LOCATION: Stony Plain, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Hourglass Games 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Candymonium 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 21, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 Adults, 2 Kids): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 45 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $25/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY The HG Candy Company has put all their money on the research and development of a new line of candy. Unfortunately, their top researcher has disappeared, and the secret recipe for the new candy is missing. To save the company, you must break into the lab and find the recipe but you need to hurry. The bank is on its way to take control of the company and close its doors forever! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE There was a nice mix of puzzles that spanned from logical to “aha”. The puzzles were non-linear in this game which made it perfect for everyone to keep busy and stay involved. Most puzzles also promoted teamwork as working together made them much easier to complete. The story was lighthearted with lots of fun humor sprinkled throughout that kept us smiling and laughing throughout the game. The room and puzzle design very much felt like a whimsical candy laboratory. The puzzle and room was all tech based with no combination locks which they executed very well. The GM was watching us and provided us with hints when we asked for it as well as nudged us along if we were stalled for too long. One thing we appreciated was that one of the puzzles seemed to be acting up and the GM was following along with our progress and were able to fix it right away from outside the room without us having to say anything. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was a puzzle that we felt required some outside knowledge. We were able to solve it but others who may not have that knowledge might have some trouble and need some hints to guide them. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? We brought the whole family to this room and everyone had a fantastic time. The puzzles were accessible enough that the kids could follow along, help or even complete, while it was challenging enough for adults as well. The story and décor added to the feeling of being in a secret candy lab. The hint system and the GMs were supportive as they nudged us along the right amount and was able to do that through a computer terminal, which was also part of the story. We would recommend 5 people of all ages and experience to give it a try as the room did start to feel a little cramped at this point. Definitely an escape room we would recommend and worth the drive out from Edmonton. Asking the kids what their favorite part was? That Hourglass Games has custom lollipops in multiple flavors as a reward if you are able to get the recipe back (Spicy Watermelon? Yes please!) ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Lot, Disability Friendly/ Ground Floor. Photos above are property of Hourglass Games (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 Hourglass Games for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Canada #Mystery #Adventure #HourglassGames #Alberta #Canada

LOCATION: Stony Plain, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Hourglass Games 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Deck The Halls 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 20, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Christmas 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Adults, 2 Kids): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 45 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $24.99/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY Your Grinch of a family has decided not to get into the festive season this year and has locked away all the decorations. You are determined to get them into the holiday mood and spread some Christmas cheer. You need to find all the decorations and get them set before they get home to help warm their hearts for the holiday season! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We were fully immersed into the story from the second we stood outside the door into the room. The doorway in and the surrounding area looked like the outside of a house. There was also Christmas music playing in the background as we played the room to keep us in the holiday mood. The puzzles were not overly complicated which made this room very family friendly. The kids loved to help solve the puzzles, open the locks, and then decorate with what we found. The transformation of the room was extremely satisfying from walking into a near empty room to having all the decorations out and set up at the end of the game. No way our family would continue to be scrooges walking into this! There were some nice surprises delivered to us in the middle of the game that completely added to the immersion and put a smile on our face. This was an all combination and pad lock room but all the boxes and locks that we needed to open were decorated in a holiday theme. There were a lot of small details throughout the game that they added that really made a big difference to the experience. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK We had a great time in this room which was a solid experience. If we had to get nit-picky, there were a few locks that did require a little more strength than we were used to. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? We were looking for something to kick off the festive season and this was it! This was a great family friendly room that everyone was able to participate in. One tip for this room is to ensure you are organized and moving stuff out of the way that have already been solved. We were fumbling a few times wondering if certain items and clues had already been used. We would recommend 4 to 5 people in this room as this was a tight living room. (There are comfy sofas though for some people to sit on). The room has a mix of linear and non-linear puzzles and there is so much to do for everyone that you will feel the holiday rush. Put on your ugliest Christmas sweater and definitely give this room a try over the holiday season! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Lot, Disability Friendly/ Ground Floor. Photos above are property of Hourglass Games (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"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Canada #Christmas #Family #HourglassGames #Alberta #Canada

LOCATION: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada Photo above is property of Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Secret Agent 55 📅 DATE PLAYED: June 12, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Spy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 ppl): 4/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $29/PP (Adult), $25/PP (Youth), $23/PP (Child) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Secret Agent 55 has been secretly involved in some illegal activities while working for a mysterious figure known only as “The Boss”. Your special ops team has been tasked to break into Agent 55’s apartment, discover the identity of “The Boss” and figure out where Agent 55 is headed. Your intel also informs you that you only have 50 minutes as a bomb has been planted to destroy all the evidence. Can you collect all the information and defuse the bomb before time runs out? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The room was nicely set up to look like an apartment with some small touches that added to the experience. The room has been around for a few years but all the props seemed to still be very solid with not a lot of wear to them. Each lock had a cryptic clue on how to open the lock or what items you needed to solve the puzzle in order to open the lock which was very helpful. Even though sometimes we did not need them, they were all fairly clever and even after solving them, it gave a nice eureka moment. All the puzzles were solid and with the fairly nonlinear flow of the puzzles, we all got to check out different things and stay busy. The final puzzle with the bomb was a nice overall ending to the room. It also made it more dramatic that you could potentially detonate the bomb if you did not defuse it correctly. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK This was a solid experience. There is nothing that I can think of that missed the mark. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This was a great room with lots of variety in the puzzles. The puzzles also had a wide variety of tech implemented which kept things interesting. The décor and look of the room was nice with a few fun surprises throughout and the ending really wrapped the experience together quite nicely. We did play with 5 experienced players, but this would be a great room for a large group of beginners or even just a couple of veteran players. Everyone working there has a huge passion for escape rooms and it shows through the rooms they designed and their interactions. Lockdown Escape Rooms is currently the only escape room location in Red Deer. If you are passing through the area, definitely check out the escape rooms. You will not be disappointed. Photos above are property of Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Lot The game did have a moving floor. While most people would not have an issue with the motion, some who are extremely sensitive with balance may need to have them modify the shaking. Lobby with seats At-home escape room games for purchase in lobby (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 Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Spy #Espionage #LockdownEscapeRoomsInc #Alberta #Canada

LOCATION: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada Photo above is property of Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Tornado Shack 📅 DATE PLAYED: June 12, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Survival, Natural Disaster 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-5 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 50 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $29/PP (Adult), $25/PP (Youth), $23/PP (Child) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY As you and your friends are helping your Grandpa clean out his shed, a storm begins to approach with a tornado not far behind. With things flying everywhere, some debris has also blocked the door out of the shed. Can you figure out a way to escape and make it to the bunker before it’s too late? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE There was a lot of things that made this game feel realistic. The biggest one was the shed actually shaking as you played. It also shook the right amount as we never felt nauseous from the movement nor distracted us from the task at hand. Other fun aspects added to the experience such as the windows showing animated images of the farm to feeling the storm once you get out of the shed. All the puzzles were nicely designed with a lot that promoted teamwork to help solve. Most of them were also large enough or had enough items that we could all work on them together without too much crowding around. There was a nice shift from linear to non-linear puzzles. This allowed everyone to be able to work on something all the time and not have anyone feel idle in the game. One thing that Lockdown did was try to get the puzzles to work seamlessly and make sense with the story. Not all of it was perfect, but some the key elements and puzzles did make sense from a story perspective. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK This was a solid experience. There is nothing that I can think of that missed the mark. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Tornado Shack" was entertaining to play. The shack shaking was something that did not disappoint to make the game more immersive among other things. The non-linear puzzles were also designed so that no one seemed to be idle for very long as we progressed through the game. We played with 5 experienced players and though it was a little tight at times in the shack portion of the game, we were still able to move around each other. Everyone working there has a huge passion for escape rooms and it shows through the rooms they designed and their interactions. Lockdown Escape Rooms is currently the only escape room located in Red Deer, Alberta. If you are passing through the area, definitely check out the escape rooms. You will not be disappointed. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Lot The game did have a moving floor. While most people would not have an issue with the motion, some who are extremely sensitive with balance may need to have them modify the shaking. Lobby with seats At-home escape room games for purchase in lobby Photos above are property of Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. (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 Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Survival #NaturalDisaster #LockdownEscapeRoomsInc #Alberta #Canada

LOCATION: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada Photo above is property of Underground Escape 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Dr. K's Secret Bunker 3 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 4, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Family, Dimensional Travel, Whimsical 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 50 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $25/Adult, $20/Youth (12-17), $15/Child (2-11) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Dr. K’s attempt to steal some alien top secret information has gone awry and he has been captured. To exact their revenge, the aliens are headed to Dr. K’s bunker to steal his most prized secrets. You and your team have been recruited to head those aliens off at the pass and find Dr. K’s secrets in his bunker first and replace them with a decoy. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The puzzles were non-linear, and we don’t find too many rooms where the more people the better. This room though had so many streams of puzzles that a few extra hands would be helpful. At first, the theming of the room seemed random throughout the game, but it eventually tied together and made sense in a fun reveal at the end. There were a lot of word clues that were well written and helped guide you around the room to what needed to be solved. There were a few cool props in the room and some unexpected reveals that made this experience enjoyable. There was a fun introduction with a live actor that started us off on the right foot. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was a lot going on in this room with a lot of props everywhere, which did create some red herring moments at times. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? At first, this room may seem like a hodge podge of stuff but as we progressed through, it did make sense at the end, and we really enjoyed the experience. If you are one who loves searching, then you would be a big fan of this game. The game was primarily combination locks and key locks with a few tech puzzles sprinkled in. A lot of the puzzle streams were short and satisfying as we hit the end of the line and were ready to find another string of puzzles to solve. We did the room with 3 adults and 2 kids but even with 3 more people in the room, we would have had just as much fun. This was a fantastic family friendly room with some fun eureka moments! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Street Parking Located beneath Jonny Bean Coffee Shop One flight of stairs down to get to the location Lobby with Seating (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 Underground Escape for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #UndergroundEscape #Family #Whimsical #Alberta #Canada

LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Emporium 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Welcome to the Jungle 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 19, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 55 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $32.50/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Hearing the drums and the sounds of the jungle animals, you and your friends investigate the noise. As you approached, you are all dragged into a surreal world full of plants, animals and bugs. You have entered the jungle game. Can you and your friends roll the dice, survive the dangers that lie ahead, and finish the game, before becoming trapped in here forever? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The central puzzle and prop that you interact with through the game was a lot of fun and delightful to play with. It also played some confirmation audio whenever we were correct which brought up the energy level in the room. There were a few no tech puzzles that were creative and ones we have not seen before. There was also another fun puzzle that was no tech and encouraged a lot of teamwork to complete. The objectives of the room and the overarching story was nicely laid out on the central puzzle so we could know how far along we are and what stage of the room we were at. The art that decorated the room was beautifully painted with the different animals we would find around the jungle. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK A couple of puzzles could have had better confirmation when we were correct. For one, we had to ask for a hint only to be told we did it right and look closer at the item. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Welcome to the Jungle" was a solid experience with some creative puzzles, some with lots of tech and some with no tech. The beautiful paintings really added to the décor of the room. The highlight of the game though was the central puzzle prop which really tied the game together. This would be a fun game to play with some beginners or anyone who is a fan of Jumanji. We played with 4 people and found that it was the right amount to enjoy the game and allow everyone to still experience everything. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Lobby with Seating Area Wheelchair accessible (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"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Adventure #EscapeEmporium #Canada

LOCATION: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Photo above is property of TRAPPED Edmonton Escape Room 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Room 057 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 26, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-7 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $36PP (2PPL), CAD $32/PP (3+PPL) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY In the year 2036, you wake up with a recurring dream of being trapped in an abandoned hospital and continually see a room labeled "057"; on a remote island. Saved by a rescue team in the dream, you have memory loss due to a mysterious virus from the island. Unsure if it was merely a dream or a lost memory from 30 years ago, you decide to recruit a team and revisit the hospital to uncover the truth behind your forgotten past. Video above is property of TRAPPED Mississauga Escape Room 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The puzzles and story flowed seamlessly together, leading to intuitive solutions that worked well with the narrative. The bulk of the puzzles were either grand enough that allowed everyone in the room the chance to solve it or had enough pieces that everyone was able to be engage in the solve. A few props stood out for their quality, creativity, and unique usage. One particular puzzle distinguished itself for its inventiveness and led to a fantastic eureka moment that felt movie worthy. The GMs were skilled at giving hints that were cryptic enough to help us solve the puzzle and not take away the excitement of our eureka moment. Having some group members with some mobility issues, the GMs were very considerate in accommodating them. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One puzzle could have been clued slightly better as we knew the solution but not the order of input which delayed a key part of the story. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Room 057" was a solid room that had some creative puzzles that gave us some great eureka moments. The puzzles and narrative flowed together smoothly for an immersive experience. The set design was creative with some appealing props. We played with 4 people and found that it worked out to allow everyone the chance to see everything and stay involved. Even an additional person would have worked well in the room. Anyone who is a fan of mystery or science type rooms should give this room a shot. Overall, our group had a blast solving this mystery, and the ending wrapped up the room beautifully. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking. Lobby with seating area Located on the ground floor Wheelchair accessible Small selection of board games available for purchase. Photos above are 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"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #TRAPPEDMississaugaEscapeRoom #Canada #Thriller

LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Senator's Battle 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 27, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Spy, Espionage 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $25/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY There are some recent suspicions that the Senator has ties to an elusive brotherhood. As one of the top FBI’s agents, you have been sent to investigate the Senator office and see what you can find out. Video above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This room has been here for a few years but there was not much wear and tear from play which shows they maintained the room. Everything from the props to the décor was in great shape. The décor and props that they used had a nice authentic touch to it. The things that mattered had a high-quality feel and looked fantastic. One of the puzzles was a different kind of light puzzle that we had never seen before and was very cool to play with. There was a reveal in the middle of the room that was unexpected and very creative. The room was not bogged down with red herrings and unused items. Everything that stuck out in the room had a purpose. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The ending seemed a little anti-climactic since there was a lag in performing the last task and the final video. As well as if you were not in the right place, you could not hear what was being said in the final video. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? One of the neat things is that the Senator’s Battle can be played as a regular room or what they call “battle mode”. In battle mode, they have 2 identical rooms set up and you can compete with another team on who can finish the room first. There is also a progress tracker on top of the door that will tell you how much of the room you have completed and how much of the room the other team has completed. Absolutely for the competitive players or trying to determine who are the top escape room players in your group of friends. For anyone who likes the spy theme escape rooms, this is a solid one to play. There were a few puzzles that we felt used some more difficult solving method which any enthusiast would be able to solve but might not be as easy for some escape room beginners. There was a lot of space in the room, but the puzzles were linear so 4 people felt like a perfect number for everyone to see everything and help solve the puzzles. This room could definitely be played with 6 people though. If you are up for a night of spying, round up your top agents and give this room a try. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Large Lobby Area, Paid Parking, Inside Mall (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"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Canada #Spy #Espionage #SenatorsBattle #Edmonton

LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton Photo above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Bank Heist 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 18, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Heist 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Adults, 2 Childre): 9/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-9 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $27.50/PP (Room Min $75) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: No 📖 THE STORY Getting arrested after your last bank heist, a crooked cop has offered your team a chance at freedom if you can pull off one last job for them. The only problem is the cop also has their own agenda and is ready to double cross you and your crew when the job is done. Knowing about the double cross, your group has a plan of their own to get out of their with the money and freedom. Video above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The tech props that we used to solve the puzzles were authentic and set up for perfect use with the puzzles. The hints that were provided stayed in the theme of the game which helped with immersion (ex: Rather than saying “Check under the table”, the GM would say “The banker would like to keep reminders under the table”). The vault that we had to break into was a nice touch as well as the puzzles around opening it made us feel like true safe crackers. The puzzle flow would alternate between non-linear and back to linear a few times, allowing people to work on multiple puzzles and bringing us back together for key parts of the game. All the puzzles were themed well, keeping inline with the bank ambiance. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The room did seem bare, which did help remove any doubts on red herrings but could have had more of a bank feel to it. One tech prop needed to be reset after we tried other logical uses for it as well as another prop, we had a lot of difficulty using which could have had more guidance on. We did bring this up to our GM afterwards who was open to feedback. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Bank Heist" was a solid room with some great puzzles. All the puzzles and props were top quality and fit well into the bank theme. This was a tough room to complete in only an hour though. At Escape Hour, they offer 3 ways of giving hints, normal, organic, and hardcore. Organic is where they will give you hints automatically along the way if it seems like you are falling behind on time. Normal is they will ask if you want a hint if it seems like you are behind on time and hardcore is where they sit back and wait for you to ask for hints. If you are a beginner or someone looking to complete the room to see the full ending, we would recommend getting the organic hints. If you are looking for a challenge, we would still recommend the normal hint system to at least see how far along you are. For people who like challenging puzzles with some nice eureka moments, this game would be for you. We played as a family with 2 adults and 2 kids but feel that up to 5 enthusiasts would enjoy the room. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Paid Parking Located on 3rd floor inside a mall Washroom located in food court Lobby with seating area (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"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeRoomEdmonton #Heist #Edmonton #Canada

LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton Photo above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Five Lives 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 28, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Various 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $27/PP (Room Min $75) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Are you ready to fix a spaceship, escape a killer's boiler room, train as a ninja, hangout at a wild nightclub and prevent a nuclear disaster? Can you do it all in under an hour? Make quick decisions, move fast, take risks, and work as a team. Are you ready to travel through five lives and complete all the tasks at hand? Video above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We encountered a bunch of fun challenges throughout the rooms, where a majority of them relied on a lot of teamwork to make it through. Each room was decorated with a high-quality set design, immersing you completely into the experience of each theme. The physical challenges blended well with the flow and story of the game, making the immersion even better. One of the rooms had many low hanging metal objects and they provided hard hats for us, which was appreciated 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The balance of puzzles across each theme was uneven, disrupting the game's flow. In some rooms, we had to complete multiple tasks to progress, while the others required just one or two simpler ones. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Five Lives" was a solid room with puzzles that promoted teamwork throughout. The rooms were well-decorated to immerse you into the theme. At Escape Hour, they offer 3 ways of providing hints: (1) Normal, (2) Organic, and (3) Hardcore. For "Normal", they will ask if you want a hint if it seems like you're falling behind on time. "Organic" is where they will give you hints automatically along the way and "Hardcore" is where they sit back and wait for you to ask. We used the normal hint system which was helpful as there were moments when we felt like we were falling behind but were assured that we were not. We played with 5 people with a variety of escape room experience, which we felt was the right amount. Any more and there might have been some players sitting out for some tasks. For a different type of escape room with some more physical challenges to complete, this would be the room for you. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Paid Parking Located on 3rd floor inside a mall Washroom located in food court Lobby with seating area Photo above is property of Escape Hour Edmonton (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"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeRoomEdmonton #Various #Edmonton #Canada

LOCATION: Oftringen, Switzerland Photo above is property of GAMEGURU Photos above are property of GAMEGURU ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Adventures of The Halfling 📅 DATE PLAYED: December 9, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-5 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CHF 30/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes (41:00) 📖 THE STORY The halfling Malion was renowned for slaying the fearful dragon Smog. He was able to achieve this unlikely feat by utilizing the many great artifacts he had collected through his adventures. Unfortunately, not all the dragon eggs were destroyed and it appears one has hatched, spreading panic amongst the local villagers. Your task is to visit the aged Malion and acquire the artifacts which will help you defeat this new threat. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The room has been well constructed and the style is indicative to that of a Hobbit’s home, something fans of the Lord of the Rings universe will appreciate, Beside the general look of the room, props and artifacts found within also play true to how they would have looked in the movies. Fans will likely enjoy discovering and interacting with them since they are the key elements to how the game plays. There is a lot of tech in the room, making it almost entirely padlock free, and some small special effects which provide several magical elements. The puzzles, like the visuals, have a relationship with the story and theming. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The variety of puzzles was limited. Essentially, each puzzle consists of finding an object and placing it in a specific spot to unlock the next step. Although the logic was always fine, the repetition of tasks began to feel flat. The game’s finale was surprisingly abrupt and anticlimactic. We had expected the game to have progressed further before slaying the dragon. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The game is most suitable for fans of LOTRs and beginner groups. More experienced teams may find the room too simple and the game play too limited. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO GAMEGURU is located in a large entertainment complex which features multiple eateries, bars, and a cinema. The company also has a karaoke room and table tennis. Inside there are lockers for you to store your belongings. Photos above are 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 GAMEGURU for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #GameGuru #Adventure #Oftringen #Switzerland

LOCATION: Genèva, Switzerland Photo above is property of Trip Trap Bazar Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Antiquary's Testament 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 29, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Horror (Mild) 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-5 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CHF 180/Room ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You have been recently contacted by a notary that has a testament from a great-great-great grand uncle of yours. What is strange is that you have never heard of its existence before (he died more than 50 years ago…) and what’s even stranger is that he bequeathed you his antiquity shop. Intrigued, you meet the notary at the shop to sign the papers and become the new owner, but right after signing you remember a quote stating “antiquaries are thieves of souls”. You decide to explore the shop (your new acquisition) with that quote in mind, in order to figure out why you thought about it… 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The venue is very well decorated (even from the outside), it looks like a real antiquary shop (apparently, sometimes some random customers enter the venue in order to buy stuff exposed in a showcase). The transition between the introduction/pitch and the start of the game is very smooth, which is very appreciable. It changes from the classical “you have 60 minutes to get out of the room/find the exit/retrieve the lost artefact/save the world), please open the door and enter the room now”. The room is very well decorated with a lot of old items that seem true (and for some of them, quite heavy so be careful when you manipulate them): props for the realistic environment! 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some places are a bit too dark: I understand it’s for a better immersion for the horror theme, but sometimes it is a bit difficult to clearly see what we are doing and if we are doing things correctly. Some places are a bit narrow so you might feel a bit uncomfortable in a large group. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Even if I sorted this room in the horror genre, it is still very mild: you don’t have any jump scare or an actor chasing you with a chainsaw. This room is not for the faint of heart thought as the general atmosphere and sounds you can hear can add quickly to your anxiety level (that is why it is not possible to play below 12 years old). Trip Trap offers here a pretty decent experience with interesting mechanics, but quite linear overall. I would recommend a group of 4 players maximum (3 would be perfect in my opinion). ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO For parking spots, you can either find a place in the nearby streets or in the train station underground parking lot. Trip Trap asks to arrive 15 mins in advance if possible so you can enjoy the full experience Pregnant women can take part to the adventure (if not too close to the term), some actions may result in slight discomfort. For people with disabilities, unfortunately it is not suitable for wheelchairs and seems extremely complicated for crutches (presence of stairs and narrow passages) No drinks or food unfortunately: the Catalpa bar is only available at the GRAND TRIP TRAP HOTEL Toilets are available Photos above are property of Trip Trap Bazar (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 Trip Trap for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AlexandreTang #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #TripTrapBazar #Horror #Geneva #Switzerland

LOCATION: Genève, Switzerland Photo above is property of Trip Trap Bazar Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Lotus Trap 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 30, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CHF 180/Room ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You are a crystal hound with a great passion for treasures from Asia and you just heard of a big opportunity to obtain a rare crystal lotus. You have a meeting in an antique shop with a contact that brought to money in a case to buy it. You were ready for some negotiations to get the lowest price for the acquisition but let’s say that it didn’t go as expected… Photos above are property of Trip Trap 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE There are some good ideas in this room: different mechanics, good variety of puzzles and an additional quest if you are quite ahead in time. The quality of the set is unequal: the second part is much better in terms of immersion and sticks to the theme, while the first part is a bit more random (we were here in the first place to buy a crystal lotus so we would expect a different scenery). 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Unfortunately, quite a lot of padlocks in the room (this room is pretty old and it may not stand the comparison with the most recent ones). Some places are a bit too dark: it is a bit difficult to clearly see what we are doing and if we are doing things correctly (be careful of possible misreading). 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Overall, this room suffers a bit as it is a pretty old one, not in terms of ideas but in terms of mechanics (presence of many padlocks). But put aside, this is still a pretty decent escape room. I would recommend a group of 4 players. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO For parking spots, you can either find a place in the nearby streets or in the train station underground parking lot. Trip Trap asks to arrive 15 mins in advance if possible so you can enjoy the full experience Pregnant women can take part to the adventure (if not too close to the term) and a chair can be installed by the game master upon request for comfort. For people in wheelchairs, if its width is less than 75 cm (30 inches) or if it can be folded, it should be OK in the room. The game master can help with it, but please call first to make sure (Tel: +41 22 345 05 15) No drinks or food unfortunately: the Catalpa bar is only available at the GRAND TRIP TRAP HOTEL. Toilets are available (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 Trip Trap for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AlexandreTang #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #TripTrapBazar #Adventure #Geneva #Switzerland

LOCATION: Geneva, Switzerland Photo above is property of Trip Trap Secret Floor Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Brotherhood of The Stone 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 29, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Investigation 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 4/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-5 PPL (Max 10PPL/2 ROOMS) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CHF 180/Room ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY The story takes places in Geneva, in the early 20th century. There are rumors about a powerful and secret society that controls everything in the shadows, thanks to influential members with very high positions. You and your friends are well renown detectives that have been recruited to investigate one of its most dangerous members: Victor de la Verrière, a very famous architect. You will need to sneak into his mansion and find evidence but be careful, as an evil architect, some traps may have been set in place. Your contact Archibald will be there to help you in this perilous mission. Good luck! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The lobby is very well-decorated and has a lot of space. The game masters are very welcoming. For a first-generation room, the mechanisms used are very clever and fun to play with. A lot of good ideas have been used to avoid redundancy of actions and it is well appreciated. A good mix of search, thinking and cooperation. Even if the room is pretty small, we did not have the impression to be cramped (we were 4 adult players), the space has been well optimized. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Even though we did enjoy the mission, we feel like a common thread was missing for all the puzzles, they were fun thought. In the end, the backstory does not seem that important when we consider what we have done in the room 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? It is a pretty small first-generation escape room overall, with padlocks mixed with mechanisms, and the difficulty is quite low so it may be less entertaining for hardcore gamers. It is more suitable for recreational players or beginners. I would recommend a group of 3-4 players. If you are a large group of players, it may be cool to consider splitting into 2 groups and challenging each other. Photo above is property of Time Trap Secret Floor ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There are some white and blue parking spots in front of the building There are stairs and an elevator to get access to the lobby Trip Trap asks to arrive 15 mins in advance if possible so you can enjoy the full experience Pregnant women can take part to the adventure (if not too close to the term) and a chair can be installed by the game master upon request for comfort. For people with physical disabilities, unfortunately it is not suitable for wheelchairs, but crutches are fine The lobby is pretty big and there are comfortable seats/couches while you wait. You can store your belongings in separated closets This game can be played in French or in English No drinks or food unfortunately: the Catalpa bar is only available at the GRAND TRIP TRAP HOTEL. You may still ask for a glass of water or syrup (free) Toilets are available (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 Trip Trap for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AlexandreTang #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #TripTrap #SecretFloor #Investigation #Geneva #Switzerland

LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan Photo above is property of Real Escape Game by SCRAP Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: "Escape from the Small Wonder Room" 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1-2 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 10 Mins. 💰 PRICE:  ¥1,500/ pp (1 person), ¥1,000/ pp (2 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY A mysterious small room suddenly appears in Real Escape Room Shimokitazawa, and you are locked in this room with strange items and figures. You have only 10 minutes to escape from this room! Are you ready for the challenge? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE It was an exciting game with fun and a slight sense of rush. The length of the game was only 10 minutes. I believe it is a perfect game for warm-up if you play this game before you try other games. The game setting was simple. There were no embellished stories, and nothing was complicated. I loved that this room reminded me of classic escape games in the old times! The volume and difficulty of the puzzles were well-balanced for a short game. There were varieties of puzzles in such a small space. I loved that the game had physical puzzles or searching items rather than logical puzzles or puzzles on paper, which games by SCRAP usually have. Although there was a puzzle that might require knowledge of Japanese culture, SCRAP provided us with the information needed. No reservation was required to play this game. You can decide whether to play it or not on the spot. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I cannot think of anything. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? “Escape from the Small Wonder Room” was a simple but exciting game with various puzzles in a small room. It was pure fun, just like a classic escape room. I recommend this game to everyone. It can be a great warm-up game for enthusiasts. Or it can be a great introductory game for those who have never tried escape rooms. Shimokitazawa is a vibrant town. It is easy to access from Shinjuku or Shibuya. If you are in Tokyo, why don’t you visit Shimokitazawa to get locked into this mysterious small room? ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No parking Located near "Shimokitazawa" Station. How to get to Shimokitazawa: From Shinjuku: Take the Odakyu Line. 7-9min from Shinjuku Odakyu Station to Shimokitazawa From Shibuya: Take the Inogashira Line. 3-6min from Shibuya Inogashira Station to Shimokitazawa Shimokitazawa has many shops and restaurants. It is a great place to hang out. The current Shimokitazawa SCRAP will be closed after the 8th of January 2024. Check information on where this game is held via the Real Escape Game website. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our visit to Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) and our exclusive interview with the manager to understand more on the development side of the game: 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 Real Escape Games by SCRAP for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ChikakoOmura #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #RealEscapeGamebySCRAP #Japan #Mystery