LOCATION: Portland, Maine, USA Photo above is property of Maine Escape Games Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Escape Your Fears 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 18, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 9/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $35/PP (more on weekends) ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes (54:22) 📖 THE STORY You and your team have been kidnapped by a madman who loves two things: puzzles, and killing people who aren’t good at solving puzzles. Fortunately, you’ve got a chance to escape, but your wits will have to be very quick. You’ve got one hour to solve the madman’s puzzles and earn your freedom… or else. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE If you like jumpscares and live-actor interaction, this room does a great job of using these elements to ramp up tension, and even incorporates them into the puzzle design in some clever ways. Puzzle elements are tactile and fun to interact with. Lots of attention is placed on objects that can be manipulated in interesting ways, rather than on simple riddles and paper problems. The room presents a high level of challenge, but virtually everything feels fair, which isn’t always the case for rooms with a low escape rate. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One or two props feature wear that slightly affects their functionality, and some puzzles aren’t quite as intuitive as those in the other rooms at Maine Escape Games. Live actor interaction probably should have been advertised on the website. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "Escape Your Fears" is sure to be a memorable room for me, in large part because it was the first room I have been in that used a live actor. While I wish this had been advertised on the website for the benefit of those who aren’t fond of jumpscares, the presence of a masked killer lurking in dark recesses just outside the room and harassing us when we least expected it gave this room a tension I’m not used to. I’ve been hesitant to try such experiences before, but this one struck a nice balance of keeping the killer menacing without interrupting the flow of the puzzles. This is the oldest room currently in operation at Maine Escape Games, and the age shows in some minor aspects of wear and puzzle design. Technology is less present than in its more recent peers, but it remains an excellent experience that wows with other aspects of its design. The puzzles here incorporate custom props with a high degree of tactility, from hefty boards to creepy baby carriages to ash-covered bones from previous victims of the killer’s rampage. The puzzles and the space itself are also designed in a way that makes it feel as though the killer is egging you on, deliberately toying with you as he challenges your group to solve his puzzles in time. He’s a killer with personality, and that shows in the journey you take to escape his clutches. "Escape Your Fears" is a strong escape room definitely worthy of a look, though the difficulty level here is noticeably higher than the other rooms at Main Escape Games. Their website even features a warning that the room is particularly challenging, along with a recommendation that groups have at least four members. We managed to finish it with two, but given that it was with three hints and just over five minutes on the clock, I think the website’s recommendation of four or more experienced players is warranted. If that’s you (and you don’t mind some jumpscares from a really creepy clown) you’ll have a great time here! Photos above re property of Maine Escape Games ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Plenty of parking available just outside the front door. Merchandise available for purchase in the lobby. The building itself is handicap accessible, but the final area of this room is not owing to a narrow entranceway. 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 Maine Escape Games for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion of the review whatsoever. #KevinHelock #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Horror #MaineEscapeGames #Portland #Maine #USA

Videos/ Photos provided by Breakout KC (Swell Spark) Company: Breakout KC (Swell Spark) Game: Runaway Railcar Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Adventure Date Played: 7/8/2020 Difficulty (based on 4 players): 5/10 Size of Team: 2-6 Players Time: 45 Minutes Price: $54.56 (tax included)/ team "Runaway Railcar" was a 30 minute mobile game that was converted to a remote escape room experience. This was the second trailer game we've played (the first one was in a caravan in Italy). This trailer truck (photo below) was parked right outside Breakout KC's headquarter in Kansas City. We did experience a bit of a lag since they were using a router for the WiFi but it didn't have too much impact on the game play. The game started with the avatar (Bobby) giving us a quick tour of the room. Our goal was to stop a railcar that was heading straight for Union Station and the breaks were damaged! The game had a separate link which provided three videos (one was an intro) that you're able to view on your computers (headset recommended). The set design felt like we're in the cargo section of the train with all different types of wooden boxes surrounding us. Each of the boxes contained different clue pieces or puzzles. We especially enjoyed a "surprise find" which heightened the urgency of the situation. The videos were quite humorous and provided updates on the story line. Due to Bobby's lightning speed and 4 veteran escapers, (with combined escape room played total close to 2000) we got out with 22 minutes and 42 second left. The room was a lot of fun but we felt that it was too short in comparison to some of the other remote escape rooms with closer to 60 minutes of content since the pricing was comparable. It would be great if they were able to incorporate a bit more character play or story to make up for the play time. We are not saying to have a "slow lock opener" to drag out the play time but rather develop a separate digital game to incorporate to the remote game (a hybrid) so the players can have some interactive play on their own devices. Breakout KC definitely teased us with this game as we felt like we just started to enjoy the puzzles and it ended already. We look forward to a longer production from them in the near future as their puzzle quality and set design were delightful! *** 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, please remember to let them know that you heard it from"ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Breakout KC and Swell Spark 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 #SparkSwell #BreakoutKC #RunawayRailcar #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Train #rescue #save

LOCATION: St. Louis, Missouri, USA Above photo is property of Escape Challenge St. Louis 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Stranger Times 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 11, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 PPL): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up To 8ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $25/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY In the year 2021, the creatures of the “upside down” have ravaged the world you live in. Thankfully there is a time machine to send you back to Hawkins IN in the year 1984. It is up to your team of adventurers to stop upside down from being breached and make it back to the present day alive. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This room sells itself when it comes to the amount of detail they put into it. The set pieces and locations all felt familiar and reminded us exactly what decade we were sent back into. There were a lot of different puzzles and most were integrated into the room well. Some of them included classic 80s action figures, Eggo waffles, and blinking lights all seen within the show. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The puzzles didn't feel like they had a strong connection with the storyline. They were good puzzles but developing the story to try and get rid of the creatures from the upside down did not occur. The very first puzzle was a major logic leap, expect to get a hint. We talked to the game master about this puzzle after the room and she mentioned that most players can't figure out this puzzle. There is an excellent final room that was well done but when we solved the last puzzle the game master just came into the room and told us that we saved the world. A stronger ending would make this game feel a lot more conclusive. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? If you are a fan of "Stranger Things" this room does a good job at recreating some of the scenes in the show. It has some fun puzzles and great scenery that is sure to satiate the escape room fan. Playing this game with five people, we were able to complete it in ~45mins. The non-linearity of the game made it so that our party members felt like they were participating. If you love the show and want to relive the major moments while solving some puzzles at the same time, this is the room for you! Additional Info Parking lot Lobby area Head to head games VR 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"!) #MikeSchnurr #SciFi #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #USA #EscapeChallengeStLouis #StLouis #Missouri

LOCATION: Maplewood, Missouri, USA Photos above are property of Escape from St. Louis 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: WizardQuest 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 10, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Fantasy, Magical 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 4/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $34/PP (depend on group size) ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Starting your story in the days of the old and fantastical, where magic controls the land. An evil wizard set to poison the area's river is loose and it is up to you and your team of fledgling wizards to prevent the dastardly deed from occurring. You have tracked the wizard down to an old house in the forest and just as you think you have him surrounded, he teleports away. Try to recreate the teleportation spell and find the wizard before disease takes the land. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE WizardQuest utilizes the space they were given in a very well done manner. They manage to put secrets and hideaways in the most obvious spots while subverting expectations and still making it a surprise when it is revealed. The set design gives off a wonderful illusion that you have been transported to a new space, to a new world. Each step along the story's journey is well choreographed and the room's design enforces it. While completing the room, your group may be surprised just how many different types of puzzles are included in the game. There are high tech puzzles, logic puzzles, physical puzzles, there is a puzzle to please each person in your group 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I do not see any major issues with WizardQuest. It is an extremely well put together game. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? WizardQuest is one of my favorite games in the St. Louis area. The game starts out exactly how the storyline says it should and follows a narrative path that helps the team get to the end goal. The puzzles all made sense and they were just hard enough to make sure our team thought through the solutions. The reveals all throughout the room are a ton of fun. When you solve each puzzle it truly feels like you are progressing and learning how to cast each spell, brew each potion, master the elements and even commune with nature. Additional Head to head rooms Play at home escape game & online role playing games for sale 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 from St. Louis for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #MikeSchnurr #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Fantasy #Magical #EscapefromStLouis #USA #Missouri

LOCATION: Biloxi, Mississippi, USA Photo above has been provided by Escape This 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Kidnapped 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 21, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Kidnapping 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $20/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes This is the only escape room in Biloxi, MS. Being that we were in the area, we went to try it out. The lobby has a waiting area but not much decor. We've been to many local escape rooms before where the owner builds their own rooms but this has got to be one of the worst. First, we got there and were put into the room by our game master without any debriefing or backstory to the room. She told us to handcuff ourselves and then she just left. After we got out of our handcuffs by a very obvious clue gave us, we realized that all the combo boxes were open on the floor. Only about 50% of the room had been reset from the last group. We repeatedly called her on the camera to come and it took forever for her to respond. Finally, we pushed a door open (which should have been locked) to try to get her to come in. When she entered, she said that those boxes were supposed to be locked and then said something about her son's truck being broke down and she was very busy on her own. Regardless of what happened, we would've been happy just waiting there until the room was checked and reset before we entered. So the whole experience was ruined right from the beginning. We didn't feel immersed into the room at all. The shared bathroom was actually IN our room and we weren't sure if it was part of the set or not. Most of the puzzles were lockboxes placed everywhere in the room and you were suppose to just open them one after another with no logic or storyline whatsoever. Basically if we figured out a code, we should just try all of them. The worst part about it is that they used a lot of dial combination locks which we've NEVER used at any other location before. Mainly because these types of locks can be programmed to turn right and/or left a certain amount of times. This was the first escape room we played that we felt like we literally wanted to ESCAPE immediately! Since we were visiting, we had already booked a back-to-back room hoping that the next one - "Escape Krampus" would redeem itself and change our interpretation of them. (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"!) *We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but you want more info like if the room is a multi-room or what other additional tips we can provide to you, feel free to email us. #review #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #escapethis #kidnapped #mississippi #biloxi #ms

LOCATION: Biloxi, Mississippi, USA Photo above has been provided by Escape This 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Escape Krampus 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 21, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $20/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Read our review on the "Kidnapped" room in order to find out more about this escape location. After experiencing the first room, this "Escape Krampus" one wasn't much better. Our game master however was much more attentive. If we had to compare this room's design with the first one, this one was much better. After playing 60+ rooms in different locations, we've seen a lot. We would highly recommend that the owner of "Escape This" try other places in order to see where the competition level is and maybe upgrade some of the rooms to those standards. In terms of the puzzle designs, this room was a major improvement from the last, since now there's actually a storyline and it felt more linear. But there were still a few in there that we just couldn't understand why it was positioned that way. There was one puzzle in there that was really difficult for us to see. We would suggest either making it bigger, closer, or even providing binoculars. Also, we think these rooms could be greatly improved if the owner gets rid of the dial combination locks. They were very confusing to use as you really don't know how many times you have to turn it pass a number or not. Then it just becomes a number of attempts when you already have the correct code. There are many other locks that can get the job done much quicker and then the players can actually focus on the puzzle-solving instead. *** 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"!) *We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but you want more info like if the room is a multi-room or what other additional tips we can provide to you, feel free to email us. #review #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #escapethis #escapekrampus #krampus #mississippi #biloxi #ms

LOCATION: Ocean Springs, Mississippi, USA Photo above has been provided by Hint Hunter Puzzle Rooms Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Submarine 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 21, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Ocean 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up To 8ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $25/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes This location was a bit hard to find as it's in between the two building complexes, so if you see the police station (as that's where the GPS will bring you), the escape room is right behind it. The lobby is well designed and clean. There's some puzzles there but mostly for decor. The game master was quite immersive right from the beginning (maybe a "tad bit" too much). There's quite a long debriefing, so do plan your time wisely as you'll probably need an additional 20 minutes before your game time for the backstory. This room was mainly geared towards kids. The puzzles are very easy and direct to the point. The design of the room was fairly simple. The artwork on the wall was quite good, but it wasn't enough to make you feel like you're underwater in the ocean. We felt that most of the time we we're searching for items that are hidden instead of solving puzzles. We decided to book their "Wasted While" room back-to-back right there on the spot. (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"!) *We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but you want more info like if the room is a multi-room or what other additional tips we can provide to you, feel free to email us. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #HintHunterPuzzleRooms #Underwater #Adventure #Louisiana #USA

LOCATION: Ocean Springs, Mississippi, USA Photo above has been provided by Hint Hunter Puzzle Rooms 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Wasted While 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 21, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Cave 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 6 PPL): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up To 8ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $25/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Read our reviews of the "Submerged" room in order to find out more about this escape location. This room was much better in terms of set design and puzzle challenges. Immediately, you feel like you are in a coal mine right when you enter the room. We were joined by five military students who was stationed there locally. This room's difficulty level was definitely higher than the last room we tried so it was nice to have help. There was a good mixture of searching for clues and figuring out puzzles. However, due to the space, we felt that four people would've probably been a better fit. Obviously, it's a bit hard to see in there due to the fact that you are in a mine and not everyone was given a lantern. But I guess that kind of helped us to work in small groups together. There was a few red herrings in the room, but most of the storyline was quite clear. We ended up escaping with 13 minutes left on the clock. If you are in the area, we definitely recommend this room over the others at their location. (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"!) *We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but you want more info like if the room is a multi-room or what other additional tips we can provide to you, feel free to email us. #review #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #hinthunterpuzzlerooms #hinthunter #wastedwhile #mississippi #DIberville #ms

Videos/ Photos provided by Fuzzy Logic Escape Room Company: Fuzzy Logic Escape Room Game: Vet Office Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Fun, Adventure Date Played: 5/7/2020 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 6.5/10 Size of Team: Recommended Up to 8 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: $69.99 (1-2 Zoom Logins), $99.99 (Unlimited Logins) When I first contacted Fuzzy Logic Escape Room and asked them to suggest a room for us to play, they immediately went for "Vet Office". I was leaning towards their other rooms since "Superheroes" or "Villains" sounded more intriguing. At first glance, we thought the room was quite small and not sure how we were suppose to last 60 minutes with 5 players that have all done over hundreds of escape rooms. Boy were we wrong! This is a classic "don't judge a book by it's cover" scenario. As we opened one lock more "mystery" unraveled. We really loved the fact that we had a real time inventory list sent to us as we discovered the items. This really helped the team divide and conquer puzzles like what we would normally do in a physical location. The camera was also very clear (except one puzzle was hard to see due to the angle) and the internet connection was smooth throughout. The cherry on top was our avatar staying in character the entire time. He knew just the right amount of "speed" to complete a task. In some rooms we've encountered avatars being super slow at opening locks or asking us three times to confirm if we wanted to open the lock or not. It was as if they wanted to drag out the 60 minutes. Our avatar played like how we would in an escape room. The puzzles were a lot of fun and very logical. I personally really enjoyed the final puzzle. By the looks on our victory photo, you can tell this is easily one of our favorite remote escape rooms! *** This game can no longer be booked as a remote game but can still be booked as an in-person experience *** (If you do decide to try this game, please remember to let them know that you heard it from"ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Fuzzy Logic Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #FuzzyLogicEscapeRoom #VetOffice #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #ESCAPETHEROOMers #puzzles

Videos/ Photos provided by Fuzzy Logic Escape Room Company: Fuzzy Logic Escape Room Game: Concert Quest Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Live Stream Puzzle 🗣 Genre: Fun, Adventure Date Played: 9/16/2020 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 5.5/10 Size of Team: Recommended Up to 8 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: $69.99 (1-2 Zoom Logins)/ $99.99 (Unlimited Logins) We've been invited to beta test Fuzzy Logic Escape Room's new game "Concert Quest". Whenever there's a new game from Fuzzy Logic Escape Room, we are always excited to play. They've always been able to provide a refreshing and creative experience with all of their games. We first played their remote escape room game - "Vet Office" back in May '20 followed by their live streaming puzzle game - "Fantasy Escape" in June '20. Both games were super fun and exciting and delivered that "Fuzzy Logic" consistency throughout! DJ BEaST is having one last final concert performance! You and your friends have a chance to win a VIP exclusive backstage tour but only if you can prove that you are his biggest fans!! I love this storyline because I'm a huge fan of anything relating to music. This really reminded me of how I'm always trying to get that VIP backstage pass to meet and hang out with the artists! But only the truest and top knowledgeable contender can enter that backstage door. I wish we were able to play this game in person because I can just imagine being backstage w/ the music blasting on the other side of the wall while we're trying to gain access. The puzzles were a lot of fun and had a good mixture of different challenges which allowed us to divide and conquer. One thing we love about their puzzle design is that they are not too difficult but there's a ton of them to go through. It's that fast paced game flow that keeps that excitement for us throughout the game. And if you love locks, you'll fall in love with this set. The set design was as good as a "green room" should appear to be. The only thing that was missing was a sofa and a large bag of chips! Overall, "Concert Quest" was a lot of fun and entertaining but what really added the cherry on top for us (as usual) was the avatar Jayson! The high energy and non-stop charisma was provided to us continuously throughout the game. Since we were beta testing "Concert Quest", there were a few minor suggestions that we made. However, Fuzzy Logic is great at understanding what makes an escape room fun and continues the game flow. We can't wait to hear the public's opinions about the game because this room is guaranteed to bring out the inner groupie in all of us! And if they do end up incorporating a karaoke segment, we'll definitely be back to replay this room! *** 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 Fuzzy Logic Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #FuzzyLogicEscapeRoom #ConcertQuest #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #ESCAPETHEROOMers #puzzles

LOCATION: Gurnee, Illinois, USA Photo above is property of 60 To Escape Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Hidden Temple 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 19, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 PPL): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $32-45/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY World famous intrepid adventurer, Action Jones, mysteriously disappeared while on assignment at an ancient hidden temple. Has he run off with a priceless relic? Or met some other end on his perilous journey? Now, it’s your job to go in, find out what happened, search for treasure, and discover all the mysteries the temple holds! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE In 60 to Escape’s "Hidden Temple" game, you are transported from an ordinary suburban shopping mall to a mysterious stone temple. The theme is approachable and fun. The stone set decor and movie-ready props are effective and make you want to throw yourself into the adventure. The gameplay offers ample opportunities to make satisfying connections (aha!). Many of the puzzles feature code breaking and symbol translation or identifying and replicating sequences. Each area of the game focuses has a main puzzle. One of the cornerstone puzzles does require a bit of math, so if that’s not your thing, bring along a friend that knows basic addition. As you progress, you’ll realize there is much more to explore than it first seemed. Each new chamber you open adds to the experience. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The game is dimly lit throughout—there’s even a warning on the website about low lighting levels. We were given a torch and a lantern. This really adds to the sense that you are an archeologist/adventurer exploring an ancient and unknown ruin. (When I explore hidden temples in real life, there are seldom ample working lighting fixtures and high levels of ambient lighting.) However, it would have been great if each member of the party had their own flashlight so they could explore independently without the frustration of having to wait for their teammate to pass over the dim lantern. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? If you’re up for an adventure, the Hidden Temple delivers it with an escape room that invites exploration and rewards you with more discoveries and surprises the deeper into the temple you go. You owe it to your inner Harrison Ford to explore the Hidden Temple. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO 60 to Escape is located inside the Gurnee Mills shopping center (near the movie theater and food court). There is a second 60 to Escape location near Milwaukee with an entirely different set of rooms. Photos above are property of 60 To Escape (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 60 To Escape for providing a media discount for this game. Although a discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #JenMcphilimy #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Adventure #60ToEscape #HiddenTemple #Illinois #USA

LOCATION: McHenry, Illinois, USA Photo above is property of Twisted Limits Escape Rooms Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Passage 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 20, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Exploration 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 PPL): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 90 Mins 💰 PRICE: $40/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY A mysterious company called ONERIOS has engaged you and your team to investigate a paranormal site. Another team had been doing scientific research below ground and reported discovering a mystifying artifact tied to an unfathomable passageway right before all communications were cut off. Your assignment is to explore the caves, find their equipment, and retrieve the artifact. You must retrace their steps, wherever they take you! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The most noteworthy aspects of "The Passage" are in the set design. Upon entering the game, you find yourself in an underground cave. The atmosphere is cool and believably carved out of rock. You even hear the sound of water running underground in the distance. The room’s designers were clearly ambitious in their plans. As you turn the corner, you see that that water sound is coming from an audacious water feature—which is topped by an even more impressive set element later in the game that will make your head spin. The 90-minute time limit affords the experience extra depth (as compared to standard one-hour games). There was a blend of puzzle types and each major area of the game had multiple puzzles that could be worked on simultaneously. Physical props and room elements were integrated into the puzzle solving. Our gamemasters went above and beyond to make our game play enjoyable. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK We encountered some difficulty with the keypad locks in the room. Once we had the correct combinations, it took us a number of tries to input them into the locks as the ambient noise level drowned out the lock’s audio feedback. Hints, guidance, and story prompts are provided via a tablet screen that you take with you through the room. In a couple of the puzzles, a little more signposting within the room could have reduced our hint count and reliance on that system. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "The Passage" delivers an immersive environment and good puzzles with a bit of intrigue. The room’s namesake feature is totally worth the trip. "The Passage" will work well for large groups. There’s enough space for everyone to fit without climbing over each other (We attempted it with just two players and wished we had more). Twisted Limits Escape Rooms are located in a small strip mall (so no trouble parking). There are two other Twisted Limit locations also in McHenry—one with ax throwing and the other with laser tag. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Twisted Limits has a lobby area with escape games (Unlock, Exit, etc) for sale and a large lounge area with seating, puzzles, video games, and a pool table (we arrived early and enjoyed a game of pool and a complimentary beverage before our game). 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 Twisted Limits Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #JenMcphilimy #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Exploration #TwistedLimitsEscapeRooms #Illinois #USA

LOCATION: McHenry, Illinois, USA Photo above is property of Twisted Limits Escape Rooms Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Behind The Curtain 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 20, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Theatrical, Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $30/PP ☎️ BOOKINGTYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY A mysterious research and development company called ONEIROS has asked you to help track down one of their human test subjects. (No, that’s not super sketchy at all.) The test subject is on the run, and the lead recovery agent has tracked them as far as an old theater. It’s up to you to get inside the theater, confirm the test subject’s whereabouts, and report back. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Twisted Limits did a phenomenal job of creating a backstage theater area that feels authentic through the use of props like curtain ropes, costumes, trunks, theater seats, and more. There are a wide variety of puzzle types in the game, including spatial logic, pattern matching, and search. A few of which cleverly used props in inventive ways. (And the connection between two areas of the game is a fun surprise.) At the end, your efforts in the room are rewarded with a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The first phase of the game features a lot of locks. When you find a key or a combination, trial and error is required to figure out what opens. One of the puzzles revolves around an item that is small and difficult to see and interact with. Some of the activities required instructions that had to be cued through the game’s hint system. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The abandoned theater setting/theme of "Behind The Curtain" is entertaining, and the storyline is imaginative. There are a lot of physical aspects to the room. In the course of events, you’ll have to climb over things, pull heavy boxes off of high shelves, dig around for things, and rearrange heavy set pieces. If you aren’t able or interested in all of that, this isn’t the room for you. If you are up for it, you’ll get a workout solving a fun room. Twisted Limits Escape Rooms are located in a small strip mall (so no trouble parking). There are two other Twisted Limit locations also in McHenry—one with ax throwing and the other with laser tag. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Twisted Limits has a lobby area with escape games (Unlock, Exit, etc) for sale and a large lounge area with seating, puzzles, video games, and a pool table (we arrived early and enjoyed a game of pool and a complimentary beverage before our game). 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 Twisted Limits Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #JenMcphilimy #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Theatrical #Mystery #TwistedLimitsEscapeRooms #Illinois #USA

LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Photo above is property of New Mexico Escape Room Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Bombshell 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 20, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Thriller, Mob 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $28.50/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: No 📖 THE STORY You've been summoned by your organization to take down a very bad and powerful man, Vittorio Bosargio. But it seems like things aren't going according to plan as someone has tipped Vittorio off about your plans to sneak into his warehouse. Will you make it out alive? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE New Mexico Escape Room not only made the interior of the escape room look amazing (an eerie, abandoned warehouse) but also the outside as well! Unlike most typical escape rooms where you're led to a regular door, this time you'll be entering through a metal rolling door in a dimly lit alleyway. Rather than having a game master type the clues onto the tv screen, there was a cool mechanism that they used in this room to connect you with the game master. It worked really well with the storyline. Since there's a limit of 3 hints for this room, it was helpful to have this type of clue system to make sure you fully understood the clues be handed to you. During the game, there was a transitional room that easily became our favorite part of this game. The special effect was phenomenal and we definitely felt the movement through motion, light and sound. It even gave us an ending that we didn't expect. There was a good variation of puzzle types in this room, including a handful of physical puzzles, logic puzzles, and an audio puzzle. Some puzzles could only be done by one person but others will definitely require collaboration from your teammates. "Bombshell" really gives all the players an opportunity to do something. We loved the way we exited the game. It was so creative and it gave us that conclusion to this story that we needed. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK We spend a good amount of time in the first room, because we couldn't find something. Maybe the clue could be a little bit more prominent? It would have been nice to get a "nudge" from the game master regarding this as it was more of a "search and find" rather than a puzzle. This caused us to not have enough time to complete the tasks in the latter part of the game. If the room could provide a flash light rather than us having to use our own phone, that would be better. We would've rather left everything behind in the real world when entering this immersive one. The wording on one of the logic puzzles at the beginning confused us. It felt like it could be interpreted in more than one way. An audio puzzle in the latter part of the game also felt like there could be more than one solution pending on how the sound was analyzed. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Having a minimum of 4 people for this room is definitely what we would have suggested as well. It's a tough room for two players as you can see we didn't escape in time. There's just a lot of puzzles and some physical and logic ones that will take time to solve. Regardless, we still would go back and play another game at this location in a heart beat. The set designs are massive and they definitely have the narratives down as well. Who says taking down a mob leader was going to be easy? ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking lot right in front Large lobby with seating Merchandise and drinks for purchase Please note: This game requires some physicality where players may have to kneel into low positions, crouch, and climb up and down steps. There are also uneven and moving floors, and small spaces. 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 New Mexico 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 #EscapeRooms #Thriller #Mafia #USA #NewMexicoEscapeRoom #NewMexico

LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Photo above is property of Escape In Time Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Amarna Letters 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 20, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Egyptian 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $115-185/TEAM (pending on size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Queen Ankhesenamun has gone missing! King Tut is very worried and has decided to sent you on a mission to find her. What clues might you find locked up in her quarters? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE A lot of research has been put into the design of this room and you can tell from the props that they've decided to use. The statues, painting, jars, and the numerous cool locks that we discovered during the game felt like we were in an Egyptian museum exhibit. We were surprised by how some of the locks or hidden compartments opened during the game. It was all manual (which fit with the timeline) but very unique in terms of the build. There was an interesting twist in the latter part of the game, literally. It took us out her quarters and made us feel like we've been transported into another setting. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some items needed to be bolted down and updated. This room was pretty heavy on the "search and find" component. One puzzle felt a bit too long and would probably occupy most of that player's time if he/she was going to be the designated solver for that puzzle. It would be a shame for him/her to miss out on the rest of the room. We suggest cutting that translation puzzle down a bit in terms of length. A decor in the latter part of the game didn't fit in with the timeline. Perhaps Egyptian doors might fit better with the theme? One of the solutions was really easy to guess the answer without having to solve the puzzle (at least for enthusiasts). It might be best to pick a different word to enforce the player to have to solve a puzzle instead of just taking the obvious one. We weren't sure what we had to do in order to complete this room. If there was a place for an "input" or a more definite instruction at the beginning, that will help. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room is stated as their most difficult room. I do believe the "search and find" aspect of the room will take up a good amount of time (unless you are good at it which we're totally not). Just like their Captain Morgan room, they've incorporated a lot of history in the storytelling. You actually feel like you learned something after completing the game. Escape in Time build all their games in house. Although most of their rooms are not high tech rooms, it does fit well with the time frame they're aiming for. If you're looking to travel through time, they have 5 different themes (with a new one on the way) for you to choose from. Make sure to treat yourself to one of their yummy ice cream cones if you successfully escape this one! You deserve it! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking lot right in front (underground parking, when you see Ace Hardware, it's right underneath it) Lobby with seating area Ice cream shop attached to the escape room location (can host parties) Two kids escape rooms (can host parties) 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 In Time 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 #Egyptian #EscapeInTime #USA #NewMexico