Search this site

Photos provided by Beyond Breakout Company: Beyond Breakout Game: Adventures In Puzzle Land Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Fantasy Date Played: 9/20/2020 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 4/10 Size of Team: Up to 6 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: £23 pp (2ppl), £21 pp (3ppl), £19 pp (4ppl), £17 pp (5ppl), £15 pp (6ppl) "Adventures in Puzzle Land" was an "Alice in Wonderland" inspired escape room. Our goal was to venture into this mysterious land and retrieve the crown from the Red Queen before she can screech "OFF WITH OUR HEADS"! The game was played over Zoom by controlling Lorna & Jo as avatars. There was also an inventory portal for items that were collected along the way or needed a closer look. Lorna was in control of the camera and Jo was in charge of any lock Lorna couldn't open and sending/removing items to/from the portal. The camera felt a bit shaky for us throughout the game but other than that they did a great job as a team. Lorna acted on instinct on what players would do in a room rather than us telling every single action and Jo managed the inventory system on a timely manner. Most of the puzzles and room décor felt Gen 1 but they really stuck to the theme. We actually quite enjoy these types (if done well) over high tech ones that merely asks you to place certain objects on a location to open a door. There was one puzzle we thought it could have used a bit more clarity on the number input order. We really liked all the colorful walls and paintings in all the rooms. We were also quite surprised by how large this escape room was. One thing that Beyond Breakout did really well was incorporation of physical puzzles without us having to watch the avatar do it on the spot. Once we gave the correct method of solving the puzzle, there was a prerecorded video showing us how the puzzle could have been done if it were to be played in person. This saved a lot time and boredom of us having to watch the avatar do that physical puzzle. Beyond Breakout just opened prior to COVID and had to shut down right away. They have a huge space where they'll be building lot more rooms in the future (potentially a Christmas themed one!). If you still can't visit them at their physical location yet, consider giving their remote games a try! Can you find your way out of puzzle land? *** 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 Beyond Breakout for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #BeyondBreakout #AdventuresInPuzzleLand #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #ESCAPETHEROOMers #fantasy #aliceinwonderland #mystery #fun #alice #wonderland #redhat #redqueen

LOCATION: London, England, United Kingdom Photo + Video property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Hypersomnia 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 13, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi, Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £25/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You keep experiencing a strange symbol in your dreams lately. It keeps appearing at different places. One night, a card was left for you with this symbol on it and all it said was Second Floor, Regents Studios, 8 Andrews Road, London, E8 4QN. Of course, curiosity got the best of you and you’re now here to investigate what’s going on inside. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The storyline was cleverly incorporated into the location of the escape room, so we felt the suspense right when the email confirmation was received. Not too many red herrings in the room. Great change of “scenery” as story progressed, especially a certain use of a centerpiece. Unique hint system that went well with the genre. Props were authentic. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The game master could've been a bit more whimsical as we do see he’s going towards the route of the parallel universe but could perhaps play more into the character by using that storyline. It would be great if the volume could be adjusted to be louder on a certain device as with many people in the group, it was hard to hear for some people. There was a delay in the reaction of a game piece in the later room and one puzzle did not react even though we completed it. If more parallel universe related “scenes”, puzzles or props could be added, it would make the storyline more distinguishable. It would be great if a more “wow” effect ending could be added. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room felt pretty linear to us. Most of the time we were solving the puzzles together as a group. Therefore, our recommended size for play is 3-4 people. There wasn’t much searching involved. If you like Sci-fi themed, deductive reasoning, and an intriguing storyline, this is the room for you. *** We regret to inform this company has closed its doors *** Disclosure: We thank Modern Fables for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #modernfables #hypersomnia #london #england #unitedkingdom #uk

LOCATION: London, England, United Kingdom Videos/ Photos property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: 2 Tickets 2 Ride 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 13, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Action, Thriller, Crime 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £35/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY A mad man is set to destroy London with a runaway train. He has left many puzzles for you to solve. Will you be able to stop his evil plan in 60 minutes with just the two of you? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Great concept developed from the local historic stories. Puzzles were fun and had a good amount of variations. Good use of the small spaces. Interesting way of “transforming” a new space. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some props felt like it needed updating. The last puzzle was broken by a previous group, so we didn’t get to see the full effect on the ending and was puzzled by how we got out. The flow was a bit off in the latter part of the room as we had discovered something too early and had to be told by the game master to not go through it because it’s a “trap”. Clue system could have been better executed as it felt too blunt at times with the hints given. The headset did feel a bit cumbersome during the game play. Perhaps another way for communicating with headquarters could be implemented? 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room felt pretty linear to us. It was the first time we saw something that we could solve but was stopped by the game master and told not to follow the order and do another puzzle first. People with good memory and observation would advance quickly in this room. If you are good at mathematics that would also help although you will always have your game master to assist you if that’s not your cup of tea. This could be a fun date room for two people. (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Clue Adventures for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #clueadventures #2tickets2ride #london #england #unitedkingdom #uk

Videos & Photos provided by Aim Escape Company: Aim Escape Game: Patient Zero 2150 Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Sci-Fi Date Played: 1/12/2021 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 5.5/10 Size of Team: Up to 5 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: £60.00 (1-4 ppl)/ £100.00 (5-8 ppl) 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 Rouge scientists have taken a deadly pathogen out of the laboratory and anyone that gets exposed will turn into zombies! You have 60 minutes to contain the bio-threat, secure the facility and escape uninfected. Will you be able to save the human race? 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 We played the online version of this game with a live avatar. We were also provided with an inventory list through Telescape. This was a pretty massive room if you're ever lucky enough to try the in person version. The set design really made us feel like we're in an air tight laboratory. Although this is not a "search and find" heavy room, there were items that we had to "spot". The photos of in Telescape can only Zoom in to an extent so certain puzzle elements were still hard to see on the photos. We would suggest swapping some of those photos for a better angle. This was a tech heavy room with some amazing effects that caught us by surprise. 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 You'll encounter a good amount of puzzles in there with various levels of difficulties. One puzzle in particular was very hard to complete remotely since if you mess up the sequence you'll have to repeat the entire process again. A few puzzles also heavily involved color so that could be an issue for players with vision deficiencies. It would be great if these puzzles could be translated to Telescape where players are able to interact with the puzzles on their own to complete the task. We did like the puzzle assortments and the fact that all of the puzzles stuck to the theme of the room. You felt like you're a scientist working in a highly classified laboratory. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Whenever we see a room with great set design and effects online, we would always feel so sad about not being able to play it in person. Patient Zero 2015 felt like that type of room. The "zombie scare" that we would've felt couldn't really be translate it through online. However, AIM Escape did a great job at salvaging what they could to translate their beautiful laboratory for us to online so we're able to enjoy this at the comfort of our homes. 𝔼𝕊ℂ𝔸ℙ𝔼𝕋ℍ𝔼ℝ𝕆𝕆𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕤❜ ℙ.𝕀.𝕤❜ 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 Jillian R. Aim Escape’s Patient Zero 2150 is a fun engage avatar run escape room that provides a variety of puzzles to keep you occupied. The setup is that you are assisting your colleagues stuck inside the lab that has accidentally released a horrible virus – it is up to you to help them stop the spread and get free from the facility. For positives, I enjoyed the details in the game from the specks of blood on the lock codes to the bloody rat in the cage. It helped build immersion. I liked having the extra photos of the rooms to be able to inspect closely, which was key for items you later find and need to solve. I felt the puzzles had a nice variety from voice command, the colour coding, to numerical but they didn’t make it super obvious even when they used some more traditional codes (ie. The number pad). The answers were often in place you didn’t expect and, for me, this added some thrill as we directed the avatar to look around. I also found the avatar was well situated as someone who could provide occasional prompt but never overstepped her bounds. When she provided nudges they were well situated in our time and never belt like they were out of the blue – they worked well with her character. For areas of improvement, some puzzles require players to provide specific commands to input codes and it was sometimes miscommunicated as the avatar attempted to follow what we were saying. This can mean precious time is lost in the game. I can think of two puzzles that could benefit for a way to may it clearer. That said, this criticism doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the game – just I noted there was this miscommunication a few times. We still were able to solve the game under the hour thanks to our Avatar. ______________________________________________________________ Krista J. Pros: The set design was fantastic in this game, really making you feel like the avatar was right there in the creepy laboratory! They also had some extra effects to help heighten the tension at one point, which was a nice touch. We enjoyed a lot of the puzzles and appreciated the discoveries that some of them were slightly more complex than they initially seemed. For the most part, the puzzles fit well with the theme and centered a lot on biosecurity, with a fair number of keypads but no padlocks. On the tech side, things worked smoothly, both with Telescape and with the video/audio from the avatar and the environment, which can make or break an avatar game!. Cons: AIM Escape is just venturing into remote offerings, and their avatar will benefit from a bit more experience. While everything in Telescape worked well, there are some things that could be added to heighten the experience (e.g., 360 degree images with improved lighting, interactive components). The setting was very immersive and they did well building the tension of the scenario, but the story was a bit unclear at times, as were a few of the puzzles for us. While it was not an issue for our group, this game would be more challenging for colorblind individuals. Who should play? We would consider this game family-friendly for older kids that will not be disturbed by the zombie pandemic theme or a bit of fake blood and a dead body. If you will be in London, this would definitely be a fantastic room to play in person! We also had a lot of fun playing remotely, and think this would be a good room for those who love immersive sets, some fun puzzles, and want to save the world! (If only we could solve the real pandemic with a few puzzles...) *** 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 experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank AIM Escape for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ESCAPETHEROOmers #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #AIMEscape #PatientZero2150 #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Thriller #SciFi #Biochemical #Armageddon

Photos provided by Wiseminds Escape Rooms Company: Wiseminds Escape Rooms Game: Operation Web Worm Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Hacker Date Played: 1/21/2021 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 6.5/10 Size of Team: Unlimited (6-8 Players Suggested; Ages 11+) Time: 60 Minutes Price: £10/ pp 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 Mikeal Blolomhurst, a master in technology, created a virus called Web Worm. This could destroy the entire world's economy if we let it leak onto the world wide web. One of our agents has infiltrated his apartment but he only has 60 minutes before Mikeal returns. Will you be able to help him stop this culprit? 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 You will be guided through this mission by a live avatar. The avatar will mostly just act out your commands and will not respond to you vocally. There were two occasions where he did read the notes he found in the room. You'll only be able to see his hands throughout the game play. This actually created a sense of "secret agent" vibe. The entire game space was focused on a corner of a room. Most of the clues and props were situated on or near a desk. If you've done YouEscape before, it's very similar to that concept but with a bit more exploration space and prop usage. There was no inventory portal used for this game. We've suggested to the owner that it would be beneficial to add one as there were items that required reading and closer looks. At times we did experience some blurriness caused by the internet connection so having those clear images will definitely help. The game master was really great at explaining the game rules and telling the backstory. We liked that she informed us a key or code will only be used once. This bought back memories of playing a real escape room. You can ask for unlimited hints but each hint will reduce 3 minutes from your total escape time. Here comes a bonus tip from us: although a key/code is to be used only once but an item may be used more than once! 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 There were a lot of fun puzzles in this game, Since there's not much room to explore, the game was heavily dependent on puzzles. Some were quite easy to spot where as others needed some team collaboration. Since the puzzles were non-linear (you might find things way earlier that you won't be able to use until later on in the game), it would be great to have an inventory system to accompany the game. This way the team can divide and conquer and compile clues just like in a real escape room. For the time being, we used our phones and took still shots of certain clues (which we deleted right away after the game) and still had a great time and a smooth game flow. 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Since the owner of the company came from an educational background, we definitely felt a good amount of academics type of puzzles in this game. There were a good mixture of logic, spatial, color, and Math puzzles. The final surprise with a "personal touch" was a lovely way to conclude the game. We ended up completing the game with 22 minutes and 41 seconds left without using any clues. Go team! 𝔼𝕊ℂ𝔸ℙ𝔼𝕋ℍ𝔼ℝ𝕆𝕆𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕤❜ ℙ.𝕀.𝕤❜ 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 Jen M. Having looked at the Wiseminds website, I went in expecting an overtly educational game with lots of math exercises (they are London based, so "maths" exercises—that 's' gets lost somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic). Instead, what I got instead was a classic escape room experience. The gameplay style of Operation Webworm is that quintessential series of locked boxes with various clues you must identify and translate to give you each padlock combination. The game has enough elements to explore without feeling overwhelmed. The puzzles are satisfying, consistent, and at the right degree of difficulty for easy online solving. Everything is thought through and made with care. (I had a minor issue hearing the one audio puzzle, but ask anyone who plays with me, I'm rubbish at audio clues.) All of the puzzles are contained in one corner of an office or apartment (desk, bulletin board, and coat rack), with an anonymous silent gloved avatar interacting with the physical elements on your behalf. For me, this virtual escape room triggered a bit of nostalgia for archetypal escape rooms I've played. Experienced escape room junkies might crave a more immersive story line or more polished production level, but Operation Webworm is ideal for anyone looking for an introduction to the escape room genre. *** We regret to inform this company has closed its doors *** Disclosure: We thank Wiseminds 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. #ESCAPETHEROOmers #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #WisemindsEscapeRooms #OperationWebWorm #RemoteEscapeRoom #Scifi #Hacker #Technology #Thriller #Virus

Video/ Photos provided by Agent November Company: Agent November Game: Mind Heist Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Action, Espionage Date Played: 6/14/2021 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 6/10 Size of Team: Up to 10 players Time: 60 Minutes Price: £14/pp, £11/pp for NHS workers, Children under 12/£12 🆃🅷🅴 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈 If you've played Virtual X-caper before, this is the prequel. The criminal mastermind Marty Orri is in need to get his hands on an important artifact that's vital to his "Project Pandora". Currently, a rouge agent, Dee Seet has this object secured in a box at his home. You have 60 minutes before Marty will get there. Can you convince Dee to choose the right side? 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅿🅻🅰🆈 Agent November always surprises us with their novelty and creativity and this time was no different. In most of our remote escape room experiences, we would meet our avatar over Zoom and they would basically listen to our commands and do what we say. In "Mind Heist", we were LITERALLY in the rogue agent's mind. Rather than just following orders, we had to think of ways to gain his trust. Our agent Dee (a.k.a. Nathan) did a fantastic job portraying the character. He was quick with his comebacks and witty with the hilarious puns. Throughout the game play, we had to make various moral choices that led us down different pathways. We enjoyed having the options of inputting our own anonymous votes and anxiously waiting for the final results (majority rules). Once the votes are in, Dee will then follow that path and the puzzles and storyline will completely change from that point onwards. Since this game could potentially have 6 various outcomes, it's completely replayable. You'll receive a code at the end of the game to use for rebooking so you can inform the next agent ahead of time that you'll like to play the other sets of the puzzles. 🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆉🆉🅻🅴🆂 Being that the game was staged in just a small room, we weren't sure how it was going to fulfill an entire hour for a group of enthusiasts, but we were so wrong. There were a ton of unexpected surprises that we're able to discover. As enthusiasts that played hundreds of games by now, we usually can predict how certain puzzles should be solved. What I love about the puzzle design for this game was that none of the puzzles were what we have anticipated. The props used were so simple but the creator was able to utilize them in ways that we haven't seen used before. The only thing we would love to see some improvement on is if certain puzzle images could be clearer on camera (perhaps by sending us images through an online inventory). While solving the puzzles, we're also able to discover information and facts about the characters. This allowed us to piece together the storyline and ultimately make our decisions. We've done this for tabletop experiences before but it's rare to see an online game be able to implement this concept in merely 60 minutes. Our group eventually decided to follow the righteous path and successfully return the artifact to the authorities. If you want to be more challenged with the puzzles, give the dark side a try! 🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 Agent November did a great job with creating this virtual world that sucked us out of our reality right away when the game started. We were convinced that we're inside Dee's head from beginning to end. This game was such an amazing experience due to the following factors: entertaining GM, intriguing storyline, amusing puzzles and unique ways to engage player participation. If you're not satisfied with their online experiences and you so happen to be in the UK then you're in luck! They also provide actor-led, real world, outdoor missions as a part of this "Project Pandora" universe. Definitely check out their missions Robyn Yew, Major X Ploe-Shun and real world indoor mission Murder Mr. E. 𝔼𝕊ℂ𝔸ℙ𝔼𝕋ℍ𝔼ℝ𝕆𝕆𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℙ𝕒𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕟❜𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 Helen B. This experience starts with a briefing website with a video and some documents. It's worth reading these as there's a lot to take in. The videos at the bottom of the page are password protected, you will be able to use these later in the game so you can see the details more clearly. We met our host who went through everything again before we started. The concept of what you need to do takes a bit of getting used to at the start, as there are a lot of characters, storyline and instructions, and there were a few pauses while our host set things up. The basic premise is that you are dropped into the "mind" of a museum's ex head-of-security who has a vital piece of an artefact that you must locate. A small bit of scene-setting plays out before you take control of this new chap (who seems familiar!) and then he's yours to look around the room, interact with objects and so on. The room is clearly the host's flat, and some items are covered with cloths to hide them away. This felt a little awkward, if there was an option to have a full room dedicated to the game I think it would be an improvement. There are plenty of items to be explored. The camerawork was a little shaky at times but the host very receptive to looking at what you want and describing them. Some objects seem to have no function but will come into play later on. We even found a bonus achievement (from another game we believe lol!). The avatar is very witty, and chatty, and you will get the most out of this game if you stoke the character's ego and play along with the storyline as much as possible. The puns and gags throughout made us chuckle. One in particular as the only Brit in the group made me laugh, and had to explain to the others afterwards. There is some very clever use of video - watching them via the camera on his computer wasn't optimal but you can rewatch them on your own screen once you have the password. This is vital as one in particular contains a lot of clues. I think it would be an improvement if when a video needs to be watched, you are just given the password and all watch it yourselves, it would save time. There are also some very clever uses of objects in the room so don't be afraid to explore every item, and even if not useful now it may be later. The puzzles are great, and nicely difficult, and if you're struggling the host will give you a some help. Some polls that you can interact with had just been added to the game - this didn't really add anything hugely to the game and I think it was a bit much for the host to handle, so maybe simple is better! Despite being a little rough around the edges, and a bit stilted at times, this game is so charming and so clever, that I highly recommend it as I had a lot of fun playing. The host was such a lovely chap - and it was one of the hottest days of the year so far when we played and he did a sterling job considering he had to do costume changes and operate everything himself. We chatted afterwards and he is a really lovely guy. Treat yourselves to some crime-fighting, puzzle-solving, immersive fun with Agent November - I definitely have their physical rooms on my list to go do when I can! Melvin L. I heard many rave reviews regarding Agent November's first game - Virtual Xcaper, but sadly, I did not get the chance to play. When I heard their second game, Mind Heist, is out, I jumped at the opportunity to experience it. Mind Heist was held over zoom, where you control a game master in searching for clues. I like how they make it into a story (which I won't spoil), like why would a group of people be controlling someone's actions virtually. It makes everything part of a whole story and it was immersive. Besides Zoom itself, there is a website that contains videos and information, some that requires passwords, which you have to solve from the game master remotely before keying it in to get more clues. Every part of the experience was part of the story - from the point you start, till the point you end. It was hilarious hearing/watching our game master act in character as we told him what to do. The puzzles in this were excellent. This is by far the best use of a remote escape room. There were puzzles which I have never seen before and fits perfectly in a remote setting. For future players out there, just a tip, don't think of it as a game, just try asking the game master to do what you think he needs to, it is that unreal :D. There are a lot, and I mean really a lot, of puzzles in this game. You may have seen in movies that some characters lock their door with 3 different locks - this is exactly what you will see here. When you think that only one locked box is left, you are so wrong. That locked box itself can consist of 3 different puzzles! Just note that you might be confused as not all locks will be opened. We heard from the game master that this room is 'replayable' in a way, as you will need to make decisions throughout the game and each decision will result in a different path. I love that the whole story is tied in with Virtual Xcaper and it seems like there is more story to tell! Highly recommended game if you like humour from a great host, also highly recommended for players who like puzzles! This game makes me want to gather a group to play Virtual Xcaper now! (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 Agent November for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ESCAPETHEROOMers #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #AgentNovember #MindHeist #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Superhero #EvilGenius #remoteplay #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

LOCATION: London, United Kingdom Photo above is property of Escape in Time! 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Secret Studio London 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 2, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Haunting 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 ppl (Ages 14+) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £33/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY In an unassuming corner of London, you’ve discovered a vintage B-movie studio whose productions have been plagued with problems. Is it cursed? Or haunted? Or just stuck in 1979? Now the photographer has disappeared, and you’ve got to investigate the studio’s darkest secrets. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE There are many secrets, including the studio’s exact location. Armed with a set of specific instructions and a secret phrase (sent after booking), the intrigue and adventure begins before even entering the building. The minimal street presence and low-key entrance is cleverly integrated into the plot and sets the perfect tone for what lies ahead. The "Secret Studio London’s" premise is original and cleverly executed. The 1970’s slasher movie production company is brought to life with cool retro movie posters and authentic objects, like a functioning rotary dial phone and a film projector. There are discoveries to be made and twists and turns as you progress through the game. Of course, I don’t want to divulge any secrets... but one use of appropriate technology came as a fun surprise. The room’s unexpected elements will delight players, and may get their adrenaline up. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was one area of the room we were told not to touch. Rather than awkwardly instructing players at the start of the game, the room could have been structured so those items could be seen but not directly accessed, e.g., by putting them on the other side of a window, for a smoother experience. Because the theme and props were so true to the 1970’s time period, the one on-screen puzzle stuck out. This anachronistic puzzle also frustrated us because it was difficult to accomplish with only two players. Once we fully understood what needed to be done, it took many repetitions to accomplish. We literally needed an extra hand. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Although a few of the puzzles didn’t seem entirely logical or may have benefited from better in-room clueing, the game is a ton of fun. And after playing, it was also fun to reflect on the ingenuity that went into the design of the experience. "Secret Studio London" is great for active players who are up for an adventure. There are creepy elements, but it’s not an over-the-top horror-themed room. We might have shrieked along the way (well, one of us did!), but we left laughing. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO The location is near the "Aldgate East" Underground station. Photo 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"!) #JenMcPhilimy #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Mystery #Haunting #EscapeInTime #SecretStudioLondon #London #UnitedKingdom

LOCATION: London, England, United Kingdom Photo above is property of Mission: Breakout! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Underground 2099 📅 DATE PLAYED: May 2, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £28/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY In the year 2027, the world was destroyed by a nuclear war. You are amongst the few humans that survived. The radiation has transformed the rats and now they are plotting something evil. It is now the year 2099 and you have only one chance to go into the depth of the London Underground to bring down the King Rat to protect what is left of this city. Video above is property of Mission: Breakout! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This unique storyline was a perfect fit for this unusual escape room location. The creator was brilliant at utilizing various spaces for hidden objects, secret passages, and more. The way we were "transported" to the location was quite an enjoyable ride. We were pretty amazed at how real it felt. The idea of a futuristic weapon that actually worked and was utilized in a puzzle really brought this game to another level. Although there were a couple of good jump scares, I actually quite enjoyed the humor aspect of the game more. It's not often to experience horror and laughter at the same time but you'll be able to encounter both in this game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was one part at the beginning where the placement of the players felt awkward due to the space in the room. The GM later explained that it was due to the tech programming. We weren't sure if that could be revised in the future. The way we had to power up a tool wasn't really explained during the game. Perhaps some sort of illustration would help. Due to the location of a certain prop, it was quite difficult for a short person to complete a particular puzzle. We suggest placing a stepping stool or some kind of booster in this part of the room. This particular puzzle also required teamwork and it was difficult to hear the other player. Perhaps a communication device just for this particular part? 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is a must-play for players that love Sci-fi with a little spice of horror. The puzzles weren't your typical escape room puzzles but more like tasks that will push you through an adventure. Once you arrive at the location, you would have already felt like you've been transported to a different world. After playing hundreds of escape rooms, this is still one of my favorite escape room locations to be in. How many of you can say you've played an escape room in an abandoned subway station before? Don't keep the Rat King waiting! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Located in the basement (one flight down) Lockers available Waiting area with seats available If you are looking for a scary version of this room, sign up for "Fright Night" - every Friday from 7PM onwards (ages 18+). If you have a large group, they'll be able to accommodate 18 people playing in 3 different escape rooms at the same time. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our interview with the creators to understand more on the development side of these 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 Mission: Breakout for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #MissionBreakout #SciFi #London #UnitedKingdom

LOCATION: London, United Kingdom Photo above is property of AIM Escape Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Hangover Deja Brew 📅 DATE PLAYED: May 2, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 4/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl (Ages 14+) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £45/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You've been hired by the bride's parents to dig up dirt on the chap that their daughter Emily is about to marry. There's only an hour left before the wedding bells are tolled. What will you find out and would it be enough to stop the wedding? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This was a fun theme. Certain parts of the room made it feel like we are on a reality TV show. There are definitely moments when we are surprised by the "change of scenery". A twist in the storyline is always a plus. Although there are no live actors, AIM Escape did a great job of replacing that with videos throughout the game. That really added to the humor aspect of the experience. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK We had to skip one of the puzzles in this room as it was quite impossible (at least for us) to solve. It could have been a fun puzzle if the solution could be altered so that it could accept a wider range of answers. Some props needed maintenance. One of them was really difficult to see and we needed that particular clue in order to solve the puzzle. This game had a lot of color puzzles. This could be an issue for people with color blindness. The various lighting also made it difficult to determine the colors. There were several times we were unsure if something opened or not. Adding either a trigger sound or light would definitely help. We were unsure how the last puzzle correlated with the final answer input. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? If you are planning a bachelorette or bachelor party, this can be a fun idea. This room can easily accommodate a large group. You'll definitely feel a progression of the storyline being incorporated into the set design from the first room to the last. The puzzles are non-linear so everyone could work on something at the same time. From an enthusiast's perspective, the puzzles need better reasoning and flow. But if you're just looking for entertainment with a little "kinky humor", you might want to check yourself into this party. Photos above are property of AIM Escape ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No street parking Located in a residential complex Lobby area with seating Lockers available Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** (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 AIM Escape 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 #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #AIMEscape #Mystery #London #UnitedKingdom

LOCATION: London, United Kingdom Photo above is the property of No Escape Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Haunted Toy Store 📅 DATE PLAYED: May 2, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £38/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY There is an abandoned toy store in town and nobody has been brave enough to explore inside. There have been reports of strange noises and children going missing. You are the town's only hope to find the truth behind this creepy toy store... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The GM got into character right away and "creeped" us out before we even enter the room. He did a great job with a few jump scares afterward as well. The props and decor definitely had an abandoned look. It is something you would probably see on a horror movie set. The puzzles revolved around the "completion" of finding certain objects to reveal the evil within the room. The timing of these jump-scare moments was spot on. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The clues given by the GM could be more clear. At times we felt like we had to solve another puzzle. There were too many color puzzles in the room with a mixture of clues that could correlate with each other. One of the puzzle pieces was hidden in something that we didn't know could actually open. An additional clue felt needed to find such a prop. Some props needed updating. More clues were needed as to why we had to use a certain prop in order to find the digits to open something. The visual clue doesn't justify the solution. The latter part of the set design didn't fit into the theme of the room. We also didn't really understand the story and why the place was haunted in the first place. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room was a basic Gen 1 room with little tech involved. The puzzles might be obvious for beginner puzzlers who would use "simplification" to solve everything. For enthusiasts who tend to overthink things, this room lacked a storyline and puzzle flow. This could be a room you would use to warm up before you head over to their truly amazing horror experience -"The Gates of Hell"! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No street parking. Taxis might not be able to turn into that street as it's a walking street so you might be dropped off at the corner. Small lobby with seating and locker for storage. 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 No Escape 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 #NoEscape #Horror #UnitedKingdom

LOCATION: London, United Kingdom Photo above is property of No Escape Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Gates of Hell 📅 DATE PLAYED: May 2, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £38/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY The demons are trying to get out of the "Gates of Hell" to destroy Earth. You only have one hour to banish the evil, seal the gate and save humanity. Are you brave enough to handle this task? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This is the first escape room we were more impressed by the intro than the ending. "The Gates of Hell" was obviously the centerpiece of the room and with the help of the mechanics and lighting, it came to life. We literally had to take a few steps back because we feared that something was going to come out of it. The statutes, transcripts, and ritual necessities really enhanced the authenticity of the storyline and immersed us in chaos. Some tasks we faced brought out our worst fears. You might even have to make a decision that will test your merit. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK We wish the finale was as impactful as the intro but overall still gratifying. There was a physical puzzle that felt out of place within the storyline and set design of the room. It was also quite difficult to operate. A particular task could have a more impactful "scare" if it was done in a different way. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The set design and special effects used in this room felt like a high-budgeted movie set. We really enjoyed performing the necessary rituals in order to activate certain parts of the room. The immersion took us out of the real world and this is the main reason why we love escape rooms so much. For people who might email us on the scare level, all we can say is that there are no live actors. But if fear is the only thing that's stopping you from entering "The Gates of Hell", then have a drink at Purgatory Bar upstairs before you make your way down to meet your fate... Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Lockers available Located inside the beautiful Purgatory Bar. Escape rooms are located in the basement. You'll have to go down one flight of stairs. 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 No Escape 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 #NoEscape #Horror #UnitedKingdom

LOCATION: London, England, United Kingdom Photo above is property of Escape Plan Ltd Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Battle for Britain 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 14, 2019 🎬 GENRE: War, History 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-7 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £12.71-34.50/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY This escape room is based on the Luftwaffe attack on Britain back on August 18th, 1940. We are the only survivors of the first wave of the bombing and we must strategize how to mobilize our full force of RAF to save London and successful bomb the enemies. We have an hour before they will attack again! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE All the puzzles were unique in this room. They were all relevant to the storyline and very entertaining to solve. The entire room was not linear so our group each had our glory moment to be proud of for solving a different puzzle. The great thing was that we still had a chance to come together for the end. The “centerpiece” of the room was an impressive design. The urgency was felt as game progressed, much like the story line. Great mixture of combo locks and tech (only used at places that made sense). Unusual way of “winning” the game. Props used were all related to the timeline of the story. Love the flow and the “flow tracking device”. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The hint system could be a bit off due the various number of puzzles being solved by different players at the same time. The game master’s camera may not be able to clearly see the status of all the puzzle solving at one time. Maybe create a laser pointer that can be controlled from the control room to point to the puzzle that’s being hinted on. If only a bit more of a “wow” element could be added to the ending, this would have had a perfect finish! 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is a great game to demonstrate that a room does not have to have an insane amount of tech or crazy movie set like set designs in order to be an awesome escape room. We felt immersed in the storyline and puzzles that none of the “fancy” additions mattered. If you love a challenge with tons of puzzles and want to test how you can work alone and/or with a team, you’ll truly enjoy this room. 🔎 HINT Do not rush to “finish”. Make sure you double check everything before you decide to launch. Additional Info Up one flight of stairs Street parking but best by public transportation Small lobby with few seats Cafe downstairs 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 Escape Plan Ltd. 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 #EscapePlan #War #History #London #UnitedKingdom

Videos/ Photos provided by Emergency Exit Escape Games Company: Emergency Exit Escape Games Game: Exorcist Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Horror Date Played: 6/10/2020 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 7.5/10 Size of Team: Up to 6 Connections Time: 60 Minutes Price: £60.00 We booked a remote tour of the Crowley Manor (I'm kind of glad it was a remote experience as there were definitely jumpy moments). The tour guide informed us about the danger of staying in the manor for more than an hour. There were many strange happenings and disappearances. Since we're not physically there, we were happy to sent the tour guide and his camera crew in to do the exploration for us (JK! We totally cared about their safety...). The tour guide did a great job showing us around with some intriguing back stories. We enjoyed his moments of being scared and his sarcastic humor. We definitely sensed something "evil" that was lurking in on us throughout the hour. The puzzles were really enjoyable, especially the ones with video integrations. There was a lot to do. As 4 experienced players, we had about only a few minutes left at the end. This game was also the second remote game we've experienced that utilized two people as avatars (the tour guide and the camera man). They definitely had it down in terms of the whole production. The camera man was great at capturing the different angles to show up close ups on items and locks. We felt like we were on set filming a reality show. The footage was surprising stable for the entire time. There was no inventory list for this game but we felt like there was no need for it. We actually enjoyed it more since we didn't have to worry about missing any action on the main screen. The cliffhanger at the end was well played. Now we can't wait for the next chapter! *** Call to book remote game. This game can also be played in-person. (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 Emergency Exit Escape Games for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ESCAPETHEROOmers #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #EmergencyExitEscapeGames #Exorcist #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Horror #Exorcism #QuijaBoard #Seance

Photos provided by Emergency Exit Escape Games Company: Emergency Exit Escape Games Game: The Beast Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Horror Date Played: 10/3/2020 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 7.5/10 Size of Team: Up to 6 Connections Time: 90 Minutes Price: £100.00 After barely getting ourselves out alive from "Exorcist" at Crowley Manor, we decided to go back for a second time. This time we wanted to see if we could escape from "The Beast". Why you ask? Because we are the bravest ghost hunter crew known to ourselves and we have a "reliable" leader Ronnie and his sidekick Liam to lead the way. This adventure was played on Zoom with two avatars. After an intro video, the experience started right away. Like last time, Ronnie led us into a creepy house (regretting his decision right after he entered) and gave us an overview. We really enjoyed the way he portrayed his character as he's not just showing us the room but giving us a history and knowledge on the things we see. You'll also pick up subtle hints on puzzles from his stories without realizing that he's giving them to you. This was also why we felt an inventory portal wasn't really necessary in this game as he'll give you close up shots on the clues needed along with a back story that leads to the next chapter. The set design was quite spooky. I would be scary if I was playing there in person. The rooms were quite dark so you'll definitely need to ask Ronnie to search thoroughly and rely on the camera man's light to be able to visualize better. We really enjoyed this setup as it illustrated the eeriness of the room but also made us feel like we're on a ghostbuster reality TV show. The puzzles and story line were closely tied together to make us feel like the rituals, sacrifices, and demons were all real. If felt like if we mistakenly released something or did not save something in time, we would be doomed forever. I don't know how Ronnie was able to add humor into all of this but there were definitely moments of laughter during the game. If you ask me which room was scarier, my answer would be: "Exorcist made me scream three times and The Beast only got me once." Regardless both games were very memorable to us and on the top of the list for our remote escape room category. Additionally, we heard a secret that they're in the works for something special and we can't wait to find out what it's going to be! *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** (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 Emergency Exit Escape Games for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ESCAPETHEROOmers #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #EmergencyExitEscapeGames #TheBeast #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Horror #Exorcism #QuijaBoard #Seance #TheExorcist

LOCATION: Glasgow, United Kingdom Photo above is property of eeek! Escape Rooms Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Ghost of Mary Queen of Scots 📅 DATE PLAYED: May 10, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Eerie, Supernatural 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl (Ages 14+) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: £50-108 (pending on the group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Mary Queen of Scots lived a miserable life. She saw the murder of her best friend David Rizzio with her own eyes and died at the hands of her cousin Queen Elizabeth I. Now the Sandyford castle is haunted by her ghost and you've been sent here as a spiritual medium to seek the truth behind these paranormal activities. Will you come out alive? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We appreciated the amount of research that had gone into this room in order to keep the historical facts on Mary Queen of Scots. The creator was really good at finding the spots for the jump scares (although Brandon was lucky enough to dodge one but his luck soon ran out...). Since all the props were handmade by the owner, we were impressed by how he was able to create some of these very hidden spots. We enjoyed them a lot more than regular padlocks or keys. The puzzles were really well crafted and incorporated the history and reasoning behind all the clues. What a shocking ending! I can't say more than that as you need to experience it yourself. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK If I were to nitpick on this room, the only thing we would suggest is to replace one of the props. Currently, it looks like it's broken and doesn't fit into the timeline of the story. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This game did a great job of giving us a build-up sensation. When we first went in, the puzzles were quite easy and we thought the room was going to be minimalistic in terms of special effects. We were definitely wrong! As the game progressed, we felt the existence of the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots getting angrier as we got closer to the truth. We were thrilled to be able to find this hidden gem on our very first Glasgow tour and can't wait to return to check out their other rooms! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Street Parking is available, please check the rules Lobby area with seating Merchandise available for purchase Located on the top floor (3 flight of stairs) 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 eeek! Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #eeekescaperooms #eerie #supernatural #Glasgow #UnitedKingdom