LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Photo above is property of Escape In Time Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Captain Morgan 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 20, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Pirate 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 PPL): 6/10 👥 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 As part of Captain Morgan's crew, you might be facing trial in England. Your only hope for freedom is to find the treasure that he has hidden in his cabin. Hopefully you'll get lucky and can buy your way out of this mess? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Brownie points for the game master as he really got into character at the start of the game! We had a real pirate doing the intro and outro and that really set our mood for the rest of the game. The mission was clear and we knew exactly what we had to do in order to survive. Escape In Time actually took time to research the history behind this era. The props used (even the locks) were all relevant to the time frame. 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. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was a puzzle were we were supposed to solve using a hint in a journal but we ended up skipping it somehow and found the secret compartment on our own. This confused us later when we discovered the journal as we didn't know we had already completed that puzzle. We felt that some hints in the journal were too "revealing" as certain answers could be easily guessed through the clues as there were only that many letters/numbers to choose from. 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. Some props in the room needed updating. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Escape in Time is a family owned business. You can tell that they really care about the customer service. Right when you enter the door, you'll be greeted by smiles. If you are a history fan, you'll love the different themed games that they have to offer. You might even have an upper hand at solving some of the puzzles if you knew a few languages. As enthusiasts, from a puzzle perspective, we think there's still some room for improvement as some solutions were too direct and the clues were not as clear. But we do love the personal touch they put into their build as we did feel surprised by some of the discoveries we made throughout the game. The best part was when we successfully found the treasure! And if you are not on a keto diet like us, you might even be rewarded with some ice cream! 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 #Pirate #EscapeInTime #USA #NewMexico

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California,USA Photo above is property of Hatch Escapes Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Lab Rat 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 16, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-12 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: Mon - Thurs: $44.00/ pp (4 ppl), Fri - Sun: $49.00/ pp (4 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Your team has been trapped in an alternate reality where rats perform experiments on humans. In this world, you are small and playing the role of test subject for Ratkenstein, a grad student working on his doctorate. In order for Ratkenstein to graduate, they must provide the university with a dissertation and if they deem no use for human test subjects, then you will be chipped up and made into a human paste. Lucky for your group, the tests that are needed to be performed are to be done outside the cage. This is the chance you have been waiting for to escape! No time to lose! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE From the moment you step inside the room, everything has grown to its proper size as if you are a tiny little animal. Changing the perspective really makes the group become immersed as they step in. The storyline and comedy in the room is extremely well done. In a dark comedy tone, the room's story is conveyed to you. We were laughing our butts off and wanting to complete the room just to hear Ratkenstein’s responses through the trials they are putting us through. Most of the puzzles in this game are physical in nature! There was much care and effort developing the room to include the sheer amount of things to do in many unique ways to perform the solutions. For each action you perform, there are light and sound cues that create a unique experience and make your group feel as though you are in your own personal theatrical showing. The ending of the game completes the idea that you were in a movie-like experience and it will want you coming back for more. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK After much consideration, no comments in this section are needed. (having a working human hamster wheel would be a ton of fun though) 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Lab Rat’s immersion of story and scenic with a large emphasis on fun puzzle design makes this a must play room. The room feels like a playground and instantly takes the group to a place of wonderment and awe when they see what Hatch Escapes have created. With the room taking place in such a large area, communication and observational skills are key. Pay attention to the fun designs and intricate set pieces for you might not know what is needed. There are twists and turns at every corner and, during one portion of the room, is an ingenious misdirection that had the group laughing and shouting. All five of the main senses are used during play and having a little treat for the taste sense really chimes a bell on how enjoyable this room is. There are no live rats in this game, just the joyfully dry and dark Ratkenstein to lead you through his tests and hopefully for them, find a reason to turn you into human paste. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Street Parking One person must climb a ladder Lobby with games 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 Hatch Escapes 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 #Thriller #HatchEscapes #LabRat #California #USA

Location: San Francisco, California, USA Photo above is property of Real Escape Game by SCRAP Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: "Spellbound Supper" 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 21, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Magical 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 5 ppl): 9/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE:  $32.00 USD/ pp (weekdays), $33.00 USD/ pp (weekends) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers We’ve tried a few different games in Japan when we went to visit Real Escape Game by SCRAP and they were all very original and fun. We were of course very excited to try one of their rooms again in California as this game was only available in Japanese when we went. This time we went to their Japantown location. Other than this escape room, they also have "Pacific Rim: Shatterdome Defenders" (check out the original piece from the movie set!) and Escape from the Puzzle Room in this location as well so be sure to check those out as well. Also they have another location on Polk street which has the escape games of "Popstar’s Room of Doom" and "Escape from the Jail" which we didn’t have time to try this time but would love to check out next time as we find that SCRAP always is very revolutionary in terms of coming out with new “ideas” on escape room concepts. “Spellbound Supper” is an escape game that’s definitely unique as it’s played by sitting down around an interactive table the entire time with 3 players being the minimum and 5 being the max as each player will have a particular assignment and you can’t really accomplish it with less than the needed amount of personnel. We were happy to be joined by ESCAPETHEROOMers' fans and made our table of 5. Our game master was very much in character and our supper begun after an extensive introduction to the game play. The powerful witch has invited us to her supper and we definitely did not want to become one of her victims. It was very important to listen clearly to instructions as clearly, we didn’t. This game has an escape rate of less than 5% for a reason and I have to say there’s definitely a bit of luck involved at the end as it’s not one of those rooms where asking for help was an option to assist your escape. The projection table game concept is very cool since the sound, color and puzzles were all able to come together with the story. The only thing we had some issues with was the fact that there was a bit of a delay in terms of the game reset and also just in general as we never knew if it reset or not and the waiting definitely became a bit nerve wracking as time was counting down and there’s really no help that can be given at that point. We felt that for players who play more video game type of puzzle games, this may be more advantageous for them. It is definitely very fun to see a new concept of escape game. We wonder if this can be ever developed into maybe even a 4D experience with smell, taste and actual object of 3D to touch? I’m sure with the technological advances daily this is not a dream too far from reality. ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Real Escape Games by SCRAP (San Francisco)" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Real Escape Games by SCRAP for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #RealEscapeGame #SCRAP #Magical #California #USA

Location: San Francisco, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME:  Escape from Blind Tiger Bar 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 22, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7 .5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $45.50/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE:  Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Escape SF is a store front location and street parking can become challenging. They do have a parking lot that’s quite close, but it will require an uphill hike to get there so be sure to leave ample time if you decide to drive. The lobby isn't that big, but it's very cozy with plenty of seating and lockers. We played one of their older rooms “Escape from Blind Tiger Bar”. As we descended into the basement, it definitely gave the “secret bar” themed room an added-on mysterious vibe. This is the first room we played that had a very intriguing storyline to start. We don’t want to give away any spoilers, so you’ll have to find out yourself. The storyline takes place during the Prohibition Era and seven of the biggest bootlegging bosses of the country have been arrested in a historic sweep as they were sitting in an underground speakeasy divvying up territories of influence and lucrative rum-running routes. The room décor definitely gave that speakeasy bar vibe along with some surprise finds throughout. There were a few clever ways that they used some objects you can find in a bar within the puzzles, so we really appreciated that they stuck with the theme throughout. There might be some advantages to knowing a few games that can be seen in bars or pubs but it is not required and there are clear directions in case you have not played them before. As a result, we did get stumbled on one of those puzzles. This room is definitely more towards the tech side than lock crazy so if you are a lock lover and can’t feel satisfied without opening a few locks, then this may not be for you. However, in this room we found clever ways that puzzles were utilized to reveal the clues. Currently, they do have three other rooms on site: "Escape from Antique Room", "Escape from Alcatraz", and "Space Bus". We can’t wait to return to try the others! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank EscapeSF 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 #EscapeSF #Mystery #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of Fox In A Box (LA) Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Other Side 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 8, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi, Supernatural 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.50-$45.60/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY An evil spirit has opened a portal into a dark dimension. We as a secret order of the guardians have to venture into the other side to close the portal or else the whole world will be in danger! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This isn't the first dimensional portal experience we’ve played but definitely one that’s the most drastic in terms of the set design. The portal “transportation” was my favorite part of the game design. Story line tied in with the set design. The ceiling decor was amazing. Love it when the puzzles are utilized in the story line. In this case, it was very clever how it was “transformed” in the other dimension Great use of the fog, lighting, and sound at the right moments. We love a strong ending. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The latter puzzles were a lot more intriguing and tied in with the story line than the beginning ones. The ending part seemed to trigger before we had the last puzzle piece in. We thought we had to do a bit more according to the clue message so that was a bit confusing to us. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room had a little mixture of a magic, mystical feel as well as a little horror. We really enjoy the concept. If you love surprises, then this room had a ton. Some parts of the room will be played in dim light so make sure you are comfortable with that. We got out with just the two of us but if you just started playing escape rooms, we would suggest an ideal group of four. Let us know your thoughts when you travel back from the dimensions! 🔎 HINT You might want to look at it from another angle. Photos above are property of Fox In A Box (LA) ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Fox in a Box LA" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Fox in a box LA 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 #FoxInABox #SciFi #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Cartman's Escape Room 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 8, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Cartoon, Kids, Family, Comedy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $35.00-$37.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Cartman: “Screw you guys, I’m going to skoooool!” ETR: You mean escape from school? Cartman: “Respect ma authoritah!” ETR: ….” Oh my God, they killed Kenny!” And so it begins… Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This room had us laughing the entire time. From the original South Park dialog to the interactive hint system given by the game master, we loved being called “Dumb”. We haven’t seen much puzzles that can incorporate humor, so this was entertaining. Hint system was fun and different. We enjoyed not having to hold a walkie talkie. We felt like we’ve been transported into the actual cartoon. The vibrant colors of the room created a happy atmosphere right away. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Although most props were well made, some seemed to have needed some update already. One particular puzzle had some parts of the pen marks that were worn off. Could those be printed on instead? Although outside knowledge of the show was not needed to solve the puzzles, some puzzle pieces did have a relevance to the show and because we haven’t seen the episode, we did not get the correlation. One item was not mentioned to us at the beginning that was usable during the game play which caused us a hint later on since we thought everything that was needed was in the room already. It may be worth it for the game master to double check to make sure that the players have what they needed before entering the room. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Cartman’s Escape Room is officially licensed with South Park & Comedy Central. This definitely helped with how authentic the set designed looked. If you are a South Park fan and love some comedy, this is a must do room. We had a few minutes left on the clock with just the two of us but there were a lot to explore and do in the room. Ideally 4-6 people would be a great number for this room. Don’t let Cartman call you “dumb” and save Kenny! 🔎 HINT You may not need all the pieces. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Escape The Room LA 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 #EscapeTheRoomLA #Southpark #Comedy #Adventure #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of MagIQ Escape Room 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Secrets of Wizardry 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 8, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Magic, Fantasy, Wizardry 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $24.00-$38.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY We are being sent into the wizard’s chamber while he’s away. We have 60 minutes to find out his secrets… Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Love the creativity behind the set design of the room, especially the ceiling. Immediately you would feel it’s out of the ordinary and something magical is happening here. The visuals on a few props in the latter part of the game also felt enchanting. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The location needs some updating in the lobby and hallway area. The rooms look much better in condition than the outside appearance. The walkie talkie for hints was quite hard to hear at times. There was also a bit of delay during the clue giving. Some props and wall paint need some updating. Few puzzles did not feel connected with the story line. The ending could use a bit more “wow” moment effect. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Kids would love the set design and puzzles in this room. It’s not a difficult room but the theme would attract the curiosity bug in the kids. The room is quite spacious so if you have a group of kids, they should fit comfortably in there. Our recommended team size would be 2-3 people for experienced players. Put on your robes and enter the magic world of wizardry. 🔎 HINT Did you check all your belongings? Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank MagIQ 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 #MagIQEscapeRoom #Magic #Fantasy #California #USA

LOCATION: North Hills, California, USA Photo above is property of Amazing Escape Room 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Escape from the X Corporation 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 8, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Suspense 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY We were volunteers in a drug test experiment called "X7". We woke up in a bizarre room with strangers and none of us know how we got here. There’s a sign that says, “continue the test” and a countdown clock. This can’t be good. We needed to escape this evil X Corporation within 60 minutes…Or else… Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Various puzzles at the beginning part of the room was a lot of fun. The mixture of lock puzzles and mag locks had a good balance. The room was non-linear so we could work on different puzzles simultaneously. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The set design was fairly basic. If dimmer lighting and music could be added, it may bring out more of the mysterious factor in Corporation X. There was hint for a puzzle in the beginning stages of the room that hinted for a sequence that the puzzle needed to be put into but for some reason a randomized input also worked for us. We think it’s best to either remove that hint or make sure the puzzle is coordinated with the hint so there will be no confusion. A visualization puzzle in the latter part of the game was somewhat confusing. There was a good amount of repetitive usage for one puzzle. It would be great if some variation could be put into it. Some props felt dated and need updating. The story lacked a conclusion. We were hoping for a bigger “wow” moment as a reward for the lengthy puzzle we just solved. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room was puzzle heavy. If you don’t really care much for set design or story line and want to be challenged with various types of puzzles including multi-step ones, then you’ll be very satisfied at the end. We suggest going with more people if you haven’t played many escape rooms, but we were able to get out with just the two of us with few seconds left on the clock. 🔎 HINT You may need to visualize it from a different angle. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform that "Amazing Escape Room (Northridge)" has closed. (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Amazing Escape Rooms (Northridge) 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 #AmazingEscapeRoom #Mystery #Suspense #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of Escapedom 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Cranial Carnival 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 7, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Thriller, Suspense, Circus 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $28.00-$33.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Anatoly Smith was found in a coma after getting lost in the Hall of Mirrors in the carnival. His father assembled a team to enter his subconscious mind and try to lock away what he saw that scared him into his current state. But we only have 60 minutes or else his body will create antibodies that will eliminate us forever! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The unique concept and story line were quite refreshing. We have not encountered anything like this yet. As we entered the room, we immediately felt like we were transported into someone’s brain. The use of the padding was great as it created the cranial look but also acted as an excellent soundproof device. The incorporation of various playable carnival games closely tied the story line together. The game flow was nice. We had fun dividing tasks as a team of four since the game was nonlinear. The room also had some “fun house” element that we’ve never seen before. We liked the conceptual way of how these puzzles were designed. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One puzzle was tricky to visualize for us as enthusiasts. I wonder if other players would have a hard time with it or not. We didn’t particularly enjoy that puzzle. The input was also very sensitive as we thought we put it on the right spots, but nothing happened until we tried a few times. A puzzle malfunctioned a few times and eventually the game master had to come into the room to fix it. We hope this issue would be resolved for future games. (Update 12/24/19: We've been told by the venue that this puzzle has been fixed since our visit) If the hint system could be incorporated as a boy’s voice speaking to the room, it would add to the immersion factor. At times, it was quite hard to hear the hints. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Love carnivals and games? You’ll be very entertained in this room then. We had some help from our friends this time and with the four of us, we got out with some time left on the clock. Our recommended number for this room depends on how many rooms you’ve played. But we think 4-6 people would be perfect. Teamwork was essential in us escaping out of this one. 🔎 HINT Might help to delegate and each remember some. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform that "Escapedom" has closed. Disclosure: We thank Escapedom 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 #Escapedom #Thriller #Suspense #Circus #California #USA

LOCATION: Pomona, California, USA Photo above is property of Chronos Escape Room 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Awakened 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 9, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-12 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY For our spare time of fun, we apparently love to explore abandoned high schools. What we did not know was that this was the playground of the infamous serial killer Freddy who murdered his classmates several years ago. Will we come out of this alive? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Boy was this a large space to explore for just the two of us (1,500 sq. ft. to be exact)! The room’s set design was already extremely creepy looking but due to the “echoing” of the large space, it added even more intensity to the horror factor. Discovering the hidden elements as we moved forward in the story was a lot of fun. We liked how each room’s set design was so different. They kind of resembled different categories of class subjects and that made perfect sense since we’re in a school. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The hallway and outside area of the actual rooms could use some decor. It felt like it was still under construction. We think by adding decor it can bring up the immersive experience to another level. More puzzles could be added to this room due to the enormous space it has. Often times we felt that it was wasteful to have just a single puzzle in an entire room. There’s definitely potential to make this into a 90 minute or longer room. Since you can comfortably fit over 10 people in the room, they might get out much sooner with the number of puzzles right now. The room was very linear. If there were a large group, some players may become observers. We think it’s best to add in some more puzzles to make it less linear. Some puzzles and props needed to be more relative to the story line. We are not exactly sure what happened at the end in terms of the ending story. Sound effects could be added for more “wow” effects. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Love haunted houses but too scared to go in because there are live actors? Well, this is your “cheat” room! I’m a scaredy-cat myself. My brain completely shuts down when I get scared. With this room, you’ll still be able to solve puzzles but still have that anxiety feeling of “someone is watching you” the entire time. We love to see what the owner will do with this room as we think it has great potential to become something really different in the industry and we hope for a 120 minute+ game! 🔎 HINT You may have to go back and take another look. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out the 2.0 version of this game on their website*** (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Chronos 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 #ChronosEscapeRoom #Horror #California #USA

LOCATION: Redlands, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Island Paradise 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 9, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 9/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $27.00/ pp, $160.00 (Private) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public/ Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY We were finally going on a vacation! Of course, with our luck we would end up on a cannibal island. Hopefully we’ll be able to escape before becoming dinner! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Room design felt very tropical. Our first observation felt like we were on a deserted island and one of us was locked up in the locals’ hut. Props used were all relative to the story line. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was a good amount of red herrings in this room. Some maglocks could use some updating. We had to try a few times and jiggle a bit for some to work. A lot of the puzzles were difficult due to the” time-consuming” factors but not really logically hard. One particular one was really difficult to visualize as the puzzle does take time and a part of your body will actually become painful. Some puzzles weren't relative to the story. Since there are two rooms in play, it would be great to see the lighting and atmosphere change a bit (maybe one being bright and the other dimmer and more mysterious feel) and perhaps if music could change as well as time went on, it’ll add to the immersive feel of the game. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? We like the concept of the story. We were not particularly fond of the puzzles (Full disclosure: we actually skipped the one we mentioned above that was very time consuming since we’re late for our next appointment). Some puzzles felt like they were just prolonging the game (i.e. jigsaw puzzles). This is just our opinion but if you really enjoy jigsaw puzzles and “connecting” things, you’ll be really good at this room. We think there’s potential here to make the room better as we really like the “versus” feel of the two rooms and then coming together at the end as a team. We hope the puzzles could get more creative and connect with the story line more. We did peek at their “The Inheritance” room and it looked pretty amazing. Take your pick as they have three choices there and I’m sure you’ll find right one for you! 🔎 HINT Something may be buried pretty deep. Search thoroughly. Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Vector Escape Games 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 #VectorEscapeGames #Adventure #California #USA

LOCATION: Big Bear Lake, California, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Holcomb's Lost Gold 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 9, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Western 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Many fortune seekers have come to Bear Valley, California in the 1860's. This is where William “Grizzly Bill” Holcomb started the gold rush. But someone recently stole all the gold that he recently found. We were hired by him to find his missing gold and he in return, promised us a piece of his wealth. Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Set design of the room made us feel like we’ve just entered a real saloon in the 1800's. The quality of the props was all top notch. First time we had to “perform” in a room to earn a clue but for pure entertainment. Good mixture of locks and mag locks usage. Puzzles and props used were all relevant to the story line. We always enjoy when there’s a local history being implemented into a room design as it’s unique and you’ll won't be able to experience this anywhere else. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One of the game pieces was pretty hard to find due to the size. It would be great if there could be a hint towards the right direction. In the latter part of the game, there was a wording that was confusing for a particular puzzle. We had to use a hint on it since the clue given still was unclear. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Big Bear Lake, California was such a beautiful little town. We started driving there from Los Angeles in the late afternoon. On the way up, we saw the most beautiful sunset on an amazing scenic road. The road was pretty winding the whole way and it did get a bit difficult to drive at night. Try to make it to town during the day if you can. The town is popular for skiers and hikers. There’s an awesome restaurant row in the center of the town (strongly recommend “Himalayan Restaurant”).  You can easily spend a few days there. You should definitely make a trip to Big Bear Escape Room. We were very happy to find this hidden treasure on our expedition and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed either. Our recommended size for this room is 2 – 4 people. 🔎 HINT Press it all together at the same time. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this room, please remember to let them know that "ESCAPETHEROOMers" sent you!) Disclosure: We thank Big Bear 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. #CiciCaoroomers #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #BigBearEscapeRoom #Western #Adventure #California #USA

LOCATION: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada Photo above is property of Escape Legends 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Titanic 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 25, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 Players): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 50 Mins. 💰 PRICE: CAD $28/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY “Iceberg, straight ahead!” The hull of the RMS Titanic has just been breached and taking in water! Now you as the crew-members, must seal the watertight doors, radio for help, and make it to the lifeboats before it is too late. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The room looked fantastic and was completely immersive. From ceiling to floor and to the background music, there was no doubt in our minds that we had just stepped into the Captain’s quarters of the RMS Titanic. All the props were authentic looking and so much fun to play with as we progressed through the room. They were all quite sturdy as well. Through normal gameplay, never once were we worried that we would break something. There were some fantastic puzzles that were designed with the Titanic theme in mind. They tied in well with the story and got us excited as we progressed. At one point, we asked for a hint on a puzzle and we found the hint was the perfect nudge to get us to the right point but did not take away from the aha moment of solving it. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK A couple of the puzzles we solved did not have any indication that we got it right. We did hear a click and then have to go searching around to see what was opened. Something to tell us what just opened would have been helpful. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The designers did a lot of research on the Titanic for this room and it shows from the photographs on the wall to the music playing in the background. If you are a fan of the Titanic (or even just the 1997 Blockbuster film), you would have a great time in this room and enjoy the references. This is also a theme that we do not see often, so it was a nice break from all the zombie and bank heist rooms we do. The puzzles were almost all entirely tech based and tied in with the theme quite well. This would be a great room to bring some friends to as an introduction to escape room or even a casual room for some enthusiasts. Since the puzzle flow was linear, we would suggest 4 people to play this room especially if everyone wants a chance to play with the props and solve the puzzles, and you absolutely will want to. Additional Info Lobby area with snacks to purchase Free parking lot 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 Legends 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 #EscapeLegends #Titanic #Alberta

Photo above is property of 60out Escape Rooms (Koreatown) Company: 60out Escape Rooms (Koreatown) Game: Time Machine Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi Date Played: July 1, 2020 Difficulty (based on 5 players): 4/10 Size of Team: 2-8 Players Time: 60 Minutes Price: $115.00 (2-4 connections)/ $15.00 (each additional) Video above is property of 60out Escape Rooms (Koreatown) This was our first 60out Escape Room game but definitely not the first time we've heard of them. This company has over 27 escape games throughout their 7 locations in Los Angeles, CA. Currently they have two other remote experiences: "Miss Jezebel" and "Nautilus". They are well known in the celebrity world and have recently collaborated with NBC to produce "Celebrity Escape Room" for Red Nose Day. Today we're trying their third remote escape game "Time Machine" at their Koreantown location. We were joined by our friends Escape Mattster & Escape Room Adventurer. Our mission was to find Nikola Tesla's most valuable possession in his workspace. We were given a zoom link and inventory portal through our email confirmation. The portal contained 360 views of the room. On the day of the game, our avatar Allison started the game with showing us an intro video. It was quite hard to hear since the audio was coming from the TV in the room. It would be nice for us to receive an intro video link through email or the portal for better sound quality. Since the 360 view doesn't zoom in, we had to rely on our avatar to show us things up close. We felt that a thorough pre-scan of the room would've been definitely helpful. The set design of the room was amazing. The theme color and props had a "steam punk" feel. Some of the machines almost felt futuristic. There were definitely "wow" moments when a certain device turned on or gave us an unexpected special effect. However, since it was hard to hear the sound, we could only depend on what our avatar was showing us. It was hard to have that same excitement as we would've had if we were there in person because at times we finished a puzzle and a door or object would open but it was hard for our avatar to capture that exact moment. The puzzles were quite easy and a few had some repeated concepts. Since the room mainly focused on tech and special effects, we would've preferred to play this in person. But if you are unable to travel to LA for awhile and enjoy set design/special effects over puzzle, you might want to check out this rare opportunity as we don't know how long 60out Escape Room would keep these online experiences! Photos above are property of 60out Escape Rooms (Koreatown) *** This game can no longer be booked as a remote game but can still be booked as an in-person experience *** (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank 60out Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #60outEscapeRooms #TimeMachine #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Fantasy #SciFi #TimeTravel

Photo above is property of OMEscape San Jose Company: OMEscape San Jose Game: Pursuit of the Assassin Artist Country: USA 🇺🇸 Language: English Type of Game: Remote Escape Room 🗣 Genre: Detective Date Played: September 30, 2020 Difficulty (based on 2 players): 7/10 Size of Team: Up to 8 Connections Time: 90 Minutes Price: $179.00/ Team We were agents being sent undercover to discover the secret behind the Assassin Artist Nissassa. This game was played on Zoom and used Telescape as the inventory portal. Instead of one avatar, there were two amazing avatars (Jarod as the agent and Milo as Nissassa) in this game. The game started with our usual intro video but the normality stop there... We started outside of Nissassa's house. The set design was well done. All the props used felt like they belong in an artist's home. On the outside everything looks quite homey until the story started to unveil itself. We loved the humor embedded in some of these props/puzzles. The avatars also utilized them wisely. OMEscape created an ingenious idea with Pursuit of the Assassin Artist and this game could only be done as a remote escape experience. Every time when we made a wrong choice with the avatar (whether it be something harmful or just a wrong answer), we would have to start over. It really reminded us of the movie "Groundhog Day". Whenever we failed, we would have gained new intel that could help us replay the game in a different way. There was not much time for us to think through during the game so you'll have to be quick with coming up with a new strategy. This also reminded us of our interaction with the avatars in 60out's Miss Jezebel. There were definitely some added dark humor here as well. My favorite scene was a scene that we could have skipped to finish the game quicker in terms of time but what's the fun in that? It was so worth it to be able to see the alternative option. The room was not heavily focused on your normal escape room puzzles but rather puzzles that would play into the story. This was also probably the second avatar game that we had to search for things outside of what was given. We thought that made the experience felt more real as we are essentially detectives digging for dark secrets. This was definitely easily one of our favorite remote escape experiences we've played so far. The story line, set design, avatars and entertainment level were everything we would want to experience sitting at the comfort of our homes. After playing so many remote escape rooms, we realized that we would still rather play at a physical location if the rooms were heavily concentrated on locks, visual effects, and physical puzzles. It's rooms like these that keep us engaged the entire 90 minutes since it incorporates not only puzzles but also immersive theater. This makes connecting with us emotionally much easier since we are being secretly pulled into playing that character without even knowing it. We hope to see more of these types of remote escape experiences come to market! Oh and if you have extra time definitely find all the achievement awards you can unlock in the room! They were like Easter eggs. We had a lot fun "hunting" them. Photos above are property of OMEscape San Jose *** This game can no longer be booked as a remote game but check out their in-person rooms *** (If you do decide to try this experience, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank OMEscape San Jose for comping our tickets for this game. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #AtHomeGames #EscapeRooms #OMEscape #SanJose #PursuitoftheAssassinArtist #RemoteEscapeRoom #Avatar #Espionage #Art #Detective #Mystery #Adventure #artist #assassin #detective