The Escape Ventures - "Phantom Files: The Investigation of Lockturne Manor"
- Krista Jones
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
LOCATION: Port Charlotte, Florida, USA
Photo above is property of The Escape Ventures
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
📝 ETR DECODER
🔑 GAME: Phantom Files: The Investigation of Lockturne Manor
📅 DATE PLAYED: January 16, 2026
🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi, Paranormal
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 90 Mins.
💰 PRICE: Starting at $53.99/ pp
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes
📖 THE STORY
As newly recruited members of the Spirit Stalkers, you’re feeling ready to prove yourselves by tackling a real haunting. Lockturne Manor, a spooky old house with a big reputation, is your first assignment. Suited up in your official jumpsuit and amped up with an aggressively catchy theme song, you’re sent inside to gather evidence, wrangle restless spirits, and show that you’ve got what it takes to join the paranormal pros. Who you gonna call? Apparently…you.
🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE
Haunted house immersion: The environment nails the spooky manor vibe, with strong set construction supported by effective sound and lighting. There may have been the occasional arm-clutching and “oh…you can go first…”.
Spooky yet ridiculous: TEV’s signature tongue-in-cheek humor shines here, balancing mild jump scares with playful moments, actor interactions, and that ridiculous theme song that gets you hyped before you even cross the threshold.
Ghost-hunting gadgets: We loved getting to use a variety of paranormal tools that made us feel like active Spirit Stalkers, not just puzzle solvers in a spooky room. The tech is smoothly integrated and absolutely scratches that Ghostbusters itch.
A finale worth busting ghosts for: Everything builds toward a fun, high-energy climax that ties story, puzzles, and gadgets together in a really satisfying way. We totally rocked our first day on the job!
🧩 MISSED THE MARK
Minor poltergeist activity: We ran into a few moments where wear-and-tear showed and a little maintenance was needed to keep the puzzles and flow moving as intended. However, these were isolated incidents in an otherwise polished experience.
🏹 TAKE A SHOT?
"Phantom Files" feels like a delightful mashup of Ghostbusters and Scooby-Doo, with just a hint of Paranormal Activity. It’s totally goofy in parts and more spooky than scary. While we’d consider it family-friendly overall, the occasional jump scare still packs enough punch to earn some genuine screams (the group before us proved that). The set design draws you right in, the mix of traditional locks and fabulous tech delivers the experience, and the 90-minute runtime makes it perfect for those who want to really settle into a longer investigation. If you’ve ever dreamed of channeling your inner Egon, strapping on a jumpsuit, and busting some ghosts, this is absolutely your call to action.
ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO
This location has free parking outside.
You have use of lockers, bathroom, and a small seating area.
Note: This game is only partially wheelchair accessible.
Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, interview with the owners, the room(s) (no puzzle spoilers) and more:
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)
Disclosure: We thank The Escape Ventures for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.
Comments