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LOCATION: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Niagara Escapement Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Easy Bake Coven 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 17, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Witchcraft 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Players): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-4 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $30.97/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY You seemed to be lost in the woods. Suddenly, a creepy old shack appeared in front of your eyes. At this point, anything is better than staying out here in the darkness. Or is it? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Usually, a twist happens in the middle of the story but in this game, it started right at the beginning. As we stood in the pitch-dark room, an echoing voice suddenly started capturing our attention. And then the game began... What seemed to be isolated images or props were utilized by the creators to enhance and build on the storyline. You’ll experience things that might happen only in a Brothers Grimm’s Fairy Tale, but the creators added their personal touch which made them unique(especially the puzzles). The ambiance and sound alerts the room enhanced that “witchery” vibe as we progressed on in the game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was one puzzle that we were confused about as the clue could be interpreted in various ways (then again, we always overthink things). The finale could have had a more “storytelling” type of finish by the same voice from the beginning to give the players a more conclusive ending. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room is ranked as the highest escape rate room out of all of their other rooms. There are fewer puzzles in this room but more tech and special effects. This room will be a great game for beginners to tap their feet into the escape room realm. If you love fairy tales and want to experience some unexpected “magic”, you’re at the right place. Once you’ve successfully escaped the Coven, perhaps try your luck surviving “The End of the World”? Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking on the side of the store Board Game Cafe on site Games For Sale in Lobby 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 Niagara Escapement 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 #NiagaraEscapement #Witchcraft #Horror #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Niagara Escapement Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The End of the World 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 17, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Apocalyptic 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Players): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $26.55/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY The world is literally going to end in 60 minutes. The only place that might be able to save your life is a hidden shelter that a local rich guy is building in his basement. Can you find the entrance in time? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Instead of going right into the bunker, we loved the fact that the story started off in the service elevator. This created a sense of secrecy and anticipation. We also appreciated the “warm-up” puzzles before the real challenges. The checklist in the room essentially acted as a clock but also gave us confirmation of the solution. As each green light lit up, we felt closer to the entrance to that bunker. The creator took the time to think about each room’s design. For instance, in the latter part of the game, you would not find any keys & locks. This is because we are trying to fix the mechanical parts and answer confirmations (as mentioned before) are given by green lights instead. There were a few multi-step puzzles that were unconventional yet created a really satisfying sensation when we solved them. As we advanced deeper into the facility, the challenges got progressively harder and this is because the game is preparing us for that finale. We definitely felt that adrenaline rush as the clock was winding down. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK This is a pretty solid game. We don’t have anything to say in this section. If we had to nitpick, maybe a little added special effect on the ending? 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? As enthusiasts, we really got the work cut out for us in this game. There were a ton of non-linear puzzles and all of them were quite enjoyable to solve. The flow was great, and we loved the twist in the ending. Some of the puzzles could be a little challenging for beginners so I would suggest starting with their “Easy Bake Coven” first. The owners of this company are enthusiasts themselves and this is clearly reflected in their game and puzzle design. If you’re in the Niagara Falls area, come play all of their games! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking on the side of the store Board Game Cafe on site Games For Sale in Lobby 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 Niagara Escapement 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 #NiagaraEscapement #Apocalyptic #Survival #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: North York, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Pathogen 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 18, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi, Historical 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $33.63/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY A strange signal has drawn your expedition team to the ocean floor after a large earthquake. Upon reaching the bottom you uncover a mysterious city aged and opulent. You decide to explore the city to unravel its mysteries but quickly learning getting into The Ark is only half the journey… Video above is property of Escape Games Canada 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE For any lovers of the game series Bioshock, you will immediately appreciate the 1930s art deco design of the room. I found the room felt thematic and really brought you into the world, down to the gramophone. The first two rooms do a phenomenal job in drawing in the puzzlers. They use tracking, observation, and procedures that build up the excitement. They are layered in a way that heightens the push towards the solution and each time gives a satisfying resolution. . The multiple ending opportunities players well into the set up of the game and cater to a variety of groups and their skills. The bonus puzzle is extremely tempting and highly recommended for larger groups! 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some areas of the room are a little cramped for some of the puzzles required. Certain stages of the game can come to a grind as each player must do something exact and the whole group cannot go forward until then. As a result of the multiple endings, there was one puzzle that was unused and the players weren't aware. We lost time trying to figure that out. The narrative became a little lost towards the end. I was expecting more show than tell. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "The Ark" provides a mesmerising and tempting escape room experience with plenty of fun reveals and puzzles that truly encourage communication. The space is cramped but we felt four people was a good number for dividing and conquering. I found the story had a promising start but lost some momentum amongst the puzzling. I recommend this for players looking for a unique theme, storytelling, and layered puzzling that brings together the team after each step. This game has a lot of promise and I think it is well worth it to check out if you are in the area…and if you play 2 or more games you can get a discount! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Additional Info: Parking is available in front of the store. Photo booth is available to take victory photos. No seating is provided in the main lobby. Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada (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 Games Canada for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #JillianRaymond #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeGamesCanada #SciFi #Historical #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: North York, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Pathogen 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 18, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi, Spy, Dystopian 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $33.63/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY In a futuristic dystopian war, the world consists of large corporations out to make a profit. You have been hired to break into one such corporation, Talon, that hides up at the 300th floor of their headquarters a deadly pathogen that threatens the world. You must enter the lab undetected…paying attention to the state of the art security system that is VERY sensitive. Can you navigate this lab and find a way to prevent this deadly virus from consuming the world? Your every decision will affect the lives of many… Video above is property of Escape Games Canada 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The futuristic set design was unique and visually pleasing. The open room helped really set the scene and the use of screens added to the theme and story; you felt truly immersed in this dystopian world. I also appreciate the use of space to create dynamics in the room with climbing and crawling. As the game progressed the room continued to evolve and our group had fun with these physical tasks. The multiple different endings creates a fun challenge and lends themselves to very satisfying endings. I appreciated how much nuance there was to the decision making as it helped build the tension. The different styles of puzzles ensure all players have a variety of tasks to dive into from logic, pattern recognition, decision making, and more. At the same time there were puzzles I hadn’t seen before that heightened the experience with tension and pacing. Our group found dividing into two groups in order to focus on puzzles that best suit our styles. The collaboration in this game was top notch - our group had plenty of fun working together to move through the game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One puzzle is terminated by a timer if you don’t finish by a specific time to push your forward. Our team wished we could have had more time to focus on it. When groups divide up they can easily miss stories/videos with little time to tell fellow group members what’s going on. Quite a few puzzles relied on working with a screen. We would have liked a few more hands on puzzles. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Pathogen" offers players a futuristic collaborative adventure that offers players all different skills set to truly dive into a heist. There are a lot of fun additions that help build a sense of place and time. There was tension, a sense of importance, and some challenging puzzles to keep you going. Escape Games, as a whole, consistently created vivid and colourful rooms that draw in players and Pathogen in no exception. I am eager to explore more of their games in the future! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Additional Info: Parking is available in front of the store. Photo booth is available to take victory photos. No seating is provided in the main lobby. Photos above are property of Escape Games Canada (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 Games Canada for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #JillianRaymond #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeGamesCanada #SciFi #Spy #Dystopian #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: North York, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Crossroads 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 18, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $38/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY At the stroke of midnight, someone will die. This has been going on over the past month and us, the detectives, finally discovered the murderer’s whereabouts. Reaching the abandoned subway, you must catch the killer in one hour before midnight comes again. Video above is property of Escape Games Canada 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE When registering at the front, we were given a “movie ticket” for the room which we had to hand to the GM when they took us in. The entrance to the back where all the rooms were also had a movie theatre look to it. This was a fun touch. The subway set of the room was believable with the train and beyond. The room was dark enough to give off an eerie atmosphere but not dim enough that it hindered the solving of puzzles. The audio and visuals of the game made for an immersive experience from the opening introduction video to the cutscene voiceovers during the game. All the puzzles were large and grand enough that allowed everyone to help or participate in the puzzle solving. The puzzle flow ramped up nicely from the initial simple puzzle to the final puzzle that required all our brain power to complete. There was a decision that was made in the middle that had an effect on the game as we progressed afterwards. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The final puzzle required an assumption that did not seem logical to make, which ended up using most of our time for the room. In the wrap up, unless we met a certain condition that we did not know about beforehand, we did not get the “good” ending to the story. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Crossroads" was a phenomenal room with an outstanding set that was haunting. There were no jump scares but exploring the rooms was a little unsettling with us being unsure what we would find around the corner. The puzzles flowed well and were thought out to make for a strong group experience. There was also a themed rating system at the end to see how well we did. We played with 4 enthusiasts and found we were all able to participate and experience all the puzzles. The space in this room could also allow to fit 6 beginners in the room and allow for a comfortable experience. Anyone who is a fan of murder mystery, sinister looking sets, or the Saw movies would really enjoy this game. Though this is one of Escape Games’ earlier games, this one still holds up to today’s games. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Discount for playing back-to-back rooms Free Parking (Limited parking in front but you may have to park around the building) Lobby with no seating but tables to hangout with your group if you are early Photo booth available for victory photos afterwards Chocolate and Pop available for purchase Photos above are property of Escape Games Canada (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 Games Canada for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeGamesCanada #Mystery #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: North York, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Mindshaft 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 18, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $30/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY Recruiting a team of heroes, you are all ready to descend the “hellevator” into the cursed mine and face the trials set forth by the demon who dwells down there. Prove yourself worthy to make it to the final boss where if you all defeat him, treasure and glory awaits you. Video above is property of Escape Games Canada 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE When registering at the front, we were given a “movie ticket” for the room which we had to hand to the GM when they took us in. The entrance to the back where all the rooms were also had a movie theatre look to it. This was a fun touch. This was a different type of game that required both mental and physical capacities. The physical trials were a ton of fun to play through. The set design and immersion were beautifully done from the “hellevator” ride down to the creatures you meet to the audio storytelling. The final puzzle was an amazing experience, made us work as a team and was a true boss battle. Escape Games describes this as a video game experience which is the perfect description for this room. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Though we were able to complete the physical challenge after multiple attempts, if a team was unable to complete the challenge, that could be a frustrating roadblock in the game. After a certain amount of time though, the GM could let you continue on without completing it. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Mindshaft" is a different type of escape game but in a good way. From our descent in the “hellevator” to the ending that placed us right into a video game battle, this was an immersive experience. The physical tasks were something we had not experienced in an escape room before but had us feel like true warriors. We played with 4 people which felt like a good number. The puzzles themselves were grand enough that they would allow for 6 players but too many in the physical challenges might be a hinderance without strong communication. The room would be a definite recommendation for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, video games or people who are looking for a slightly different escape room experience but would be a great escape room for anyone to try. For Glory!! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Colorblindness will affect the game play There are some physical challenges that the whole team will need to participate in Discount for playing back-to-back rooms Free Parking (Limited parking in front but you may have to park around the building) Lobby with no seating but tables to hangout with your group if you are early Photo booth available for victory photos afterwards Chocolate and Pop available for purchase Photos above are property of Escape Games Canada (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 Games Canada for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeGamesCanada #Fantasy #Adventure #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of RevoEscape Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Lab: Lockdown 📅 DATE PLAYED: June 24, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Prison/Lab Escape, Realistic Design 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 Players): 9/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 80 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $168 (3PPL), Reduced PP cost with more people ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY Code red, code red...You awake in your cell to the voice on the p.a. alarming you that in eighty minutes the research lab will self-destruct. It is the two hundred and sixth day of your life in captivity as a human guinea pig. You were abducted by a secretive government agency as a virus research test subject, a purpose that has slowly become clear after the many operations you have been subjected to. And now it seems as if you have finally been callously abandoned to die while those bastards escape. How did all this happen you wonder as you look frantically around the room. Something must have gone terribly wrong. The other test subjects are up as well and already trying to find a way to get out. You are calling out to each other, trying to make sense of it all. Is someone missing? One of the cells looks broken out of, but there is no sign of anybody else, except the guard, who is now lying face down and unresponsive in the middle of the floor. You spot his keys and strain through the bars to reach them but they are just beyond your grasp. If we don't get those keys we are going to die here, but how...Code red, code red, this lab will self-destruct in seventy five minutes... Video above is property of RevoEscape 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE As with their other room, "Bunker: AI Martyrdom", this one was a genius of mimetic design. I am a huge proponent - though not an absolutist - of the realistic and true to life puzzle design philosophy. In fact the game didn't even feel like a series of puzzles per se but more like a scenario, with objectives and obstacles that presented themselves organically. From figuring out how to get out of your cell to working your way through the lab lockdown procedures, it all felt pretty natural and plausible. There were none of the corny and classic escape room puzzle tropes. You aren't going to be counting the number of rivets bolting the toilet seat to figure out the door code, or getting computer passcodes by solving some cryptic anagram strangely and improbably left just for you. In mimetic design the world and the puzzles, their logic and their solution, are one. A good mimetic puzzle is a lot harder to design since it must be true to life and our real world experience. It cannot simply impute some fantastical and external schema. The scenario must originate logically from the idea of the real world within the relative context presented - in this case a research lab - and be resolved only by what would realistically be ready at hand in that context. When well done it is a work of art. The players feel the awe of engaging with a novel world just like their own but which challenges them to expand their mind and their abilities to encompass the new experiential paradigm that confronts them. The scenario was incredibly well designed, from the natural flow of the stages and their logic, to the uniqueness of the puzzles and their solutions, to just the whole weirdness of the scenario itself. What happens when this perfectly controlled and contained test site goes sideways. It was truly a realistic simulation of what it might be like to have to escape from a research lab. The space and the props are so good that they bring the scenario to life as one seamless reality. You enter a room and its magic, there's very little direction given but it all naturally makes sense. You instinctively explore and deduce what it is you have to set about doing. The freedom to explore and piece together a world of all these strange and interesting props is immensely exciting. On top of all this they actually created an interesting and meaningful narrative - which is oftentimes in other rooms treated as an afterthought to the puzzles - in which you are living subjects, with your own backgrounds, who must learn about themselves as a component of their successful escape. You are even given barcodes, like real test subjects! There is some fun physical stuff as well which the big kid in me really loved. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I think most people who have played the room probably have a love-hate relationship with the first part. On the one hand it takes a classic scenario - breaking out of a jail cell - and turns it into a genius level puzzle with a plausible and ingenious solution. On the other hand it is also potentially massively frustrating, challenging the players conceptual thinking as well as their ability to execute the solution to the point where you could easily spend a lot of your game time just in that initial room trying to figure it out and make it work. This then leads you to being rushed and not fully able to savor and enjoy the later part of the game. That's what happened to us at least. There also seems to me to be the very real possibility that a group could completely scuttle their chances of solving the puzzle - and then what? That being said I wouldn't have them change a thing about the core structure of the puzzle, but I do feel like beyond asking for hints they have to maybe give the player a nudge in some way, or make the whole process slightly easier and less potentially time consuming. This all being said, it is the fact that the situation is so novel and generates such a visceral and wonderful sense of trepidation in the players that makes it the stand out puzzle of the game. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Definitely. Experience the absolute thrill of a well done mimetically designed experience. Its rare to find such a well thought out escape room, and to my mind Revo's are the best in Toronto. It is the Mount Everest of escape rooms, the ultimate challenge. This is not your average escape room, and it will not be your average escape room experience. You don't play it as much as you are thrown into it. To finally pull that cliché out: you really do have to think outside the box. It has its frustration, but it's all part of the fun of having oneself be pushed to one's limits. The bigger the challenge the bigger the payoff. I wish that lab could wipe my mind so I could play the thing again. Overall It's really a unique experience, and one you should savor fully. My advice is to come prepared. You're gonna need a good team of four to five people. It's going to be challenging but do not give up. Pay attention to the story, you are not just a player but a character in the game itself. Stay tuned, because when their new room - The Lost Temple - finally opens I will be first in line to report back on it. 🔎 HINT It is all possible although it may not seem so at first. Do not despair. Stop panicking and think. Don't waste time doing things when it quickly becomes apparent that they are not going to work. Go back to the drawing board, logically work through the problem and try to come up with innovative solutions. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Lots of free parking. They have a nice little waiting room with some board games to keep you occupied in case you might have to wait. They have free lockers for you to put your stuff in. In terms of preparation for playing the game itself you should be ready to get physical, and be capable of making some athletic/acrobatic checks. Wear functional clothing. Photos above are property of RevoEscape (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 RevoEscape for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AndrewWoods #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #RevoEscape #Prison #Lab #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: North York, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Last Resort 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 21, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $38/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY When your car breaks down on the side of the road with your friends as you head off to your ultimate vacation you are at a loss until you see a nearby motel to hunker down for the night. It is quite convenient seeing as you're in an old abandoned mining town off in the mountains…until you arrive at check in to find no one there, and the door to leave locks behind you. Something bad is on its way and you have only an hour to break free if you can keep your wits about. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The set design in the room was eerie and immersive, down to the worn down wall paper and blood smears galore. Even the game pieces themselves made sense of this world. The spooky jump-scares are well timed and fit the story and game really well. The game ensured that all players had a task and were able to do something so no one ever was just sitting around. The dim lighting was effectively used to help guide players where to go. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The final puzzle is at odds with the rest of the puzzles so I could see some people getting frustrated with it but our group figured it out. There was a puzzle that didn't feel like a puzzle to me but more of an action sequence but others could see it differently. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "The Last Resort" was the perfect spooky escape room for Halloween time. The room drew you in immediately after you entered with a well acted start by the GM and an audio score that kept you on your toes. With a few well timed jump-scares you truly felt the tension and excitement to race against the clock. The puzzles were well balanced and built off each other so there was never any confusion on what to do. This is a game that beginners and experienced players alike would enjoy and this room is actually the largest set design of the company so there is plenty of space to explore. If you love horror movies and escaping murderers this room will be right up your alley! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Discount for playing back-to-back rooms Free Parking (Limited parking in front but you may have to park around the building) Lobby with no seating but tables to hangout with your group if you are early Chocolate and Pop available for purchase Adorable movie ticket style receipts Photos above are property of Escape Games Canada (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"!) #JillianRaymond #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeGamesCanada #Thriller #Ontario #Canada

LOCATION: North York, Ontario, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Games Canada Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Haunting of Noriko 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 21, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $38/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: No 📖 THE STORY You’ve arrived at Osaka, Japan to visit the infamous abandoned home with a horrific past. Young and beautiful Noriko was killed and with the violence of her death came a spirit of vengeance bent on consuming all. Her family is missing and a curse is laid upon ANY who enter the home. You now must follow the clues behind this tragedy and restore Noriko’s spirit to peace before she takes you…sounds anything but easy when every creak of the step and dark shadow holds a dark secret… 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The set design is phenomenal with a beautiful Japanese door entry to the creaky stairs and well-timed lighting in the rooms. The jump-scares felt so real! The puzzles had a good mix of decoding, pattern identification, and searching. I especially loved when it forced us to search around the room as the two floors really upped the spook factor. There are so many aha moments as puzzles were layered into each other - one solution leading to the next clue. The light is used here very well to draw you to where you need to go next…but also scare you in the darkness so be prepared! 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The is an auditory puzzle that I feel will be a hit or miss with groups. There was a bottle puzzle where we ended up solving through guessing as we weren’t 100% sure on what the clue was trying to get at 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Haunting of Noriko" offers players an ominous and engaging escape room experience that you won’t forget. Escape Games has shown time and time again their talent in creating such immersive set designs and this game benefitted and was enhanced by those efforts. The puzzles were a mix of styles that forced players to confront their fears in the room and provided rewarding solutions for those efforts. I also struggle with auditory puzzles and hope that assistance by GMs can be made to address these. If you are looking for a truly haunting experience that will give you all the tension and adrenaline the moment you walk in, this room is sure to deliver! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Discount for playing back-to-back rooms Free Parking (Limited parking in front but you may have to park around the building) Lobby with no seating but tables to hangout with your group if you are early Chocolate and Pop available for purchase Adorable movie ticket style receipts Photos above are property of Escape Games Canada (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"!) #JillianRaymond #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeGamesCanada #Horror #Ontario #Canada

Video/Photos provided by Breakout Saint John Company: Breakout Saint John Game: The Heist Country: Canada 🇨🇦 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Heist Date Played: 6/14/2020 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 7/10 Size of Team: Up to 10 Players Time: 80 Minutes Price: $60 for up to 4 players, $10 each additional player Our mission was to help our field team (a.k.a. Brianne) to break into James Fawkes's (a wealthy collector of rare artifacts) mansion. Since he's a puzzle enthusiast, our job just got a lot harder. We went through a quick debriefing and started the game right away. It's always exciting when a "heist" concept room incorporates the idea of how much can you steal within the hour. It felt like a challenge right from the beginning. This room was quite large and had to lot we needed to discover. We knew we had the work cut out for us when we were surprised by the fact that this was a 80 minute room (we didn't see the time mentioned on any booking information and just assumed it was going to be a 60 minute room). Normally we would've be ecstatic to get an extra 20 minutes of play time, but we had another remote game scheduled right so we had to power through this one! With the limitations of remote escape rooms and one avatar, it's quite difficult to do non-linear puzzles. This one was done really well in the sense that we're actually able to work on different puzzles utilizing the inventory portal. Some of our team members were communicating with Brianne (our 5 star avatar) to complete a puzzle while others looked at the inventory list to prepare for the next one. With her swift movements through the security lasers and speedy actions on all the puzzles, we were able to complete the room with 29 minutes left and stole the maximum amount of $10,100,000! At one point of the game we were able to walk a way as a winner with less money (in case your time was running low, you could still win the game), but since we were greedy puzzle lovers, we had to complete the meta puzzle. Definitely opt to play this extension of the game if you have more time left on the clock! With more than 6 people for this room, the communication could get pretty rowdy. There'll be many ideas thrown around since there's a lot you can do simultaneously. But if you were able to assemble a super star team (ahem...like ours), then it would work in your favor with more mind powers! *** 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 game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Breakout Saint John 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 #BreakoutSaintJohn #TheHeist #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Heist #Adventure #Espionage #Stealth

LOCATION: Kelowna, BC, Canada Above photos is property of Xperience Kelowna 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Galaxy Defenders 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 11, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Adults & 2 Kids): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $30/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY After years of service, the Space Council has offered you a contract as one of their elite agents called “The Galaxy Defenders”. Your first mission? To head past Mars and board a spaceship that the Council has been monitoring. Inside you must recover an ancient space artifact called the “energy crystal” but be careful. You must complete the mission before your oxygen supply runs out (which obviously is 60 mins!) 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The room was entirely tech based which made for a fantastic experience. There were some cool gadgets to use and some “We really get to do that?!” moments through the game. The design of the set had a full spaceship feel to it, but they made sure that the “just for show” elements they added to the room were not distracting enough to be mistaken for puzzles. There were 2 puzzles that really promoted teamwork. It was possible to complete with 2 people but all 4 of us were able to participate in them which made for a lot of excitement when we solved them. With safety being an issue in escape rooms, we really appreciated that they had a full emergency plan in place. There was an evacuation plan posted in the room as well as the GM went through where we should exit the building in case of emergency at the start of the game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One of the puzzles was a little long and tedious to solve, which easily could have been shortened. It would have been nice to have a notepad or something to write on to help you through the process too. There were a couple of puzzles that as enthusiasts, we were able to solve but we felt that for some beginners, they might not have understood what was required, especially with this being one of their easier rooms. A little more narration could have been used to help provide some instructions. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Kelowna is a huge tourist location for the lake, beaches and the wineries but it can get quite hot during the summer months. To get out of the heat, Xperience Kelowna’s "The Galaxy Defenders" would be a fun, family friendly activity for all ages. For the science fiction fans, you won’t be disappointed with some of the cool gadgets and tech puzzles you would get to play with. The hint system that was setup was an iPad with 3 levels of hints set up on it, which we preferred since it did not break immersion but know that others might prefer a different method. We played with 2 adults and 2 kids, aged 6 and 8 who loved the room from beginning to end. With the room being linear, we feel this would be the optimal room to play with one enthusiast leading a small group of beginners or 2-3 enthusiasts playing together. Xperience Kelowna also has a stamp card program that once you collect 6 stamps (1 stamp per hour either on VR games or escape rooms), then you get one hour free. Additional Info Free parking lot Lobby area Virtual Reality Arcade We do want to give a shoutout to the location because they did let my youngest who just turned 6 years old play for free, where they usually let 5 and under play for free. Photos are properties of Xperience Kelowna 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"!) #MatthewLui #SciFi #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Canada #FamilyFriendly #Kelowna #BritishColumbia #XperienceKelowna

LOCATION: Vancouver, BC, Canada Photo above is property of EXIT Gastown 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Hurricane 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 14, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Survival 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Players): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 50 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $30/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY You and a few friends decide to head out to your summer cottage for a weekend getaway. Along the way, you hear that a Category 5 hurricane might be striking the area but sounds like something you can handle. Arriving at the cottage, things seem to be going well but after taking a nap you wake to one of the worst storms you have ever seen. The power is not working and cell reception is gone. Can you get the backup generator running and call for help before it’s too late? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE All the puzzles matched the theme of the room which really made for an immersive experience as we looked for everything we needed to get to the generator. The décor was nicely detailed to match the theme from the bedroom to the outside beach with everything blown over. All the walls seemed to be hand painted to match the beach cottage theme “inside” and hurricane weather on the “outside”. A fun detail we noticed as even the fake windows were painted with what you would expect to see on the other side. The puzzles were an overall fun mix with some logic puzzles, searching puzzles, teamwork puzzles and some we were able to solve right away and some that had us ponder a bit. We liked the progression of the rooms as the game went on. It actually felt like we were in a cottage by the beach and going from inside to the outside. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK When we solved a puzzle, the game could have used better cues to tell us the puzzle was solved and something else has opened up. At the start, we had solved a puzzle and didn’t realized a drawer had become unlocked. We eventually learned that if we thought we solved the puzzle to start tugging on all the drawers. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Tucked away in a corner of Gastown Vancouver, this was a fun escape room to play. It was a simple but effective theme. We loved the details in the hand painted décor as we went from room to room. The room is rated 2 stars in difficulty but don’t be fooled, it was not as simple as they make it out to be. We did play with 2 but as the game continued, a few extra hands would have been nice so we would recommend up to 4 for this room. If you are in the area and looking for an easier (but not too easy) escape room, definitely give this one a try. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Second floor of the building Lobby space (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EXITGastown #Adventure #Survival #Canada

LOCATION: Chilliwack, BC, Canada Photo above is property of EXIT Chilliwack 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Cabin in the Woods 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 16, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Players): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 45 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $25/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 The Story Driving through the forests of Illinois, your car unexpectedly breaks down. As nightfall begins, you leave your car and head down the road to search for help. After walking for a bit, you stumble upon an old decrepit cabin. Heading towards the door to check it out, this place may be your salvation, or maybe not? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE There was a nice flow of puzzles to the game with some high tech items and some without, but paired well with each other as we moved through the rooms. There was also a fun mix of puzzles with a lot of great eureka moments as we discovered new “things” or were fairly certain “these things” were important. There was minimal reading and some audio that needed to be listened to but they made it all count to tell an immersive story as the room progressed. Even at the end, we got more than we expected from the story. The overall tone of the game was creepy and had some good scares along the way (we do scare easily). If that is what you are into, then you are in for a treat. The décor and look of the room were spot-on from the outside of the cabin to the creepy interior. They also did a great job with the dim lighting. This may seem minor but along the way, we found a regular flashlight that doubles as a black light. This is the first time we have encountered this before but found it was extremely helpful. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There were some audio clips at times that we needed to listen to which we did have trouble understanding, even when we were able to replay them over multiple times. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Cabin in the Woods" was a fun horror room that definitely gave us a good scare. From the sound effects to the room setup, it had an immersive creepy feel. As experienced players, the puzzles were not overly difficult, but they had some nice eureka moments that really made us smile. There were a lot more scares than we were expecting, so we would recommend this game only to those who enjoy the horror genre. There was only 2 of us for the room, but found the room could nicely fit up to 4 people and still allow everyone to be involved in the puzzle-solving and not have everyone on top of each other. Definitely give this a shot if you are in the Chilliwack area. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking Lobby space with seating area Wheelchair friendly Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EXITChilliwack #Adventure #Horror #Cabin #Canada

LOCATION: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada Photo above is property of Escape From LA 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Weirder Things 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 1, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $21/PP (Weekdays), $25/PP (Weekends) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Another boy has gone missing in Hawkins, Indiana. Entering Madame Cadena’s fortune teller’s shop, you must learn to communicate with the Mind Flayer, locate the boy in the Upside-Down and bring him home, but be careful not to get stuck in the Upside-Down yourself. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE When we entered the room, this was absolutely a Fortune Teller’s shop! The set design and props were completely on the mark, from the strange cabinet of curio to the fortune teller’s table to the black cat relaxing on the shelf. As we continued to explore the room and solve puzzles, the full narrative was revealed to us, which was quite detailed. This completely immersed us into the story and we were all-in to find the boy and escape. The puzzles were a nice mix of tech and lockboxes. It also integrated some fun ideas for any fans of Stranger Things or the occult. One puzzle was really unique and fit the atmosphere of the room well. We have seen variations of this puzzle before but Escape from LA definitely nailed it. Even after solving this puzzle, we both went back to it a few times to play with it some more. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The story was fantastic throughout the whole room and we felt completely invested in trying to save the boy, but the ending seemed a little anti-climactic and could have been a little stronger. There was a puzzle that was removed from the game due to the difficulty, but there were some remnants of it left in the room. This caused a little confusion sometimes when we were wondering how that information should be used. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The LA in “Escape from LA” might stand for “Lethbridge, Alberta” but the room design would rival any escape room found in Los Angeles. Any fans of the occult or Stranger Things would thoroughly enjoy this room. There were so many easter eggs to the show throughout the room that we continued to smile to ourselves with every one that we encountered. The puzzles were linear so if you want to get a chance to play with all the puzzles (and you will want to), we recommend a group of 2-3 but this room would be fun with 4-5 people as well. You might also want the additional brain power to help escape the Upside-Down. The cost per person was less than a typical escape room but the caliber of the room makes this a no brainer to do if you are ever in the area. Additional Info Lobby Area Free parking lot (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) #MatthewLui #SciFi #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Canada #FamilyFriendly #Lethbridge #Alberta #EscapeFromLA

LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada Above photos are property of Time Escape 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Imperial Palace 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 25, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Players): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 45 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $30/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: YES 📖 THE STORY After years of obsessive research, your friend has finally discovered the hidden dungeon in the Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, when they returned home with their claims, they were deemed insane and was sent away. Reaching out to you, your friend is asking for your help in proving the dungeon is real and to bring back evidence. Video above is property of Time Escape 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE There was a great audio introduction that really set the tone for the room and it also had some immersive background music playing through the game to keep us motivated. All the props fit perfectly with the theme and we were impressed with how they were able to incorporate so many authentic looking props into many different varieties of puzzles. There was one puzzle that we both got to participate in which was really fun as well as a simple puzzle we have not seen elsewhere which really made us go “Wow! That was creative.” This might seem minor but there was a large table in the room that we could place items on and look closer at. Normally, things would be scattered on the floor or having to move things off desks to find room to lay things out, so this was nice. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Nothing major jumps out at us that could have been improved. This was a solid room. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This game was quite the enjoyable room with some authentic props. There was a good mix of different puzzles and some were so simple and elegant. This room also had a pleasant mix of tech and regular locks but the times they did use tech, it was used well. This game was on the easier side with the linear puzzle flow so it would be a great room for a group of people who are new to escape rooms or even a small group of enthusiasts. The room is small in size in terms of size so we would not recommend any more than 6 people. If you are fan of Asian culture and history, you would absolutely enjoy this room. Additional Info Lobby Area with Games Free parking lot 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"!) Disclosure: We thank Time Escape for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MatthewLui #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Canada #Adventure #TheImperialPalace #Alberta