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LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan Photo above is property of Real Escape Game by SCRAP Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: "Escape from the Never-Ending Locks and Keys" 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 30 Mins. 💰 PRICE:  ¥2,400/ pp, ¥12,600/ Group (Weekdays); ¥2,,700/ pp, ¥14,400/ Group (Weekend) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your friends are locked in a strange room with some items and figures. As you glance at the room, you find locks, locks, and more locks! Everywhere! Everything is locked! You have 30 minutes to open all the locks in the room with the right keys and escape from this locked room! Are you ready for the challenge? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE I enjoyed this game a lot. Every time we found a key and opened a box, we were all excited. There were so many to open! How exciting to open the locks to find out what came next! Although the theme reminded me of “Lock Opener” by Tumbleweed, the way Scrap presented the game was unique and original to SCRAP. Unlike other SCRAP games, which have more paper-based puzzles, I loved that there were more physical puzzles in this game. Those were not overly complicated. It had a good mix of fun physical puzzles and scavenger hunts. The flow of the game was great. Like other games by SCRAP, the puzzles got trickier and more challenging as we moved on. The sense of accomplishment became more toward the end. I loved the last riddle. It was memorable. Although the staff there didn’t speak English, they were welcoming. They played an introductory video for us in English. I loved that the material was simple and easy to follow. If you cannot finish the game in time, you can decide to continue and extend the time for 10 minutes (although you pay extra afterward). 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I cannot think of anything. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Escape from the Never-Ending Locks and Keys" was an exciting game with many locks and keys in a room. The game had a good mixture of various physical puzzles and scavenger hunts. The puzzles required insights but were not overly complicated. This game is perfect for all, including a family with kids and enthusiasts who love opening locks. As you play this game, you may find how addictive opening locks can be. I say with 100% confidence that this is the game you must try when you visit Tokyo! Photos above are property of Real Escape Game by SCRAP ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No parking available Located near "Shimokitazawa" Station. How to get to Shimokitazawa: From Shinjuku: Take the Odakyu Line. 7-9min from Shinjuku Odakyu Station to Shimokitazawa From Shibuya: Take the Inogashira Line. 3-6min from Shibuya Inogashira Station to Shimokitazawa Shimokitazawa has many shops and restaurants. It is a great place to hang out. The current Shimokitazawa SCRAP will be closed after the 8th of January 2024. Check information on where this game is held via the Real Escape Game website. Photo above is property of Real Escape Game by ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our visit to Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) and our exclusive interview with the manager to understand more on the development side of the game: Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Real Escape Games by SCRAP for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ChikakoOmura #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #RealEscapeGamebySCRAP #Japan #Mystery

LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan Photo above is property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: "Escape from The Prison" 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 30, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Prison Break 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1-2 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 10 Mins. 💰 PRICE:  ¥1,000/ pp, ¥2,000 (2 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes We finally arrived in Tokyo, Japan to check out some of their escape rooms and at the top of our list is “Real Escape Game” created by SCRAP.  “REG” has multiple locations in addition to Japan - US, Spain, France, Canada, and Singapore.  We were lucky enough to sit down w/ the manager to learn more about “REG”.  The very first room that we decided to try was “Escape from the Prison” at their Tokyo Mystery Circus Higashi-Shinjuku location which lets you experience the entire game in 10 minutes.  Although it was only 10 minutes, we immediately felt immersed with a sense of urgency.  Since it’s a prison you are competing w/ other cell-mates at the same time to see who escapes their cell first.  For English-speaking customers, they offer instructions and hints in print.  The facility has about 3-4 floors of escape rooms and the staff is extremely polite and accommodating.  We had two people in our cell and were the first ones to escape!  The next room we are reserved for is “Escape from the Toilet of Despair”. Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, interview with the owners/ managers, the room(s) (no puzzle spoilers) and more: Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Tokyo Mystery Circus 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 #TokyoMysteryCircus #SCRAP #PrisonBreak #Japan

LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan Photo above is property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: "Escape from The Runaway Train" 📅 DATE PLAYED: June 19, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1-4 ppl (Ages 15+) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 50 Mins. 💰 PRICE:  See below ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You are invited to the private viewing of the newly built 9-car long train “Mystery Express” to celebrate its future launch. Because this train is designed by a famous puzzle maker who is also known for his obsession with the number 9, everyone calls it the “9 Train.” As you board Car No. 9, the alarm goes off and the train starts to take off. You can see from the window that the train gets faster and faster. If you cannot stop this train, the train will crash into the terminal station within 50 mins! The only way to stop the train is to pull the emergency break in Car No. 1, but you must solve all the puzzles that the puzzle maker hid on the train to get there. Can you solve all the puzzles, stop the train, and save yourself before it crashes? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE I like the concept of the “9 Rooms” created by SCRAP in which the game takes place in nine consecutive small rooms. When you solve puzzles and find the answers in the room, you continue on to the next room. You repeat it and keep moving from one room to another until you reach the last room and there is no going back. Each room is small, and each has a sub-theme. The “9 Train” is the second game of the “9 Rooms” series. Unlike the first "9 Rooms"; which did not have much of a story (though the first one is still fun to play!), I love that the second one has a strong narrative. This particular story and theme perfectly fit the system of “9 Rooms” because its structure is just like a train. You do not need to play the first one to enjoy the second one. If you play the first “9 Rooms,” you may also enjoy the contrast between the two. The set design and storyline was fantastic! I felt like I was on a moving train. Each compartment of the train had a different sub-theme and vibe, yet each one of those still related to the luxurious train theme. Even though there were nine rooms to go through, I never got bored with the decor since each compartment looked unique. Every time we entered a new section, I was excited to find out what was coming next. Since the puzzles fit nicely in each unique sub-themed room, I encountered different types of puzzles in the game. I loved that there was a variety in each game and that the difficulty varied for each as well. I believe everyone in your team has a chance to contribute somehow while playing this game. It was so thrilling to have challenging puzzles in the end, plus we only had 10 mins. to solve them (and we had to pay an extra fee to continue if we failed). It created an exciting climactic moment. I am not a big fan of solving puzzles under such pressure, but I enjoyed it because it pushed us to our limits as if the train was about to crash. The pressure was helpful to be immersed in the situation. Because of that, we got the highest excitement when we stopped the train. Even if you fail to escape the first time, you can still have a chance to try the last room again by purchasing a Retry ticket. In this game, the game master was with us only at the beginning for the intro. After that, we used a tablet to track our time and to receive hints in which the staff kindly explained how to do so. The tablet can show the average time to complete each room. But if you like a challenge, you can try to finish faster than the average time. I like that several emergency exits are available during the game. If players are no longer able to continue playing for any reason, they can use it to exit the game at any time. I appreciate that they are concerned about safety. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK In this game, teams start at a certain time interval. If the team ahead of you is stuck in their room, then you have to wait until they finish. When this traffic started to happen to our team, I felt it stopped the flow of the game. But we used it to our advantage to discuss the strategy for the final room which helped us a lot. If you have time to wait, use it wisely. (The time you spend waiting is not counted toward your total time.) Once you finish solving puzzles in the room, you follow the instructions to place back the items used to solve the puzzles so that the next team could start right away. In this format, there is a possibility of creating confusion or a spoiler if the team ahead of your team misplaced something in which we had one minor issue with. You may have to pay an extra fee to continue if you run out of time before the 8th or at the last room which is the hardest of the nine rooms. The final room has only 10 mins (or even less if your team cannot get there within 40 mins.) and there are no hint available in this room. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? “Escape from the Runaway Train” also known as the “9 Train” is one of the most exhilarating escape rooms created by SCRAP. I love the set design, story, and the wide variety of fun puzzles that players at any level can enjoy. I believe that everyone on your team has a chance to shine in this game. The "9 Train" is one of the most popular games at Tokyo Mystery Circus located near sightseeing spots like Shibuya or Harajuku. So, I strongly recommend that you stop by and get onboard the runaway train to go on another exciting journey when you visit Tokyo. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No parking available Near "JR Shinjuki Station" and "Seibu Shinjuku Station" Located on the 5th floor of Tokyo Mystery Circus (elevator available) Disability: please check the "game limitations" section on the website There is no place to store any luggage during the game. Do not bring large bags with you. There is a cloakroom on the first floor of TMC (500yen~). There are luggage lockers at nearby stations Photos above are property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) Check out our visit to Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) and our exclusive interview with the manager to understand more on the development side of the game: Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) #ChikakoOmura #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #TokyoMysteryCircus #SCRAP #Japan #Adventure

LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan Photo above is property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: "The Magical Cauldron: The Culinary Academy's Final Exam" 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Magic 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 6 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE:  ¥3,500/ pp, ¥19,200/ Group (Weekdays); ¥3,800/ pp, ¥21,00/ Group (Weekend) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You are students of the Culinary Academy of Magic, and today is the big day for the final exam! You must pass this final test to graduate. For the final test, you must demonstrate cooking several dishes of the magical realm by using the magical cauldron and your wand. But, on your way to your exam, you accidentally step onto the mysterious flower, "Forget-Me-Do." The pollen of the flower causes you to forget the most significant memories at the time, what you have studied for your exam! The only hope you have is what you have written in your notebook. Can you create all the magical dishes in 60 minutes and graduate from this school? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The visual effect of the projection mapping was stunning! When we used the big pot that showed the images, we joyfully said, “Wow!” We were all excited. Especially for the story of the magical world, the visuals by the technology greatly enhanced the immersive feeling. I felt like I was using magic for real! The puzzles were all incorporated into the story well. In the beginning, the puzzles were more about collecting information from the notebook each of us had. Those were puzzles by communication. The puzzles became challenging and tricky toward the end, like any other games by Scrap. The flow of the game was excellent. There was a part where we played a mini-game with projection mapping. It was fun to play the mini-game in between puzzle sections. People who have never played escape games or don’t like puzzles can also have fun participating in the game. I felt the feeling of some privacy while playing the game because black curtains divided each table in the game room, The staff was friendly and helpful. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK When we played, the sensor of the projection mapping system did not recognize our answers several times. The staff was not always around. So, it was hard to figure out if we were not solving puzzles correctly or due to an issue with the system. There were a lot of instructive texts to read for how to play, and the room was too dim to read the tiny letters, especially the letters with light blue color. It would have been nicer if there was a tutorial step or video instead of text. It was stressful for us to type answers on the tablet because the keyboard layout was not standard. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Even though we had some issues with the sensor several times during the game, we had a great time playing this game together. I met half of our team members for the first time on the spot, but I felt a bond with the team after playing this game. I believe the real escape game is about bringing people together. “The Magical Cauldron: The Culinary Academy’s Final Exam” was an excellent immersive game that brought us together as a team with fantastic visuals of projection mapping, fun puzzles, and an engaging story! This game is perfect for everyone from a beginner to an enthusiast. If you are in Tokyo, why don’t you visit Tokyo Mystery Circus to take this magical final exam to cook some yummy magical foods? Photos above are property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No parking available Near "JR Shinjuki Station" and "Seibu Shinjuku Station" Located on the 4th floor of Tokyo Mystery Circus (elevator available) Disability: please check the "game limitations" section on the website There is no place to store any luggage during the game. Do not bring large bags with you. There is a cloakroom on the first floor of TMC (500yen~). There are luggage lockers at nearby stations Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our visit to Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) and our exclusive interview with the manager to understand more on the development side of the game: Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Tokyo Mystery Circus by SCRAP for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #ChikakoOmura #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #TokyoMysteryCircus #SCRAP #Japan #Magic

LOCATION: Hakata, Japan Photo above is property of Escape Games Fukuoka Date Played: October 1, 2021 Genre: Comedy Difficulty (Based on 1 PPL): 8/10 Total # of Players: 2-6 PPL (Recommended 4 PPL) Length of Time: 60 Minutes Price: ¥7,000-¥15,000/PP (pending on group size) Booking Type: Private Escaped? Yes 📖 THE STORY Have you ever been terribly drunk? Have you ever had too much to drink and lost your memory? This was the day after a fun party. You wake up and it's almost time to catch your plane for your trip. But you have lost your room key. Oh, my God. On top of that, you're a DIY expert and your house is protected by a homemade security system, just in case a thief comes. That security system will get in your way. Yes, all you need is a key. But you got drunk and lost your key. You'll have to somehow find the key in the messy room after the party and get out of here before you miss your flight! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The set design for this room is exactly like the day after a crazy house party with messy clothing all over the place, empty pizza boxes and beer cans. But don't worry, the items are very sanitary. The atmosphere was quite different and interesting. Some of the puzzles are difficult to solve which is great for enthusiasts. The game master is always checking up on us and is very helpful when we needed a hand. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The room may seem small. If there are five of you, you may find it hard to move around. Some sensors are very sensitive, so if they don't respond when you clearly solved a puzzle, verify with the GM. Because of the setting of the story, the room is cluttered and some items are difficult to find. There are times when you need to use your intuition with various puzzles. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Hangover" is an escape room based on the theme of escape from a situation that you might actually be in in real life. You don't have to die, you're not being hunted by a serial killer. If you fail, you will just miss your flight. Yes, it's a comedic type of escape room. Of course, it would be a disaster for him if he actually miss the plane. This game is suitable for people who love to have some fun in a "disastrously" situation! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO The entrance to the building is hard to find, so call the company if you have trouble. There isn't any parking available in the area but it's a 5-minute walk from "Chiyo Kenchoguchi Subway Station". There are some flashing/strobe/dim lights. Not for the faint hearted. There's a lobby area with seating. There's a flight of stairs w/o an elevator (not handicap accessible). Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but if you'd like more information on the room, feel free to email us. (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"!) #DaisukeYamakata #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Comedy #Mystery #EscapeGamesFukuoka #Japan #Hakata #TheHangover

LOCATION: Venice, Italy Videos/ Photos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Date Played:  July 27, 2019 Price: $17-$33/pp (pending on the amt of ppl) Length of Time: 60 Minutes Total # of Players: Up To 6PPL Difficulty Level: 8.5/10 Public/Private: Private Escaped? Yes Hint: Hook it up!!! Here we are in Venice, my favorite city in Italy! Although we are only here for a few hours, we had to check out the only escape room in Venice (close to the port area) – “Escape Venice”! Transportation in Venice is quite tricky. We discovered the People Mover (a train with 3 stops) was quite easy to use to get us from the cruise port to the main hub. We strongly suggest you store your luggage at one of the storage units at the Piazzale Roma station and walk everywhere. There’s a lot of bridges with stairs and pebble stone walkways. Water taxis are quite expensive and if not necessary, walking is the best option in the port area. It was quite convenient to use the bus from the central bus station to the airport afterwards. We’ll have a tutorial of this in our travel vlog of Venice soon. As we walked about 15 minutes or so in the meandering roads of Venice (we used Google maps), it would be a bit difficult to find if you didn’t have pre-printed directions. We stopped pretty much every few steps as the views of the canals, small boutique cafes, and magnificent structures can be seen from every corner of our eyes. As you approach on to the right street it’s on (which turns into a dead end), turn right and you’ll reach an ancient door (you CAN'T miss it). The room that we are trying - “The Merchant of Venice” is inspired by Shakespeare’s comedy. We loved how the game started and how we were immediately absorbed into the storyline. As we stood in Shylock’s studio in the times of Serenissima Republic, we had to get to work to find the hidden treasure right away. Given how much space they had to work with, I think they did a great job utilizing all that they can. The props and set design felt authentic from the actual time frame. I must say, I have never seen so many puzzle locks in my life! If you love puzzles and love to open locks, this room is your sweet spot! The clarity of clues to the actual puzzle was great and easy to follow. It’s not all linear so groups can work on different puzzles at the same time but there will be a point it does become quite linear. We had a minor issue with one mechanism in the room, but I think it also had to do with us being not locals and knowing their culture. They definitely added a few puzzles that had their local flavor and history to it. The owner did give us a few minutes extra to finish the room as we did spend some time at the beginning with filming and this room is pretty challenging with just two people. Our recommended size would be 4 people due to the room size and the number of puzzles especially if you are not experienced players. This room definitely gave my brain a workout as I slept like a baby on the plane ride back to NY feeling quite satisfied. It was a great way to finish our Europe tour. As we dived into the escape room owner’s history, we now understand where a lot of these ideas of the puzzles comes from. One of the owners is the President and the other is on the executive board of the Escape Room ASD which is a Chess, Checkers and Go club. Members of this club will get a 5-euro discount when playing this game. Currently they are working on something that might take the escape hunt outside of the escape rooms. We can’t wait to see what they create and next time we will definitely stay longer in Venice and take up the challenge! (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 Venice 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 #escapevenice #themerchantofvenice #venice #italy #europe #shakespeare

LOCATION: Rome, Italy Videos/ Photos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Date Played:  July 19, 2019 Price: $22-25/pp (pending on the amt of ppl) Length of Time: 60+ Minutes Total # of Players: Up To 10PPL Difficulty Level: 7/10 Public/Private: Private Escaped? Yes Hint: Some dots are just part of the wood design and not actual puzzle... Video above has been provided by ESCAPETHEROOMers Here we are, at our first stop in Rome, Italy. I’m ecstatic yet terrified of what lies ahead. We had just gotten off an 8-hour flight and because there was a delay, we literally had to drop off our luggage and run to our first escape room location. Not sure if my mind is prepared for this? We took the Rome metro and in about 30 minutes or so, we got off the “Monti Tiburtini” stop. It’s about a 5-minute walk from there. Make sure you are aware that “The Ring: Samara | Origins” is located at the "Via Del Casale Fainelle, 69" location as they have another location as well. As we walked down a meandering road that looks like a dead end, we found a way to turn left and kept walking a little bit more until we got to a place that looked like an old warehouse from the outside. I literally went in and came back out and told Brandon “There’s no one here, let’s go”. Before I can finish my sentence, one of the owners popped their head out and said, “are you looking for an escape room?” Looks like there was no escape for me and in we went. The lobby area had a few places for you to sit but the décor literally felt like you were in a creepy old garage with antique items that all had a long history.  My heart at this point was pounding really fast as I can hear the loud sound effects coming from the room already. Before we entered, we had to sign our lives away on this waiver written in Italian and we had no idea what it meant but hey, what better way to “sacrifice” yourself than to be with Samara forever? Without further ado, we were debriefed on the storyline. As we returned from a party with our friends, we got distracted and lost control of our car. The car skidded and hit a fence in front of an old abandoned country house. There’s also a storm coming our way so unfortunately we had to seek shelter. With that said our journey began…The set design of this room is insane. If I didn’t know any better, I would think I’m in a movie or a real scenario where I was about to become the next victim of some horror scene. With no spoilers, I can only say I’ve never “entered” an escape room this way. It was definitely a heart pounding experience each step of the way. The lighting, the sound, even the smell was full of “creepiness”. We really appreciated the escape room finding us an English-speaking “Samara” and she was great throughout the game with her hints and her scares at the same time. I must say, there were times I literally had to “beg” for her to give us a few minutes of “ceasefire” so we can think through and actually solve a puzzle. With that said, this escape room is not based on how quickly you can solve the puzzles, it mostly focuses on giving you that “movie-like” experience. The puzzles were not hard at all and there aren’t many of them. You will not be able to escape quickly even if you can solve them promptly as the process is timed on when something should happen. When you are in the room, you will not feel the time at all. All you really care about is... where is Samara? What will happen next? The props used were very real in this room, so real that I don’t know why I wore my nice flats. They were pretty destroyed by the end. We recommend wearing attire that you wouldn’t care to get dirty with. At the end, we got out with two people with no idea on the time. All we know is that we freed Samara, or rather we freed ourselves from Samara! Either way, I was super happy about conquering this fear as “The Ring” was the movie that gave me nightmares for about a one month straight (Post game note: I did not fall asleep until 5AM that day). We had the privilege to tour “The Exorcists” room with the owner after this game. They currently have a Part 1 and Part 2 at this location. I can’t even imagine what would happen if I had to go through those rooms. It’s HUGE in there with so many intricate designs and surprises. And there I was, so proud of completing “The Ring”. I don’t think I’ll be able to go through with this next level horror. If you are looking for a once in a lifetime experience to be in a horror movie and to feel what those victims felt, you have found the right place! This is truly an escape room you will need to escape from! (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 Room Roma 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 #escaperoomroma #thering #samara #origins #roma #rome #italy #europe

LOCATION: Rome, Italy Photo above has been provided by Lucifer Escape Room Date Played:  July 19, 2019 Price: $22/pp Length of Time: 60 Minutes Total # of Players: 4-10 PPL Difficulty Level: 6/10 Public/Private: Private Escaped? Yes Hint: Combine shapes to see the light... As we left “The Ring” and “Samara”, we were quite proud of ourselves as we headed to our next escape room destination. This one was a bit of a trip as we had to take the train and then transfer for a bus for what it felt like an even more rural area. As we got off the bus, we were just one minute away from the location. You can’t miss it as it looks like a huge castle just appears from out of nowhere. There’s an entrance that will lead you to the back where you’ll see a restaurant on the right side. This is where you turn left and there will be a small black door that lead down a small set of stairs. Don’t be afraid... knock. This has to be the coolest lobby we’ve ever seen. You don’t even need any décor as you’re pretty much inside of a castle. Lucifer Escape Room is in the basement of this castle that formally was used for wine production by the locals. When we took a tour after the game with the owners, the original wine “storage” units and production mechanisms were still intact at some places. I thought I was ready for anything after the previous experience, but I was not expecting this. Once again, my heart beat involuntarily started to speed up. “The New Nightmare”, which is currently their only room at this location, is the largest in Rome (at over 1800+ sq. ft). Normally the minimum to book this space would be four people but it’s just the two of us once again on this journey to the unknown. By the way (just so you know), the less people that you have, the more intense your experience will be as you’ll likely get an “individual treatment” and it’s much scarier than if you are with someone. We were eager to get into the room as the more you wait there, the more antsy it gets. Also, we were playing this room around 9pm at night so the walk back home later was not quite pleasant as I kept thinking that we were being followed. The storyline is that we were being sent into a psychiatric ward as undercover agents and we needed to hypnotize ourselves and go into a different world to save someone. This room not only has actors, but also made us become actors as well. We’ve never had to interact with actors in order to successfully solve a puzzle, so this is was a brand-new experience for us. The set design was beautifully done. The sound, light, and electronics were executed at the exact right time to create the intensity of the “scare” and the storyline. There was a time where I literally froze and could not take the next step forward. The fear of the unknown is implemented really well and the actors were all great. Depending on the day, you may even have the owners playing different characters, but you never know who you’ll get as they all switch up and play different roles each time. This is not a puzzle-based room and we wish that they can add in a bit more puzzles for escape room enthusiasts as we felt a little empty without the sound of an un-clicking lock. By this time, we kind of sensed Rome’s escape room culture as it’s quite different from the US side. They are not puzzle heavy, noncompetitive (a lot of the rooms would give more than 60 minutes just so the players can have a full experience), most are horror related themes with actors and crazy movie-like set designs. This is a “must experience” if you are ever in Rome even if you are a puzzle-based enthusiast as you will not get this experience anywhere else. If a scaredy-cat like me can do it, you will have nothing to worry about (the actors do not touch you). You will not regret it! Or will you…. muhahah… (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 Lucifer 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. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #luciferescaperoom #thenewnightmare #freddykrueger #elmstreet #roma #rome #italy #europe

Video/Photos provided by BreakOut Escape Room Milano Company: BreakOut Escape Room Milano Game: The Haunted Hotel Country: Italy 🇮🇹 Language: English, Italian Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Horror, Mystery Date Played: 5/14/2020 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 7/10 Size of Team: 4-7 players Time: 60 Minutes Price: €60-€85 When we visited Italy, we noticed that they love horror themed escape rooms. Most of the rooms had live actors in them and the set designs were very immersive. If anyone saw our Youtube video of "The Ring: Samara Origin" , you'll know why I'm hesitant to try these horror type rooms. But "zoom" has given me the courage since I'm protected behind this computer screen! So we gathered a strong team of horror lovers and marched into "The Haunted Hotel". As we enter the hotel lobby, we were greeted by a hotel staff. He was definitely a character. We felt "welcomed" right away. The set design felt eerie but well decorated. This is the perfect type of game that I would try remotely but not sure if i'll be brave enough to do in person. You'll definitely get a few "nice" jump scares. The game was not puzzle heavy but they were all inline with the story. During the game, at times we felt the flow was too slow due to the search aspect and because we're not there, it was hard to spot some items without the avatar leading us to it. It would be great if the avatar could also have some "auto play" where he could act as our searching guide. We ultimately escaped with just about 2 minutes left but normally with the equal amount of puzzles else where we should've had plenty of time on the clock. It would've been great if we could have a bit less acting time and stronger puzzles. This game definitely have potential and for people who love immersive theater, you'll have a blast here and probably don't really care to escape? *** 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 BreakOut Escape Room Milano 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 #BreakOutEscapeRoomMilano #TheHauntedHotel #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #jumpscare #immersive #ghost #scary

LOCATION: Milan, Italy Photo above is property of Mad Machines Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Date Played: October 15, 2023 Genre: Sci-Fi Difficulty (Based on 3 PPL): 7/10 Total # of Players: 2-6 PPL Length of Time: 60 Minutes Price: €30-45/PP Booking Type: Private Escaped? Yes (49 Min) 📖 THE STORY Your team will enter the latest creation of Dr. Mad, his time machine! Before the game begins you will choose one of several time periods to visit. You could be a Pharaoh, a hippie, a knight, or an empress … the choice is yours! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Stepping into the reception area is a creative experience on its own, the appearance is bright, retro, and totally in keeping with the company’s theming. There is no one there to greet you, only a computer to guide you with instructions. Once everyone is settled and signed in you are allowed to progress to the briefing room where the robot Arturo awaits to provide further instructions. Arturo was another highlight for us, and the true game hasn’t even begun yet! Mad Machines have definitely created one of the most interesting and unique methods of outlying the rules and mission to their guests. Not only is Arturo captivating, but he also provides your team with a warm up challenge before you enter the game for real. I really don’t want to give too much away when it comes to the visuals and the plot line of the game. Suffice to say what we experienced was of the highest quality. The game is beautifully constructed with so much attention to detail. Teams will traverse different landscapes and make use of a large playing area. We loved how thematic the decorations were and also how engaging they proved to be. The puzzles were all a delight to play. They were varied and had us moving, collaborating, and working together as a team. There really was a lot of things to get through and it wasn’t all easy! What works well with great scenery and dynamic puzzles? A coherent and ever-present story. The story telling in this room is what sets it apart from other companies and has made it a fan favourite. Everything works together to make the story stay at the forefront of what you are doing and keeping you engaged throughout. Photos! How easy it is, or should be, for escape room companies to provide teams with fun photo opportunities so they can not only remember, but also promote their experience online, but for the most part we are left disappointed… but not here! Taking our photo at the end in our 70’s getup was another highlight. To see our GM enter the room with a whole heap of props and costumes for us to dress up in was the icing on the cake! 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I am not sure there is anything here to change. The game received a perfect score from us. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is a must play for anyone who enjoys being in their own adventure. Good puzzles, immersive set design, and engaging storytelling. "Time Machine" rightly features on TERPECA’s top escape room list. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Public transportation (bus and subway) are a short walk away Lobby are with seating available Lockers available Toiles accessible before and after game Photos above are property of Mad Machines (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 Mad Machines for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #MadMachine #SciFi #Milano #Italy

LOCATION: Milan, Italy Photo above is property of Mad Machines Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Date Played: October 13, 2023 Genre: Adventure Difficulty (Based on 3 PPL): 6/10 Total # of Players: 2-6 PPL Length of Time: 60 Minutes Price: €30-45/PP Booking Type: Private Escaped? Yes (49 Min) 📖 THE STORY You have already been here. We've all been here, but none of us remember it. Today, thanks to his extraordinary invention, Dr. Mad gives you the opportunity to relive your birth. But will you be able to do it again? You only have 9 months to come into the world! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Stepping into the reception area is a creative experience on its own, the appearance is bright, retro, and totally in keeping with the company’s theming. There is no one there to greet you, only a computer to guide you with instructions. Once everyone is settled and signed in you are allowed to progress to the briefing room where the robot Arturo awaits to provide further instructions. Arturo was another highlight for us, and the true game hasn’t even begun yet! Mad Machines have definitely created one of the most interesting and unique methods of outlying the rules and mission to their guests. Not only is Arturo captivating, but he also provides your team with a warm up challenge before you enter the game for real. What was extra special was that we got a different challenge when playing "Birth Machine" than we did when we played "Time Machine". The visual aspects of this room are part of what made it so whimsical and so so unique! Starting the game in an old motel room might not sound like the most inspiring of beginnings, but even this room has special moments that will leave you laughing out loud. But it is beyond the motel room where things start to get wild and where I shall say no more. Let’s just say, you are unlikely to be able to imagine something like this very easily! Many of the puzzles are simple, and I know some more experienced enthusiasts felt a little too simple, but personally I think the simplicity allows you to focus on having fun and engaging with the wonderful world around you. We did have to ask for a couple of clues earlier on, when the puzzles were slightly more challenging, but again, the concept of this game was not to make a heavy puzzle room, but rather an abstract adventure. The story suggests what the theme for this room will be about, but I don’t think it can properly prepare you for what’s inside. Like "Time Machine", "Birth Machine" also keeps the story relevant and integrates it well with the experience as a whole. The design team actually thought about the after game photo, mounting a camera on the wall so you can pose and ‘role play’ your way into a fun photo memory. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I am not sure there is anything here to change. The game received a perfect score from us. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is a must play for anyone who doesn’t take themselves or escape rooms too seriously. You won’t be faced with the most advanced puzzles in the world, but you will be faced with a good time if you immerse yourself into the experience with some enthusiasm. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking Public transportation (Bus and subway) are a short walk away Lobby area with seating available Lockers available and toilets accessible before and after the game Photos above are property of Mad Machines (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 Mad Machines for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #MadMachine #SciFi #Milan #Italy

LOCATION: Milan, Italy Photo above is property of BreakOut Escape Room Milano Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Date Played: October 13, 2023 Genre: Adventure Difficulty (Based on 3 PPL): 4/10 Total # of Players: 2-6 PPL (Ages 6+) Length of Time: 60 Minutes Price: €80-100/Room Booking Type: Private Escaped? Yes (32 Min) 📖 THE STORY In this first episode, you and your team of archaeologists will have to infiltrate the Mexican tourist agency Yucatàn Tours, find a map, and steal a plane in order to reach the island of Bermeja. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The entrance/reception looks thematic and in keeping with the story. The area is filled with ropes and rustic crates amongst other props. Our GM also greats us in costume and character, describing what lies ahead before playing an audio introduction that outlines our mission. The room design is certainly immersive and looks the part. The rooms represent those of an exotic outdoor adventure tour booking office, which also includes a back office and maintenance room. The rooms are all filled with working props and authentic looking decorations that help create some immersion. The puzzles are simple and thematic. There are some fun and also unique tasks, coupled with more familiar puzzles that make this game accessible for all levels of player. The ending was perhaps the biggest highlight in the room. Jumping into the back of the plane as we take off in search of the island of Bermeja was exciting and eventful since it also carried some good special effects. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK For our tastes the puzzles were both too few and too light. We would have preferred more time consuming and varied puzzles and I would imagine that this is a common thought for most experienced players. Whilst the ending on the plane was thrilling, it was also very anti-climactic. As soon as the plan ‘lands’ the game is over, we exit and find ourselves back where it all started. We had expected more to happen, perhaps because we finished so quickly. The audio story component at the beginning seemed to go on too long and it was hard to concentrate on what was being said, since there was nothing visual to keep our attention. It would be good if they could create a little movie to watch instead. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room will likely appeal most to teams who are not so concerned about finding challenging puzzles or by teams newer to escape rooms. If you are not in a rush to play the first chapter I would suggest waiting until all the chapters are complete and then playing them all in one go; something we have been informed will be possible. This should then avoid the anti-climactic ending that we experienced. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking The location is far out of town and we struggled for a long time to find a taxi using phone apps. Plan ahead and pre-book a taxi would be my advice. Lobby area (no seating available) Lockers available and toilets accessible before and after the game 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"!) Disclosure: We thank BreakOut Escape Room Milano for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #BreakOutEscapeRoomsMilano #Adventure #Milan #Italy

Photos provided by Brain In A Cage Company: Brain In A Cage Game: Stranger Story Country: Italy 🇮🇹 Language: English, Italian Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Mystery Date Played: 7/6/2020 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 6/10 Size of Team: 2-6 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: €60 Up to 4 players (email to inquire about pricing for additional players) It was 1984 in the state of Indiana. There were strange occurrences happening in town ever since the government had established several Hawkins National Laboratories in some selected residential homes. One of them was our friend William's. He recently got sick and was sent to the hospital. We have an hour to investigate his house and figure out what HNL has been up to. The story was sent to us in an PDF attachment by email in the booking confirmation. Since currently they don't have a video intro, we suggest reading the PDF prior to the game to get an idea of the back story. At a first glance, you won't be able to detect any "peculiarity" to the room. It felt like a normal living room in a regular house. However, you should definitely expect a few surprises down the road (since I'm sure by now you should have figured out that this game was inspired by the show "Stranger Things"). It was nice to feel the progression of the difficulty of the puzzles starting from the easier ones to the more difficult ones later on. As we've played a bunch of Italian escape companies' games, we noticed their main focus was mostly on the theme and the story but not so much on the puzzles. This Italian company felt like they had a good balance between the two (which as puzzle lovers we really appreciated it). There was quite a bit of reading in the room which we thought not having an inventory portal made it harder. Currently the game master had to step in to help with "directing" us to the right information. This took away the feeling of us discovering the information on our own. Majority of the room didn't really need the inventory portal but it would've definitely make things easier by providing just the necessary clues that were needed to solve the puzzle (especially for a larger group). Our avatar (who's also part owner of the company), Stefano was very quick on his feet. We were able to escape with around 8 minutes left on the clock. Our favorite part was the ending. It was a nice "scenery" change and all the puzzles gave the finale a nice completion. After figuring out what was causing the strange occurrences in our friend William's house, we left with a satisfying smirk on our faces. *** This game can no longer be played as a remote game but you can still book it as an in-person experience. *** (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 Brain In A Cage 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 #BrainInACage #StrangerStory #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #SciFi #StrangerThings #Thriller #Mystery

Videos/ Photos provided by BRUUM Escape Company: BRUUM Escape Game: The Search for the Magical Artifact Country: Italy 🇮🇹 Language: English, Italian Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Mystery, Thriller Date Played: 6/3/2020 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 7/10 Size of Team: 1-4 Connections Time: 60 Minutes Price: €30,00 (Up to 2 Connections), 10€ (add'l) We've been hired by Mr. X to retrieve something very important to him in a mysterious caravan. We only have an hour before the fortune teller will return. We have to get out before he gets back or else we'll all be cursed forever! Our mission started with receiving a mysterious email from Mr. X. This was great as it felt like we were part of the mission before it even started. The intro video clearly told us what we had to do in the mission and we had some still shots of inside the caravan (the owner has informed us that he would be adding more pictures in the inventory list as there were items that was hard to see for us during the live stream). We were all surprised by what a magical caravan this was! It didn't look like anything special from the outside but as the door opened, we were overwhelmed by how much the owner was able to fit into this little space. There were many surprises to be discovered throughout our search. Although the caravan was well lit, we definitely felt a sense of "evil" emerging from the decor. It's been awhile since we've done a strong puzzle room. Even with our puzzle maker friends from Boxaroo , we only had a few minutes left on the clock to finish the mission (although we didn't use any clues!). Our avatar was also great at giving us the full experience with a great intro and ending performance. How many of you can say you've done an escape room in a caravan before? Well, this is your chance! *** Can be booked virtually only for team-building events and also can be played as an in-person game.*** (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 BRUUM 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 #BRUUMEscape #caravan #magic #TheSearchfortheMagicalArtifact #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Thriller #Mystery #puzzles #taboo

LOCATION: Dublin, Ireland Photo above is property of Escape Boats Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Date Played: May 11, 2023 Genre: Survival Difficulty (Based on 2 PPL): 6.5/10 Total # of Players: 2-6 PPL Length of Time: 60 Minutes Price: €80-150 (pending on amt of players) Booking Type: Private Escaped? Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your team are trapped on a boat that needs repair. Your luck just got worse as a big storm is also heading your way. You need to repair the boat and escape before it sinks to the bottom of the ocean! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Talk about immersion! How much more immersed can you get than this? This game is actually on a real boat! I'm sure some parts of the boat had to be restructured and the tech had to be installed to make certain puzzles work but most of the items we operated on felt like they genuinely belonged to this boat. A lot of times when I play a submarine game or a boat-themed game, I feel like I'm just following instructions and not really puzzling. In this game, I felt like I was solving puzzles in order to stay alive. Navigating the ship, sending Morse codes, and locating the issues on the boat were just some of the things we had to deal with as crew members. The creator was able to utilize all types of objects on the boat to create puzzles. The finale was a masterpiece. We kept saying "No way, there's no way...But maybe? No way, they wouldn't...." 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I love everything about this game. There was only a minor thing about a puzzle that I encountered later on where I wasn't sure if there was any reasoning behind it or if it was just a trial-and-error type of puzzle. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? How many of you can say you've played an escape room on a boat? I can! We've done escape rooms on cruises but this game is on another level. To this day, I still think back on our experience and the memories will last forever. The only regret I have is not able to play "Convicts" (we only had time to do a quick run-through). It was a very cool concept where we could actually play in a competitive mode and take on different paths. The puzzles were quite satisfying in that game as well. Can you believe "Convicts" is situated on the same boat but just in the rear area? There were even more hidden areas in that game for us to explore. This is by far one of our favorite escape rooms on our Ireland tour. If we ever return to Dublin, we will be glad to replay both of these games again! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO No street parking, take either taxi or DART to Grand Canal Dock station (it is a 5-minute walk from there). There's no "lobby". You can store your items in the cockpit You'll be wearing a helmet and will need to be able to climb up and down the stairs Please note that under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult and the game may be confusing for players under the age of 12. 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 Boats 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 #EscapeBoats #SOS #Survival #Dublin #Ireland