly.

Room For Improvement

The start of the game was slow and ordinary. One of two padlocks are usually ok but when you have double or triple that amount in one room, it ends up being a lot. Also, the puzzles felt a bit forced, unlike the last stage where the puzzles felt more thematic.

Overall Thoughts

We had a fun time playing Wrath of Poseidon and highly recommend it if you are in the area. Work through the first part knowing that there is more to come and keep you numbers low in order to have the best experience.

• Set design: Good
• Difficulty: Medium-Difficult
• Price: $30 CAD/person, private
• Number of players: up to 3-8 (recommend 3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

See their website here: https://www.sauvequipeut.ca/

13th Hour: Dungeon, Great Room, Grand Parlor (Wharton, NJ)

Guest post by Matt Kimmel:

13th Hour Escape Rooms (formerly The Haunted Scarehouse) began as a haunted house, but as escape rooms became popular, expanded and built five escape rooms, with a sixth opening soon. We were able to play three. The company has a unifying horror theme, weaving a story about the notorious killer, John Hayden, and his family through each of their rooms. From their website:

"The Dungeon
Our newest room, the Dungeon offers a unique challenge that is only for the tough. Faint of heart beware. You start your game blindfolded and led to your cells. You get chained and locked into your cells unaware of your surroundings. Do you have what it takes to escape?

The Great Room
This is the Hayden families room of murders. This section of the farmhouse is known as the Great Room. This massive section of the farmhouse will challenge your witts in all fashions. Multiple sections, secret passage ways and puzzles you never experienced before will have your team running mad. What terrible secrets lies within the Great Room. Just what were the Hayden family members up too. 

The Grand Parlor
You all have been chosen, chosen for a simple task of wit and courage. It seems someone has misplaced Bishop Hayden’s ashes. As uncaring as this may seem, it’s actually very important. Bishop and Edna Hayden were a killing team back in their time and they must be reunited in the afterlife. If you find Bishop’s urn and they are reunited, we will let you leave without harm. If not, you will all become part of the Hayden farmhouse forever!"

Set Design, Technology & Puzzles 

The Dungeon
This one starts with a split-team experience, where each group member is placed in their own cell after being captured by John Hayden and must escape. The dimly lit, derelict basement isn't visually stunning, but it does a very good job at looking like a dingy murder basement. The puzzles were straightforward, and often amounted to using information found across the room to translate a list into a 4 or 8 digit code. The set design included multiple levels and secret doors, with at least one puzzle taking advantage of the multilevel set. There are stairs, so if anyone in your group has mobility concerns, make sure to check with them.

The Great Room
The Great Room is a more ornate room which continues to take advantage of multilevel set design. The technology here is more impressive; the venue's roots as a haunted house are on full display, and they're not afraid to use moving elements beyond simple opening boxes and doors.

The Grand Parlor
This room is the venue's newest room, and it shows in the variety of technology and big set pieces used. It's another multilevel room which uses its space fantastically, letting players use certain areas by seeing them prior to the players gaining physical access to them. The layout is impressive and the games opens up wonderfully. There are a lot of puzzles to manage and our team of four had more than our hands full with this one.

Memorable Moments 

The Dungeon 
The item discovered upon winning is a great use of the initial room setup. You'll know it when you see it.

The Great Room
Discovering a puzzle that is mostly inside a secret passage.

The Grand Parlor
First accessing the parlor room. What a great set piece!

Room For Improvement

The rooms were overall very good, but The Dungeon repeated very similar puzzles several times. The Dungeon and the Great Room lack ceilings (if you look up, you'll see straight up to the roof), and as a result, you can hear groups in other rooms yelling back and forth to each other. At times, the rooms also felt a little heavy on padlocks.

Overall Thoughts

The Grand Parlor Room was a masterpiece, including a variety of puzzles, setpiece elements, and technologies. The Great Room was a close second, and in almost any other location would've been a strong standout. The Dungeon was the oldest and simplest of the three, but it still had a couple unexpected tricks and turns and was quite enjoyable.

• Set design: Great! Less good if you don't enjoy a haunted house aesthetic, since all the rooms share a horror theme
• Difficulty: Ranges from easy to medium, nothing that is unusually punishing
• Price: $29/person +$/person to make the room private
• Number of players: up to 6-10 (recommend 3-6) depending on room. Some puzzles benefit from multiple players.
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: The Dungeon: ★★★★, The Great Room: ★★★★½, The Grand Parlor ★★★★★

See their website here: https://13thhourescape.com/

Disclosure: 13th Hour graciously provided discounted tickets