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Location: San Francisco, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME:  The Asylum 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 22, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $35.00/ pp ($27.00-$30.00/ pp - Mon-Thurs after 6pm) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE:  Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Our next escape room location is at Clockwise Escape Room. Street parking is extremely challenging in this area so we suggest parking it in a lot. There was one that we found about five blocks from the location so be sure to allow some time to walk there. Clockwise Escape Room is located in the basement floor level. The lobby is spacious with plenty of seating and puzzle games to keep you occupied. We were fortunate enough to meet with the owner for an interview to learn more about the company! Today, we are trying 2 of the 4 rooms that they offer - "The Asylum" and "The Paranormal Experiment". Obviously, by the title you can tell that these rooms are horror-themed. However, what's great about Clockwise is that their rooms cater to all different levels of interest as the other two rooms are NOT horror-themed - "Party In Vegas" and "The Incredible Machine" (their newest one). The two rooms that we are playing are related as "The Paranormal Experiment" is the sequel to "The Asylum" so we played them in order. As soon as you step foot inside "The Asylum", you feel like you've been institutionalized inside of a padded room. The room decor is absolutely spot-on and the level of detail truly sets the tone. The puzzle challenges correlates with the storyline throughout the entire game. We definitely enjoyed ourselves as we felt that they really utilized the room design to challenge you as oppose to objects. We managed to escape with two people and can't wait to discover what happens in the sequel - "The Paranormal Experiment"!! *** This game is no longer available and this company has moved to ID, check out their new games if you are in that area! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Clockwise Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #ClockwiseEscapeRoom #Horror #California #USA

Location: San Francisco, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Paranormal Experiment 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 22, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $35.00/ pp ($27.00-$30.00/ pp - Mon-Thurs after 6pm) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Read our review of “The Asylum” room to find out more about this escape location. We are trying two rooms back-to-back at Clockwise Escape Room. After successfully escaping "The Asylum" room, we are moving onto the sequel - "The Paranormal Experiment". After playing "The Asylum" and getting a sneak peek of the other two rooms that Clockwise has to offer - "Party In Vegas" and "The Incredible Machine", the bar was definitely raised for this next room. From the level of detail in their designs to the intricate storylines, our expectations were set pretty high and "The Paranormal Experiment" did NOT disappoint!! With "The Asylum" room, you were slowly drawn into this twisted & eerie storyline while in "The Paranormal Experiment" room, you were thrown right into a survive or die challenge. Both were completely immersive and entertaining! Again, the set design was phenomenal and the usage of the room decor was cleverly implemented into the puzzle challenges. This game had everything that we enjoy in an escape room - traditional locks, technology, puzzles, physical challenges, teamwork, etc. We are definitely considering returning soon to try the other two rooms!! *** This game is no longer available and this company has moved to ID, check out their new games if you are in that area! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Clockwise Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #ClockwiseEscapeRoom #Horror #California #USA

LOCATION: Dublin, California, USA Photo above is property of Exit2Escape 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Magician's Secrets 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 22, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Magic, Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp, $270.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public/ Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Our last and final stop is at Exit2Escape in Dublin, CA. We are trying two of the three rooms that they offer - "The Magician's Secrets" and "Wild West Jail Escape". There's plenty of parking right in front of the complex. Once you enter, there's a bright yellow comfortable couch for you take a load off. We were fortunate enough to interview the owner to learn more about the company! Exit2Escape will be relocating to Pleasanton, CA towards the end of 2019 and offer four rooms total at the new location. We are starting off with "The Magician's Secrets" room. As soon as we entered, the room decor definitely gave us a mysterious vibe. The puzzle designs were interesting and had some creative concepts. There was a good mixture of traditional locks and technology which we quite enjoy. We managed to escape with just the two of us and had some time to spare. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Exit2Escape" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Exit2Escape for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Exit2Escape #Magic #Mystery #California #USA

LOCATION: Dublin, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Wild Wild West 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 22, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Western, Prison Break 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp, $270.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public/ Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Read our review of “The Magician's Secrets" room to find out more about this escape location.  The next room that we played was the "Wild West Jail Escape". In this room, we were joined by two other fellow escapers and started off in two separate jail cells. There was a lot of teamwork and communication involved in order to help each other unlock ourselves. The room decor was quite impressive and the puzzles were cleverly hidden throughout the game. There were some physical challenges implemented as well which created a more immersive experience. Overall, we had a wonderful time working with each other as a team to figure out what we needed to do. The usage of the set design to unravel the story was well executed. We can't wait to revisit Exit2Escape's new location in Pleasanton, CA which will have four rooms available to play! Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Exit2Escape" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Exit2Escape for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Exit2Escape #Western #PrisonBreak #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of Escape Room L.A. 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Atlantis 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Fantasy, Magical 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $33.00-$39.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY We received a special invitation from our professor to explore the lost city of Atlantis. We needed to find the missing pieces of Poseidon’s fabled trident before our air supply runs out! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We’ve played a few underwater adventure rooms before but this room’s set design actually made us feel like we were at the bottom of the ocean. The background sound system was joyful to hear in the room. It made solving the puzzles less stressful. Props were all relevant to the story line and made with quality. The non-linear aspect of the room made us all spread out and we each had to solve different puzzles at the same time. This is great for large groups. Eventually we came together for the ending parts. Except for taste, we felt that this room utilized all of our other senses. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Adding some projector images of fish or other ocean organisms could bring more immersion to the room. We did encounter a particular type of puzzle a few times. It would be great to see more variations of puzzle designs. One puzzle at the beginning felt like a giveaway and was very different from the concept of all other puzzles. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Ever want to see the bottom of the ocean without having to dive down with heavy scuba equipment? Well this is your chance to feel like little mermaid! Visit this beautifully designed "Atlantis" room and bring some teammates to solve the puzzles while you just enjoy the views. Since the room is quite spacious, our suggested player group size would be 4-6ppl. 🔎 HINT Which one matches? Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Escape Room L.A. for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeRoomLA #Atlantis #Adventure #Fantasy #Magical #California #USA

LOCATION: Brea, California, USA Photo above is property of Scenario Escape Room Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Mad Rapper 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Gangster, Music 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $35.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Here we go, yo, here we go, yo. So, what, so what, so what’s the scenario? We are very excited to be at the studio of the hottest artist on the market today, “The Mad Rapper”. What kind of surprises will we run into at the audition? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Unique theme we’ve never seen before. We love the originality of this room. In rare occasions, we actually enjoy the intro video to the room. This is one of them. The owner actually wrote and rapped the song himself. Different music effects were paired with various puzzle elements. There were real guitars in the room! Props and decor were all very well made and genuine. Variations of logic and physical puzzles were present. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was an issue with one puzzle that had a little malfunctioning, but we were able to use process of elimination to still get the code. Might be worth checking it out to avoid future issues. Would love to see a few more puzzles that would incorporate sound (for instance us auditioning) since this is a music themed room. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Music lovers (especially old school hip hop), you’ll love this room! The escape room owner (who will probably also be your game master) actually live DJ's all the music you will hear in the room. How cool is that? It really made us appreciate the passion the owner has for his escape room and his music. The rooms were quite spacious so you can easily fit a larger team in there. However, we worked really well as a team of three. 🔎 HINT Did you get one in all of them? Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Scenario Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #ScenarioEscapeRoom #Adventure #Gangsters #Music #California #USA

LOCATION: Anaheim, California, USA Photo above is property of Cross Roads Escape Games Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Psych Ward 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Psychological, Suspense, Role Play, Strategy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 5-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $33.00-$37.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes \ 📖 THE STORY We were Dr. Griffin’s lab rats. We were being put into an experiment to see who’s sane and who’s insane. In this crazy world, who do we trust? Hopefully you’ll chose the right team… Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This is the first time we’ve experienced an escape room with an added immersive experience other than just live actors. The "strategics" element was quite unique and became an add on to the regular puzzles. We were quite amazed at how many puzzles were incorporated in such a small space, yet it did not feel crowded. This room was not linear at all. Everyone could essentially work on a different puzzle all by themselves. Love the “twist” that was added for the story line. It was like a separate chapter in a book. We are glad everyone got to experience it once. It was quite strange to be solving puzzles as a team one minute and then planning to sabotage each other in the next. The asylum decor would make you feel like if you were to stay in there any longer, you’ll probably go insane. There were a lot of hidden “secrets” in the room which “wowed” all of us as we discovered it. From dressing up, to intro of the story by our game master to assigning roles, we felt the complete package. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Lot of puzzles used memorization as an element. It would’ve been great to see a bit more variation on puzzle design. At times we had to wait for a puzzle to activate even though it was lit. It was a bit confusing since we thought some clues were in reference to that but it wasn’t. It was really easy for us to identify who was sane/insane right from the beginning by using the first round of “identifying”. Then the rest of the game lacked the element of strategy. I wonder if there was any way the game master or the game itself can control a bit of that outcome just so it doesn’t happen right at the beginning. Even if you were able to solve the puzzles quickly, we find that certain ones won’t be activated until it’s time. This kind of prevents you from solving all the puzzles in the room within the hour. I wonder if the speed of the story could develop quicker for teams that solve the puzzles faster? 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is not a typical escape room. There are decisions and strategies to be made which will influence the outcome. If you want to be on the winning team then you must work your wits and defeat the other. There’s no real “escape” here. This room can essentially be replayed if you wanted to try all the puzzles. Due to the time restriction, it’ll be really difficult to complete it all. One of our teammates replayed this room with us and had a brand-new experience. If you like role playing and enjoy strategy games, you’ll have a blast here. 🔎 HINT What are they doing? Photos above are property of Cross Roads Escape Games *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** Disclosure: We thank Cross Roads Escape Games for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #CrossRoadsEscapeGames #Psychological #Suspense #Roleplaying #California #USA

LOCATION: San Bernardino, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Shadow Menagerie 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 9, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY We are part of a secret organization called the "Hall of Shadows" that examines any and everything that’s strange around your everyday life. S.H.A.D.O.W. protects the world from threats that fall outside the realm of established science. Today, our team has been sent to an abandoned storage facility to examine objects with dark histories which are believed to be possessed by paranormal forces. For some reason they have began to grow “restless” so we need to stop these dark forces before they unleash their powers upon the Earth. Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Great use of the facility space to create the story around the setting. We truly felt like we were entering a secret underground lair, especially with "added" security for the entrance. We liked how most of the items that were strictly for decor was bolted down and the quality of the props were well-made and true to the storyline. The game was very clear and easy to follow once you had the starting piece. One particular prop was very visually satisfying and added great value to the ending . The hint system was clear and fit well with the storyline. We liked it better than walkie talkies. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The game master could be more engaging at the story telling. Maybe a few props or attire could be given to the players prior to sending them in as special forces going on a mission. I.e. S.H.A.D.O.W. vests or badges. Since this escape room is operated mainly on technology, it was quite interesting in terms of game play for us. There are clues around the room which can be interpreted but could not be activated until "step 1" was complete. At some point it was confusing to us as we spent a good amount of time not understanding why a certain puzzle would not work because it wasn't in the correct order. One point in the game there was a video message where we couldn’t capture the message very clearly. Perhaps another note elsewhere as an alternative or adjusting the volume may help. We would’ve loved to see some more “surprising” moments since the majority of the game is in the main room. Not sure if the crate boxes can be of any use, but it would be great to utilize them if they can be opened. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is a great game for family. The searching part of the escape room would be really fun for the kids. The puzzles are not extremely hard but definitely will get you thinking as a team. Since this game is quite linear, it really forces you to work together. It could be very fun for team building as well. From a puzzle difficulty level, it’s great for beginners. If you want to see the set design and experience the underground world of S.H.A.D.O.W., experienced players may also enjoy this game. We can’t wait see what the new game “The Signal” has to offer as we would love to see Hall of Shadows Escape Game create a less linear and more challenging game for experienced players. 🔎 HINT There's a lot of hidden spots. Search carefully! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Hall of Shadows Escape Games for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #HallofShadows #Adventure #Mystsery #SciFi #California #USA

Photo above is property of Get the F Out Company: Get the F Out Game: The Experiment Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Thriller Date Played: July 2, 2020 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 5/10 Size of Team: 3-10 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: $30.00/ pp (Minimum required- 3 players) We saw an ad asking for male & female of all ages to participate in a psychological study for escape rooms. More importantly, we'll be awarded with juice after! Who would say no to juice? Josh, our avatar gave us a quick tour every time we reached a new location. Instead of an inventory portal, you'll be receiving several locked up PDF files in the booking email. You should read the intro story as that will prepare you for the back story before going into the room. The avatar will let you know when its time to unlock a certain file. The files will give you information you need for puzzles that need a closer look. There were only two files that you really needed to unlock for the puzzles so it did not take our eyes away from the avatar for too long. The rooms were quite spacious, I can see how it could fit up to 10 people in a physical game. For the remote experience, we think 4 would be the ideal number. The puzzles were quite easy to follow since the locks usually have hints on them directing you to which clue they were related to. There was a prop that we have not seen before used in games and it was cool to see even on camera for that "wow moment". Since there were some puzzles that got taken out for the remote experience, we got out in 35 minutes (Josh was also a quick runner and did not waste anytime). The ending of the story was released to us in the final PDF file after we escape the room. The story line was quite intriguing as the entire time you're wondering why did the host made this experiment? Is he a serial killer or an actual scientist? I guess you'll have to play the game to find out. Also, if you are lucky enough to be around them in CA, check out their other room, "The Virus". We heard from Josh that it's a lot more challenging and even though it's not as spacious as "The Experiment", they were able to pack a lot more puzzles in the room. Can't wait for the pandemic to be over so we can "Get the F Out" of the house and go on our escape room tours again! Photos above are property of Get the F Out *** We regret to inform this company has closed its doors *** Disclosure: We thank Get the F Out for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #GettheFOut #TheExperiment #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #SciFi

Photo above is property of MindTrap Escape Room Company: MindTrap Escape Room Game: Gold Rush Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Western, Adventure Date Played: July 13, 2020 Difficulty (based on 3 players): 6/10 Size of Team: 2-10 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: $60.00/ 2 ppl ($15 each additional person) Video above is property of MindTrap Escape Room There's a rumor going around in town that Kanaka Jack knows of a hidden mine. If we discover the gold while he's away from this cabin, we'll be set for life! The moment we met our character "One-eyed Bill", we fell in "love" with him. The way he portrayed his character pulled us right into the game. Normally we would be annoyed if the avatar was pretending to be slow at opening locks or forgot the combo after we told him numerous times but with his character, we just found it hilarious. "One-eyed Bill" was also great at controlling angles of what we were able to see and what he wanted to be hidden from us. We enjoyed the slow reveals of the clues as we completed each puzzle. It felt like we're playing in the room ourselves and was able to discover these clues on our own. He also took in consideration of what the audience would be able to see from their point of view. Therefore, there were no moments during the game where our camera was pointed to the floor or partial views of a puzzle. The set design also translated well online and did not lose the ambiance factor. This is quite difficult to do with a remote escape room since if the room was too dim, we won't be able to see well. Maybe it's because Bill has only one eye so his focal point is better than people with two eyes as we had very clear images throughout the game. The cabin had a nice welcoming feeling when we entered. The props all had their purpose and with the inventory system, it was quite easy to track what was collected and what was used. The owner build the system himself and we were impressed by how clean it was. Besides having to enter the code to reveal the objects for a closer look or a puzzle that needed interaction, there were no unnecessary add-ons. This made the remote experience more enjoyable for players as they could fully concentrate their eyes on the avatar and the room rather than the inventory system. We completed the quest with 3 people and 11 minutes left on the clock (with no hints). The ending was quite satisfying visually. We really enjoyed this game from beginning to end. Our favorite moments that stood out definitely had to be revolved around the "One-eyed Bill" character but it still wouldn't have been a complete experience without the beautiful set design, innovative puzzles and user-friendly inventory system. If you book the game, let "One-eyed Bill" know that we said hi and perhaps he'll give a free hint! Photos above are property of MindTrap Escape Room *** This game can no longer be booked as a remote game but can still be booked as an in-person experience *** (If you do decide to try this game, please remember to let them know that you heard it from"ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank MindTrap Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #MindTrapEscapeRoom #GoldRush #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Adventure #Western #Gold

Photo above is property of 60out Escape Rooms (Downtown) Company: 60out Escape Rooms (Downtown) Game: Miss Jezebel Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Detective/ Comedy Date Played: July 31, 2020 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 5.5/10 Size of Team: 2-8 Players (Age restriction: 18+) Time: 60 Minutes Price: $115.00 (2-4 connections)/ $15.00 (each additional) Wow. Wow. Wow. How do I even begin to write about this experience... After hearing so much hype about this game, we were eager to meet Miss Jezebel. Our game started with our avatar (detective Hugh G Rection) going undercover to Miss Jezebel's house for a tea party. He suspected that she was a black widow and we needed to help him find evidence to put her away. When we first met Miss Jezebel on camera, I was a bit starstruck since I've seen her in numerous places online. She was funny and witty but somewhere inside you could sense a bit of darkness... We assembled a great crew for the game as all of them were great at improv and 2 of them were even actors themselves. This game was the only remote escape room that required a 50/50 type of participation between the avatars and the players. This was not your typical escape room where you were just there to solve puzzles. There were only a few puzzles throughout the game but in our opinion, other elements totally made up for it. The puzzles were mainly there to help develop the story and to engage us to find out about the truth behind these murders. We enjoyed being put in a real life situation where we were tested for how quick we were are able to come up with ideas and what items we could utilize in a restricted environment. The camera on the detective was placed at an ideal angle where we felt that we're actually there in person. One time when Miss Jezebel got a bit emotional and was coming too close to the camera, I actually backed up a bit from my computer screen. If you decide to book this game, definitely find a group of players that's up for improv and wouldn't mind to "spice" up the atmosphere. You'll have plenty of "props" to work with if you just let your imagination run wild. Miss Jezebel's performance was exceptional (that's expected) but I'm also very proud of my team's performance as well. With all the right "ingredients", 60outs Escape Rooms was able to "cook up" a very unique and memorable experience that I'll never forget! Photos above are property of 60out Escape Rooms (Downtown) *** This game can no longer be booked as a remote game but check out their in-person escape rooms*** (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank 60out Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #60outEscapeRooms #MissJezebel#RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Thriller #Comedy #Theater #LimitedTime #Suspense

Photo above is property of Unlocked: Escape Room Company: Unlocked: Escape Room Game: The Return of the Magician Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Magic Date Played: January 31, 2021 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 5/10 Size of Team: 4-8 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: $60.00 (first 2 connections)/ $15.00 (each additional) 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 You've been invited to a magic show. It's been awhile but The Magician has finally returned. You're quite curious about this exclusive show at the UNLOCKED Productions Theaters...Are you ready? 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 Our avatar seemed very excited about his invitation and so were we. As we arrived at the backstage, everything became quite unusual. I thought we were here to see a magic show? The avatar did a great job with showing us around the room and automating the search process. The game master in the back office also was DJing our music transition so that whenever we arrived in another "realm", we would feel the change of scenery through music as well. We haven't seen too many companies implement this in a live avatar game as it does take an extra manpower and you'll have to precise with the timing. You can tell these creators are escape room enthusiasts as well as they rather put in the extra cost and time on their end but give the players that added immersion. As the game progressed, we were lured deeper and deeper into the magic the room was creating. It felt like there were endless rooms to explore (or we were secretly hoping that it will never end). Their own build-in inventory system worked great with this game. We had to dedicate one player to type in the trigger words and the rest of the players will get the items automatically in their portal. Used items will also get removed right after the puzzles were solved. Photos above are property of Unlocked: Escape Room 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 The puzzles were clear cut and we didn't encounter any red herrings. I loved how all the puzzles implemented some sort of relation to magic in it. You might even learn some history and facts! The props used were all closely connected with magic as well. Having one of the owners being a magician himself definitely helped with making sure that all the puzzles made sense with the theme of this room. The inventory system also gave us opportunities to work on the puzzles ourselves. We really enjoyed some of the interactive components as most of the inventory portals are used for collecting still shot photos only so it's refreshing to see ones that we can interact with. While we were able to interact with the puzzles, the avatar was also able to search items for us at the same time. This created that live in person play experience where teammates can divide and conquer on different puzzles. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 There were definitely some "wow" moments in this game. We felt like we're watching a magic show rather than playing a game. Sometimes we had to stop what we were doing and wonder: "wait a minute, how did that just happen?" The transitions were really smooth, you won't be able to detect a thing. I guess in magic terms I would say this room was a master at "sleight of hand". We were lucky to get a tour after the game to see how the magic was implemented but a magician will never reveal their secrets. We highly suggest playing this game to try to figure out the magic on your own. 𝔼𝕊ℂ𝔸ℙ𝔼𝕋ℍ𝔼ℝ𝕆𝕆𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕤❜ ℙ.𝕀.𝕤❜ 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 Donna T. This was my first avatar-led escape room and I found it to be absolutely engaging and immersive. This escape room was converted from an in-person escape room to a virtual Zoom experience escape room and makes use of a web-based inventory system that the players will have to shuffle back and forth in order to complete puzzles. The room itself was creative and very detailed with various magic props and references to stage magicians. There was so much attention to detail and the unique storyline and puzzles would satisfy any escape room or magic aficionado. The room really felt like the office and backstage of a magician before a show. All it needed was the magician himself! The overall storyline was engaging and easy to follow and I found that the puzzles were seamless and linear. I liked that each puzzle had reference to magicians, shows, or magic tricks and props. There were many surprises and magic tricks that stunned and awed as we made our way through the rooms. It made for a very memorable experience. The puzzles were thoughtfully done and logical and used a multitude of varying types of locks. I learned that this game had originally been a non-linear game, but was translated into a linear one for the virtual experience. I actually felt that made the experience more enjoyable so that players could see each puzzle and how it progressed from one section to the next. Our avatar, Hung, whom we met at the start of the game was friendly, funny, and personable. I felt that he had done a great job with the camera - showing us what was in the room and following directions of what we wanted him to inspect next. Rather than a regular avatar, he felt like an extension of the team. There was one other person in the room, Tony, who handled sound effects throughout the game. It helped with the atmospheric aspect of it. I was impressed by the progression and translation of the game from in person to Zoom and felt that it was done in such a creative manner with the use of sound effects and camera. It really made for a more immersive experience. One of the areas that I found to have some difficulty with was the lighting. Sometimes it was hard to make out certain text or see certain objects, but most of this issue was alleviated with the usage of the inventory system and online 360 degree view of the room via web interface. However, I just found it a little tedious to navigate between the Zoom window and the web inventory window during the playthrough especially during the beginning of the game. Sometimes, I would find that I would miss what was happening in the Zoom window if I was looking at the inventory window. However, this might just be due to it being my first time playing with two different windows, but it became a little more intuitive as I got used to the system. Overall, I would highly recommend trying this game. It was fun, mindfully created, and well thought out. It's suitable for all ages. I think kids, teens, and adults would easily be awed by the "magic" of the room. The room experience translated as well as it could through Zoom although I would imagine that the in-person experience would be even better. Ryann S. I had a lot of fun playing this game and found the puzzles utilized a good blend of variety with bursts of novelty. Do I feel like I may have enjoyed this game more in person? Honestly, I’m not sure. I felt that many of the puzzles translated fairly seamlessly over the video stream and I actually felt more involved than I have in many in-person games. A lot of this was due to the rigorous inventory system. As a super visual puzzle solver, I liked that I had the opportunity to see clues in their entirety. With in-person games, I find that either 1.) there tend to be multiple players struggling to view each piece at a time, or 2. the person who touches the clues first tends to solve the puzzles before others have a good look. The inventory system did an excellent job of ensuring that everyone could participate on a sort of even playing field without respect to physical space. The ability to view a room in 360 degrees too also let me “explore” other areas of the room than my teammates or the avatar. Our avatar-host also made the experience super enjoyable and approached the room in a way that felt like the team was in control of the experience without doing so in an obnoxious micro-step-by-step way. Occasionally, I wished that he had a sort of mounted camera system instead of a handheld one. I felt like this would have made the camera view a bit steadier at times and would have allowed him to use both hands. Overall, the room didn’t seem to be the fanciest or most-decorated I’ve ever seen, but it didn’t need to be. [Honestly, it was pretty refreshing to not see a ton of unnecessary set-dressing or red herrings.] Though I was a bit unsure of the quality of the experience in the first five minutes or so of gameplay, that feeling quickly dissipated. There were plenty of little surprises along the way and things that made me smile. I’d absolutely recommend this game to anyone looking to scratch a puzzle itch or try something new from the comfort of their couch. (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 Unlocked: Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #Unlocked #EscapeRoom #The ReturnoftheMagician #Magician #Magic #Houdini #Mystery #Fantasy #Illusion #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of QUEST ROOM Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Project Minotaur 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 22, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Thriller, Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 100 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $399.99 (2-4 ppl), $499.99 (5 ppl), $599.99 (6 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes (71:37) 📖 THE STORY While on holiday in the past with your friends in Greece, you all learn of the myth of the Labyrinth. A maze of sorts in ancient Greek lore where heroes would be sent as punishment for their actions. Those heroes can get out but only as long as the infamous Minotaur (half man half bull) didn’t capture them and consume their very body sending them to the embracing grasp of Hades himself. The guide goes and readies some rock climbing gear and this is when you have the best chance of disappearing from his sight to check out everything yourself. You and your friends decided to take an adventure on your own to a restricted military base. Now you might just have to suffer the consequences of going off course... Video above is property of QUEST ROOM 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The size and scale of this room is massive and well designed. This labyrinth that you have to search through gives an eerie atmosphere as well as the claustrophobic feeling that one might encounter while traversing the maze of the Minotaur. Every puzzle, every encounter lead to a progression in the story and some of which make even the most strong willed of players tremble. Without spoiling any of the effects the best advice to give is to “be brave”. The use of actor(s) in this room adds to the immersion that you and your friends will face. It is no surprise that a minotaur chases you throughout this experience but there might be other people to meet that help and/or hinder you. Either way all people involved felt like they were acting their part properly and were fully immersed in their character. The entire experience was just long enough. A little more than an hour and a half to escape from this labyrinth created a story that was digestible while still engaging and terrifying. There is running, crawling, puzzle solving, and much more that the group needs to do to escape. It all balances out and gives a satisfying completion. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK After much thought, comments are not needed in this section. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The first thing to explain is that when playing “Project Minotaur” expect it to be more of an immersive room than any other escape room you have played. While there are still plenty of puzzles to solve, there are elements in this game not found in other rooms I have played. The biggest factor is that there are action scenes and interactive scenes. Without going into much detail, the game is split between the two and that is what makes this game so great. Living out your own thriller in a controlled environment. Another topic that needs to be discussed is the price tag for this game. It is not a cheap game. In fact it is the most expensive game I have played and I think most players will find it hard to shell out $100 for an hour and a half long experience. One could play 2 or 3 other games at that price point and still have money left over. Coming to the conclusion of why a person should play this game, I think you need to ask yourself one question. Does the idea of this game excite me? If your answer is no, it is perfectly valid and you can have a great time at other Quest Room (or other venues) games. If the answer is somewhere in the middle of “I think I would like this” to “I NEED to play this game”. I would recommend anyone and everyone in this category to play it. There is no other experience like this and the quality put into the room makes players understand that this isn’t just a standard escape room. Thirdly, as one might guess, this is a physical room. Included in the ticket is a jumpsuit and knee pads provided to help A) get your team into character and B) provide cushioning from running and crawling that you will do. They keep the game accessible to all who are able and fit the criteria. One does not need to be a marathon runner to play this game. “Project Minotaur” is an escape room mixed with immersive theater and adds tension and action to the experience. The room is both big and small at the same time. What I mean by that is due to the fact that the theme revolves around a labyrinth, hallways and corners take up a lot of the floor plan making the space feel more constricted, but there is always a chance that you make the wrong turn and get captured by the minotaur. The adrenaline of checking each corner as you progress as well as solving each puzzle mixes almost perfectly into an experience you won’t soon forget! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking (limited), Lobby area with lockers, refreshments in lobby, Jumpsuits and knee pads provided, Live Actor(s). Photos above are property of QUEST ROOM (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 QUEST ROOM for comping our ticket for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MikeSchnurr #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Horror #QuestRoom #LosAngeles #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of QUEST ROOM Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Red Giant 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 22, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 2-4 Hrs. 💰 PRICE: $35.00 - $54.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes (51:31) 📖 THE STORY Standing at the steps in admiration of the “Pink Pyramid” you and your team of explorers have made your way to this grand structure. There is a ruby gem hidden deep within the caves of the pyramid, called the Red Giant. Can the party successfully obtain this hidden treasure before air runs out, leaving them trapped forever in the tomb where so many have ventured (and failed) before? Video above is property of QUEST ROOM 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE From the start of the game, with your hardhats and headlights, explorers will venture deep into the underground. Make your way through ruins, encounter sarcophagus, dodge traps, and solve the puzzles to obtain the location of the Red Giant. There is plenty to do and explore but we never felt overwhelmed and each scenic element and puzzle clue led us deeper into the search. The use of the lighting and scenery adds to the atmosphere of the game and allows some puzzles to be quite unique in their solves. What would take a couple minutes in pure light is now made harder with the lack of it. Ancient traps are truly a threat in this game, QUEST ROOM was able to make portions of this room come directly out of an Indiana Jones film and any fan of the adventure genre will appreciate the care and effort that went into the game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK After consideration there are no portions of this game that would hinder ones experience playing it. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Have you ever wanted to live out the life of Indiana Jones? Lara Croft? Nathan Drake? "Red Giant" perfectly emulates the puzzles and actions of your favorite adventurers in just a quick sixty minutes. The progression through the game tells a story more through its atmosphere than puzzles. As you progress deeper and deeper into the tomb more and more traps await, you run into explorers who try to accomplish what you are doing, encounter an ancient mummy and deal with snakes (“why did it have to be snakes?”). All of this culminates into the most original final puzzle that I have seen in a game. Without spoiling anything you get to break the number one rule of escape rooms, and it is quite satisfying. Red Giant is pure adventure through and through, the rooms are big enough to create a grand scope while when the game wants you to feel claustrophobic, they get truly small. Play this game if you ever feel like living out your own adventuring dream. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking (limited), Lobby area with lockers, refreshments in lobby. Photos above are property of QUEST ROOM (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"!) #MikeSchnurr #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Adventure #QuestRoom #LosAngeles #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of The Escape Revolution Photos above are property of The Escape Revolution 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Escobar 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 23, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Crime 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 80 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $46.00 - $59.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [69:42] 📖 THE STORY In the mid 90s you are working under the head of Pablo Escobar, a famous cartel leader. Being a mid-level sicario in the cartel, it comes as quite a shock that your colleague has snitched and betrayed Escobar. He has him killed but the colleague was the only one who knew where backup money and fake passports are. In order to escape the country of Columbia now that Pablo’s location has been compromised, he has threatened you and your family. If you don’t find the items to get him out, you all will be eliminated. Can you find everything in time before the DEA arrives, either way you look at it, seems to be a very sticky situation. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The use of multiple floors added a fun dimension during the game, this was used a lot during the beginning and as you continued through the room and workspaces revealed themselves in mass. Puzzles were thought out and most contributed to the story. If you have ever wanted to act like a drug dealer (like you see in the movies) the actions you take in the game truly makes the team believe they are living that role. There was also a good mix of physical and mental puzzles to solve, each with their own satisfying solution. A lot of the items used in the game were unique and gave an extra wrinkle when looking for the solution. Each item made sense in how it was used but one would have to think a little harder about what would be the most useful item. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Very basic outside knowledge of Spanish is required. They are words that almost everyone might know but if one is unfamiliar with the language, the puzzle might not be solvable without a hint. With their being so much to do in this game, our game master provided unsolicited hints throughout the entire experience. There is no penalty for hints in this game but there is something to be said about figuring out a puzzle with only your team. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Escobar" is a very well designed game, with the set design transporting your team to the mid 90s, the multiple rooms to explore, and the actions of running your own coke distribution cartel provides an experience that wraps up in eighty minutes. There were portions of the game that stumped us and that was due to some poor guidance but those portions were few. This is a game that has you searching all over the room for solutions to the puzzles, creating a more active room. If you are interested, know that there is a lot to do in the allotted time and working quickly and efficiently there is no reason that a fun time is not to be had by all. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking (call to be let in), Charging station in secure lockers, complimentary drinks, one team member must be able to climb a flight of stairs. Photos above are property of The Escape Revolution (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"!) #MikeSchnurr #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Crime #TheEscapeRevolution #LosAngeles #California #USA