LOCATION: Simsbury, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Dame Disappears 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 14, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Detective, Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers We’ve been waiting to visit Great Scott!! Mystery Rooms for awhile now as the name really intrigued us. Who doesn’t want to visit a Storyteller’s Cottage? This vintage Victorian house hosted many different types of events like writer’s workshops, story telling events, Harry Potter & Downtown Abbey-themed parties and of course escape rooms! There was plenty of parking in the back of the house. There was a walkway the owner pointed out to use later that connects to the back-parking area, but it may just be easier to go around the block and enter through the front. You wouldn’t want to miss the gorgeous garden entrance anyways! The lobby is beautifully designed with an escape room under construction on the left side (now open - "Save Sir Carter"), a huge event space on the right, and a grand staircase leading up to the two escape rooms on the 2nd floor. You will feel like you’ve entered a fairytale land. The first room we were attempting here was called “The Dame Disappears”. It was inspired by the famous British mystery novelist Agatha Christie’s disappearance. We have been called by the Scotland Yards to come and examine her bedroom while her husband has been called in for questioning and we have an hour to find out what had happened to her. As we entered the room, all the props and decor felt like it was from the 1920's. Since the escape room is in an actual house, there was actually a usable bathroom in the room. We would’ve love to see what the owner could do in terms of utilizing that in a future design but currently it was just being described as “not in play”. There was one puzzle we thought the sequence was a bit off, but the answer was quite obvious so it didn’t hinder our gameplay. We loved the different types of puzzles that was incorporated in the room since it wasn’t all just combo locks but the places that tech was used was still in line with the story. There was a lot of information that we did collect which we ended up eliminating as they were just décor so do make sure you are organized in this room in terms of what’s important and what is merely a prop. We haven’t seen this one particular puzzle anywhere else before. It was quite simple but used well as logically we could see a detective doing that. Moreover, the bonus ending in the latter part was a nice discovery. We can’t wait to tackle their more challenging room next: “The Legend of the Fairy Queen”. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers * UPDATE - We regret to inform that "Great Scott!! Mystery Rooms" has closed. Disclosure: We thank Great Scott! Mystery Rooms 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 #EscapeRoom #GreatScottMysteryRooms #Detective #Mystery #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Simsbury, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Legend of the Fairy Queen 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 14, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Fantasy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Read our review on “The Dame Disappears” to find out more details about Great Scott!! Mystery Rooms. Our next room, “The Legend of the Fairy Queen”, was a very fun theme. It was rated more difficult than the previous room we did and when we completed it, we did feel that there were more puzzles in this room. The story for this room was that we’re staying with our grandparents for the summer in their farmhouse attic. Since they weren't home when we got there, our grandfather had set up a scavenger hunt to keep us busy. But as we were finding clues to his puzzles, we discovered someone else also “lives” here and it seemed like they were in trouble and needed our help. There was a lot of information that was visible to us when we entered the room. I would suggest “divide and conquer” would be the best strategy here. As a more experienced player, we did not waste our time on some of the props but I would say it would be more helpful to bolt some of them down as the new players would definitely spend a lot time looking through each and every one of them. The clue system did become problematic during our game, but our game master came quickly to the door to assist us with hints when we needed it, so it did not delay our gameplay. There was one puzzle that became confusing to us because there’s a certain temporary puzzle in place as some pieces were missing and a tech item wasn't functioning. We think it would probably be best to either remove the puzzle or repair the current as it did trouble us a bit with the temporary clues that were in place and disrupted the game flow. We did enjoy a lot of the details that were put in this room in terms of utilizing everything on toys and games with the relatable age frame. It made us feel like kids again and doing a real scavenger hunt. The latter development of the storyline was also entertaining. We love the décor changes throughout the storytelling. The only thing we felt could improve would be to incorporate more puzzles and distribute it more evenly throughout the game rooms as the last part of the game felt a bit “empty”, but it was supposed to the “wow” ending room. Great Scott!! Mystery Rooms in Storyteller’s Cottage was such a pleasure to visit. We didn’t want to leave at the end. The owner had to have spread some kind of “magic dust” in the air because we will definitely be back! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Great Scott" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Great Scott! Mystery Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.

LOCATION: Norwich, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Ultimate Escape, LLC 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Lost In Space (Alien Abduction) 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 3, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $24.99/ pp (Public), $200.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: No This is one of the first escape locations we've tackled in the state of Connecticut. We went in with three people total and accomplished about 70% of the room. The owner is a very friendly guy who builds all his rooms. The waiting area could use some updating. There's not much high tech materials used but he did stuck to the theme in terms of the props he used. Although there's a few props in there that needed some updating as some were torn by other players. The great thing about this location is that even if you have two people you can still book the room as a private party. *Since we've played this room the owner has revamped the room to make it "less scary" for the players although we didn't felt that at all and now it's called "Lost in Space". * We regret to inform this company has closed its doors * #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #UltimateEscape #MindBreak #Sci-Fi #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Norwich, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Ultimate Escape, LLC 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Secret Agent 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 31, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Spy, Espionage 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $24.99/ pp (Public), $200.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes We went back to give this place another try, this time in their "Secret Agent" room. We had three people this time and was able to book it as a private party. As mentioned in our first review of the "Alien Abduction" room, the waiting area could use some updating. Since the owner builds his own rooms, there's not much technology involved. Most of the puzzles were operated by number locks. The puzzles were quite linear and a bit easier than the "Alien Abduction" room that we tried. There were a few "tools" we've never encountered in this room that was clever and well incorporated into this theme. Overall, it's a great beginner room to tackle. * We regret to inform this company has closed its doors * #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms  #UltimateEScape #MindBreak #Espionage #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Norwich, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Ultimate Escape, LLC Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Quest For The Throne 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 15, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Medieval 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $24.99/ pp (Public), $200.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: No Finishing off their last room, we came back with another couple totaling four people to attempt the "Quest For The Throne" room. As mentioned in our previous reviews on the "Alien Abduction" and the "Secret Agent" room, the waiting area could use some updating. Since the owner builds his own rooms, there's no high tech equipment incorporated into your experience. Most of the puzzles were operated by number locks which we don't mind as long as they are logical which in this room they were. The hint system is quite unique as he basically puts the hints in correspondence with the puzzle folders. So it's extremely tempting to look at since they are right there and the hints are pretty much unlimited. We did use a few, but definitely tried to refrain from any temptation. The design was minimal to the theme but there was one "cool" gadget. It seems like sometimes it may be a bit "stuck" depending on how you use it. We did appreciate that the room didn't have too many red herrings and it was direct and to the point. The "Quest For The Throne" is definitely recommended for beginner escapers to try. * We regret to inform this company has closed its doors * #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms  #UltimateEscape #MindBreak #Medieval #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Norwich, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Fairly Odd Tales 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 15, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Fairy Tale 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 4/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $24.99/ pp (Public)/ $200.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers MindBreak Escape took over Ultimate Escape Room in CT and reopened it last year. You can read our reviews on Ultimate Escape Room's games - "Lost In Space ( formerly "Alien Abduction")", “Secret Agent” & “Quest for the Throne” for more details on this location. They have not changed much in those rooms so if you have played them before, you probably want to check out their new games instead. The one that just opened is called “Fairly Odd Tales”. They also have a brand-new room coming soon called “Houdini’s Great Escape”. “Fairly Odd Tales” was a room inspired by the Grimm brothers. The story was that because of Grimm brother’s success, their very oddly creative siblings started to write children’s books as well. The siblings have made a big mistake with their first book, “Secrets of The Moon Howlers” as they exposed things they shouldn’t have. This made the wolf pack leader - Fang really mad. He is now taking village people hostage and we must go through the enchanted forest to save them! Since we’ve played at Ultimate Escape Room before, the layout of this room was familiar to us as it used to be the room for “Quest for The Throne”. Our recommended group size for this room is 2-3 people. It would be nice to explain in the debriefing of where we were starting off as initially, we thought we were entering the enchanted forest. The room we entered felt like a character’s home and there wasn't much space to work with in there and we saw the developer trying to create some separation for the progression of the storyline. If that’s the case, then the next area should not be visible yet so there can be a “wow” factor as we go through to the next area. This room could definitely be played by new escape room players as the puzzles were not as challenging. The fairy tale stories were cleverly written so it was nice to have a clear guidance to follow along. One puzzle in the next room did stump us as we did not know where to input a certain answer. It would be great if there were some indications of placements as initially, we thought that area was “not in play” due to the exposed wires. One surprise we found later on was that if we had found this one particular clue and solved it, we would've been able to skip the entire last room and be able to get out just by using the simple clue. We actually spent most of our time on this final puzzle and really liked how it was a three-step puzzle and had fun solving it. We feel that this wasted the developer’s hard work at creating the actual puzzles for the players and added confusion for the experienced players. We don’t think an alternative escape puzzle was necessary here. The décor and props used could have been a bit more updated and detailed since we noticed that they have utilized some of the old furniture from the previous escape room. We are all for salvaging and reusing pieces, but when the remanence of the puzzle from the other room was still on the furniture piece, it creates confusion for players (we knew it wasn’t in play mainly because we played the other room before). There was also another part of a puzzle from the old room that was not taken down from the wall. One other puzzle was explained to use later that the players would just have to get it by luck as there’s no actual direction in the game play to direct them to do that certain action to trigger a solution. We feel like with better game flow and some tweaking in the room design, this storyline could be very fun and engaging for the players. We look forward to seeing MindBreak Escape’s new creations and if you happen to be in Missouri, they do have two locations (St. Charles & Columbia) with different games that you can try out. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers * We regret to inform this company has closed its doors * Disclosure: We thank MindBreak Escape for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #MindBreak #FairyTale #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Farmington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Blizzard 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 3, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $28.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your team are sent in to search for evidences made by a ground-breaking duo years ago on an important research discovery. You had no idea that a blizzard storm is approaching your team and you need to seek shelter right away. This is the time to sharpen your survival instincts so your team would be able to live through this storm and bring back the research evidence to base! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Intriguing storyline and very different from a lot of the survival and rescue themed rooms we’ve played so far All the props used were relatable to the storyline and we felt like we were in a real igloo The lighting and ambience went well with the room design Puzzles were mostly linear but explained the story in a reasonable order to accomplish the final goal. With that said, our recommended size for this room would be a max of 3-4 people due to the size and communication factor in the room 🧩 MISSED THE MARK This is the first time we actually had to pay attention to the storyline from the game master for something we had to use in the room later. Perhaps there could be another hint in the room just in case the players missed it at the beginning, and it doesn’t have to count as a hint? One game piece might need a bit of clearer instruction of what is “on” and what is “off” from the start as it was a bit confusing to figure out on our own The hint system utilized can be heard only in one area of the room. Perhaps a speaker that can cover all areas can be installed that would make the players experience more pleasurable For a more immersive feel to the storyline, the outside area of the door could have a bit of a “blizzard” feel before entering Some added on wind or lowering the AC effect can also bring in a more immersive feel to the experience. Music would definitely help as well. The ending could use some work. Perhaps an added-on sound effect for the helicopter rescue just to signify the win as we didn’t realize we had been saved until the game master came in a few minutes later saying we’ve already completed all the tasks 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room reminded us of a “fantasy cartoonish world” like Disney’s "Frozen". We felt that kids would really enjoy this room due to the color, props used, and the set design. Some puzzle aspects might even be easier from their perspective as the dim lighting made some clues and colors harder for us to see. We feel that kids will have no issues identifying them. We really enjoyed putting our mindset to basic survival skills and working our steps to finally being successfully rescued! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** Disclosure: We thank Complexity for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRoom #Complexity #Adventure #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Farmington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Complexity - A Puzzling Adventure Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Pirate Ship (no titled "Hunt for the Dead Sea Souls") 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 1, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $28.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Our last stop for today is Complexity - A Puzzling Adventure located in Farmington, CT. Complexity is located on the second floor and has a parking lot available right in front. We were fortunate enough to meet w/ the owner & developer so that we could learn more about the company. Complexity was the fourth escape game company to launch in Connecticut and currently has 3 rooms available w/ 1 more on the way. They are also in the process of expanding their facility year. Today we are attempting to escape their "Pirate Ship" room. As soon as you step inside the room, you are fully immersed. The decor set the tone for the storyline and the puzzle designs were cleverly structured to complement the theme. Although the difficulty level was fairly moderate, we enjoyed ourselves and were able to escape with two people with some time to spare! We are eager to try their new room "The Blizzard" once it's complete. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ***This Room has been renamed "THE HUNT FOR THE DEAD SEA SOULS- FARMINGTON"*** (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 Complexity for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRoom #Adventure #Pirates #Complexity #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Rocky Hill, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Codeword Escape Room Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Curse of the Golden Touch 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 14, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Medieval 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 ppl (Max 12 ppl) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $28.00 - $35.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Today we are visiting Codeword Escape Room Adventures in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. They are a fairly new company that's generating a lot of buzz with their first and only room - "Curse of the Golden Touch". We were very fortunate to meet with the owners to learn more about the company and their future plans. The owners are a married couple and they are escape room enthusiasts as well. Although they only have one room available, they plan to launch four total. There is plenty of parking right in front of the entrance and as soon as you walk in, there's a large party room on the left side. The lounge/ waiting area is quite cozy and the decor is really nice. The owner also has her own jewelry store and sterling silver key earrings and necklace pendants are available for purchase. Together, they design and develop the escape rooms from concept to completion. When entering the "Curse of the Golden Touch" room, we noticed a lot of detail in the decor and the room was design very well. The puzzles were linear and correlated with the story line. It was extremely enjoyable and it kept us engaged the whole time. We can't wait until they open their 2nd room... Photos above are property of Codeword Escape Room (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Codeword 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. #BrandonChow #IRLEscapeRoom #EscapeRoom #Medieval #CodewordEscape #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Rocky Hill, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Movie Theater Mayhem 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 16, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-12 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $28.00 - $35.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers This is our second time visiting Codeword Escape in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Previously, we’ve played their very first escape room game - "Curse of the Golden Touch". Be sure to read our reviews to find out more about this escape location. We have been waiting for the new room to open for a long time. We had a little sneak peak the last time that we visited and it looked amazing. Well, we are happy to report... that it did not disappoint! Without further due, here’s our awesome experience inside the “Movie Theater Mayhem”. It seems like there was a robbery last night in the theater and the police caught the intruder. The theater noticed that the golden movie award was missing but because the intruders didn’t have it on them, we believe it’s still hidden inside the theater somewhere and this is when the show began… You know the feeling of opening a new book and that fresh smell from the pages or that new car smell? This is how I feel when entering a brand-new escape room every time. Everything is still brand spanking new and the best part is we didn’t experience any technical issues! Initially when the room was being built, we saw a lot of windows and even an exit door which the owner had informed us that they can not cover since that’s an emergency exit. We thought this would ruin the immersive experience of the room, but this idea of building a lobby of a movie theater completely adapted into the storyline. The props are very authentic looking to the point where I was getting hungry looking at the candy and popcorn on the concession stand. We thought maybe if they were able to incorporate a bit of a popcorn scent in there it might enhance the immersive experience. The clues were very clearly thought out and reasonable. This makes the room a lot of fun to play even though we thought the puzzles were not extremely hard. Perhaps there could be certain elements that can be implemented for enthusiast. This is the first time we saw a specific “chain reaction” puzzle being utilized in a different way and it was awesome to see something new in an escape room for once. Everything was used in the room and we did not experience any annoying red herrings which was very refreshing. As we progressed, the “wow” moments kept getting better. We appreciated all the details that were incorporated into the set design and storyline where it felt like in a real-life situation this exact “thing” would happen. After the game, the owner told us the story about a certain prop. She said the reason why she used it was mainly because she wanted to get rid of clutter in her garage. If you do end up talking to her about it, she may even give you one for free as she still has plenty that she needs to get rid of. We can’t wait for another chapter of Codeword Escape to unfold as this was truly a golden award deserving “performance”. 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 Rooms Connecticut 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 #CodewordEscape #Mystery #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Rocky Hill, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Christmas Key Catastrophe 📅 DATE PLAYED: December 9, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Comedy, Christmas 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00 - $35.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY The gangster gnomes have been very naughty this year. They have placed 12 locks inside of Santa’s workshop and stolen the key to Santa’s sleigh. In the next 60 minutes, if we don’t help Santa find his keys, the kids will be out of presents this year! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Love holiday themed rooms. Although the design was quite simple, we felt the holiday spirit right when we entered. The Christmas tree and presents along with the holiday colors immediately created a fun atmosphere. The puzzles were all logical and closely tied together with Christmas. A bit of humor was added into a reading puzzle which we always appreciate especially if the reading could be a bit longer than the usual few words. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK A prop was used in the room to symbolize an ending after we have found the gnomes but it would’ve been cool if it could have activated something since it was a bit confusing why it’s there as it wasn’t really part of a puzzle or opened anything. Since the gnomes are quite naughty, we thought maybe the room design could be a little more “messier” than how neat it was when you walk in. A bit of “chaos” would seem more like they just caused a catastrophe inside the room and we had to put it back together. Perhaps for a harder level, items could be placed not so much in groups already and will need to be found and coordinated together at different times. Since we’re counting down to an urgent situation, if music could be added to provide a sense of urgency as we get closer to the ending or if they can get more creative with flickers of the tree lights etc., this could be a fun add-on to an immersive feel to the room as currently it felt like one type of mood throughout. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Although the puzzles were not as difficult for enthusiasts, it was a lot of fun. We are still quite traditional and love some old fashion locks (excluding gym lockers). So, if you are a lock lover, there will be plenty of satisfaction at the end. If you like to go as a family or try an escape room as beginner escapists, you’ll fall in love with escape rooms after trying this one. You can easily divide and conquer different puzzles in the room. If you like to feel like a kid again and “read” through a Christmas story book while solving puzzles along the way to achieve a jolly ending, then this is the room for you! 🔎 HINT Things that seem relatable may help you “connect” the dots. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** Disclosure: We thank Codeword Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRoom #EscapeRooms #CodewordEscape #Mystery #Comedy #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Orange, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escape Rooms Connecticut Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Stolen Relic 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 14, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $26.00 - $38.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Usually, we are skeptical when we visit an escape room company that is located in the back of a building. In this case, we were happy that we did! Talk about pleasantly surprised! We were fortunate enough to meet w/ the owner to learn more about the company. Escape Rooms Connecticut is a fairly new company that opened in June '18 and currently offers three escape room games. The lobby area is a bit small but the rest of the facility is quite large. In addition to the three escape room games, they also have a large party room available for private events. The quality in the decor that was put into the hallway area and the rooms was top notch. From a famed graffiti artist designing a mural to the set designers that were hired to build the rooms. We were recommended to try the "The Stolen Relic" as it is their hardest room with a 29% success rate. This room did not disappoint as it offered a good amount of everything - technology, storyline, decor, logical puzzles, etc. The minute that you start, you feel like you are in an Indiana Jones film or a Tomb Raider game. After escaping with 10 minutes left to spare, we were able to take a sneak peak at one of their other rooms - "Sector X" and it looks incredible. This gives us reason to believe that they have implemented the same level of quality into all of their rooms and we look forward to returning soon to try them all! Photos above are property of Escape Rooms Connecticut (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 Rooms Connecticut for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLEscapeRoom #EscapeRoom #Adventure #EscapeRoomsConnecticut #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Orange, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escape Rooms Connecticut Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Terminal 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 1, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl (Ages 16+) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $26.00 - $38.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers This is our third time visiting Escape Rooms Connecticut. Read our reviews on “The Stolen Relic” and "Sector X" to find out more info on their location. We’ve recently discovered that many escape rooms are doing a subway themed escape room, so we wanted to come and try Escape Rooms Connecticut's final room (for now) - "The Terminal"!! In terms of size, “The Terminal” feels the smallest of the rooms that we’ve played at Escape Rooms Connecticut. Our recommended group size for this room is 4 people. We were sent in as a maintenance crew trying to solve a power blackout issue. As we entered the room, it brought back memories of a nostalgic era of NYC subway stations. The only difference was that there were no rats, garbage, and smell. I’m also ok with NOT having these in the room for the immersive experience. There was an 80's vibe prior to entering the room with the graffiti murals on the walls and it continued throughout the room. The props used in the room were all relevant to the storyline (as usual). We liked the mixed use of mag locks and physical combo locks. There was one particular puzzle which we thought if music could've been incorporated it would've made the puzzle more pertinent to the prop. We played this room with two people and got out with ample time left on the clock. We felt like there weren't as many puzzles in this room vs the other two rooms that we’ve tried and it lacked a bit of a “wow” ending factor. We recommend new players to start with this room and progress to the others. As we’ve completed all the rooms at Escape Rooms Connecticut, we now have to patiently wait for their two new horror themed rooms which should be completed soon and according to the owner, it’ll be out of this world! Photos above are property of Escape Rooms Connecticut (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 Rooms Connecticut 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 #Mystery #EscapeRoomsConnecticut #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Orange, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escape Rooms Connecticut Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Asylum 📅 DATE PLAYED: December 9, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Horror, Paranormal 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl (Ages 16+) 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $26.00 - $38.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY We are a team of detectives that were being sent into The Asylum at Fairfield Hills to find out what had happened recently to the six paranormal investigators that went missing. Rumor has it, Dr. Borden might be responsible. We need to find the evidence before he gets back. Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Unique story line and great flow throughout with very reasonable puzzles. They were not extremely difficult, but you would always be rewarded with a “reveal”. Love the intensity build up from the beginning to the end as the story develops. The change of scenery was well played. Props used all felt realistic and a few of them caught our teammates off guard and definitely got some “jumps” out of them. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK A few special effects could be added to the beginning of the scenery to create a more mysterious “entry” as currently the space feels a bit wasteful for with the number of puzzles its used for. Might also be great to warn players no need to put hands into or touch the wooden pieces for nails or splinter injuries. One hint on the wall in the latter part of the game was a bit confusing to us as we were able to solve the puzzle without following what the hint told us to do. So we thought it was for another puzzle. It may help to not have that clue to be written on the wall. Although it’s not really a big issue, but it would be great to see more of a variation on the props used to solve a puzzle rather than using the same device again. The ending could use a bigger “wow” moment for its grand finale. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The atmosphere of the room was eerie throughout but it’s not the horror you’ll feel at a haunted house. Since we do have readers ask us this all the time, we just wanted to inform them that there are no live actors in the room. It’s a great room to play if you like mystery solving in a horror-genre setting. It would be best if you go with a team of four at least, so all the puzzles could be played without bypassing any of the full experience. 🔎 HINT All hands on deck!. Photos above are property of Escape Rooms Connecticut (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 Rooms Connecticut 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 #Horror #Paranormal #EscapeRoomsConnecticut #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Mashantucket, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Spellbound Escapes Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Temple of the Laughing God 📅 DATE PLAYED: June 14, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $36.00/ pp or $250.00/ private ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public/ Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: No Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Today, we are at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in CT! We are not here to gamble but to try out the fairly new escape room company called Spellbound Escape Rooms & Adventures. Currently they only offer one game and it’s called “The Temple of the Laughing God”. They are located on the 2nd floor of the Tanger Outlets. For parking, the closest one to Spellbound is located in the Grand Pequot Tower parking lot (self-parking is complimentary). When you see the escalator and the Zoltar - Fortune Teller Machine on the outside, you’ll know you’ve arrived. Right when we entered, the lobby décor had a magical vibe with its green marble floors (it kind of has a “Wicked” feel to it). One of the owners even dyed her hair to match the emerald green on the floor! There’s plenty of chairs for you to rest while waiting for your journey to begin! The game master who helped us sign in was in character from the beginning. Once we were all cleared with the paperwork, he led us down a dark hallway with a single lantern. On this adventure, we brought some backup with us and we had a total of four players exploring this ancient Mayan temple. Legend has it, it contains the spirit of a vengeful, unknown god. As we entered the temple, we immediately acknowledged the set design and props that were cleverly implemented for the puzzle challenges. Everything felt real and true to form. The storyline definitely kept us engaged the entire time and most importantly it all made sense! We were able to divide and conquer right away as there was a few places to start exploring individually. We liked how they incorporated the ancient characters as part of the puzzle design. We can see why this is a family friendly game as there’s features where the kids would easily be able to complete and be “wowed” by. We definitely felt like we were in an “Indiana Jones” movie during parts of the game. As escapees who’s played a good amount of games by now, it’s not very difficult from a puzzle aspect but since our friends only tried a few, we had a good time playing with them. There’s one particular puzzle at the beginning and at the end that gave us a little bit of an issue and I wonder how groups that get mixed together do on these as we find that it’s actually better to just let one person handle the puzzle. The other people may just have to stand around and watch him/her when it gets to that point. It might be more beneficial to just let one person try as we realized by having everyone crowd around that person didn’t really help speed up the process. Overall, we had a great time at Spellbound and we can’t wait until they release their two new games that they have planned for the near future. If you want to save some money and not lose it in the casino, Spellbound is definitely where you want to spend it! 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 Spellbound Escapes for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Adventure #Connecticut #USA