LOCATION: Woodbridge, Virginia, USA Photo + video property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Descend 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 5, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Horror, Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up To 4PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $26/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Escape Room Woodbridge is the third escape room location we’re visiting in Virginia. There’s plenty of parking outside their vicinity. The waiting area is quite cozy, but they also have a spacious area in the back in case there’s any parties or team building events. Today, we are here as paranormal investigators attempting to save a local hotel that’s experiencing a strange phenomenon in the Maid’s Quarters. We need to weaken Faith Mccloud’s spell and return this hotel back to its normal state in the “Descend” room. As we entered the room, there was definitely an eerie feeling that creeped up our spine. This is one of the rooms that will have the game master inside the room (we saw many reviews expressing this, so thought it wouldn’t be considered as a spoiler and some players may want to know this in advance before making any decisions). For those of you who don't like horror, the game master is not there to scare you but rather to assist with the game play and the storyline. Most of the time we really do not like rooms with game masters in them as it makes it awkward and hinders the immersive experience. But our game master was utterly entertaining and made the game extra “fun”. The room setting along with the props that they used did feel like a movie set that took us back into a "Twilight Zone" feel. Too bad the size of the room couldn’t be bigger as it would’ve definitely made a larger impact. For us, two people was definitely a good number for this room as we escaped with plenty of time left. With four people, it may feel a bit crowded and for people who is sensitive to enclosed space, you might not like being in there with too many people. The puzzles were cleverly connected with the theme of the room. The only thing we felt could be improved is the number of puzzles in place. We felt that there could be a few more added into the room or maybe adjust the difficulty level for enthusiasts with more puzzles added. The ending was somewhat expected from what we’ve figured out, but a little twist would be even better and would've added more “creepiness” to this since there’s already a platform for it. Currently there’s two other rooms at this location - “The Handbook” which is mainly for beginners and “Speakeasy” which is their hardest room. Overall, we really enjoyed this storyline and the creativity behind it and can’t wait to try a larger-sized room creation by the great minds behind Escape Room Woodbridge! *** 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. Disclosure: We thank Escape Room Woodbridge for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #escaperoomwoodbridge #descend #woodbridge #virginia #va #usa

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia, USA Photo provided by Escape Room Live Photos/ Videos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Pro-Ranormal Activity 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 28, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 8-10 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 45 Mins 💰 PRICE: $75/Team ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your team of paranormal investigators have been sent from the Discovery Channel's "Destination America" to find Edgar Allen Poe's "Lost Manuscript"! With your particular set of skills and high tech equipment, you have only 45 minutes to search Poe's old chambers! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This room had a very unique but nice surprise to the game play. We didn't expect it when we entered the room. Collaboration was the key to success here. We've played many Edgar Allen Poe-themed rooms prior to this and most stuck with the history or love life and had more reading components. This game took a different approach and I quite enjoy the "spooky Poe". This is our second time playing an Escape Room Live game! The first was "A Pirate's Curse" (now renamed - "A Pirate's Adventure") at their Georgetown, DC location. We've also provided an "Exclusive Look" inside all of their rooms at the DC location on our YouTube channel so we know that their set designs are incredible with an extraordinary attention to detail. The rooms at the Alexandria location also deliver the same quality! The set design for "Poe-Ranormal Activity" enabled us to feel like we were exploring a haunted apartment. The furniture and the lighting created an eerie mystical atmosphere which enhanced the experience from the beginning. Since we are paranormal investigators, we should be equipped with some kind of "Ghostbusters" technology and we were! The "gadget" that detected "electromagnetic fields" in the room was a perfect add on to the experience. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK I would've loved to see some puzzle components embed into the "gadget" that we had to use versus mainly an add on for atmosphere. One of the equipment was quite difficult to operate as it's quite sensitive to touch. It took us awhile to be able to input the correct code in. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Be sure to keep in mind that the escape rooms at Escape Room Live (Alexandria) are 45 minute games as opposed to the Georgetown location which offer you the traditional 60 minutes. With that said, they are equally as enjoyable and might allow you to cram in more games back-to-back! It feels like the Alexandria location focuses more on classic mysterious games and characters such as Poe, Sherlock, Moriarty, and Wizards. While the Georgetown locations are more adventurous - Titanic, Mummy's, Pirates, and their horror-themed game - "The Cabin", They definitely have a fun variety of themes to choose from so there's something for everyone! 🔎 HINT Flip it like a pancake! Additional Info Street parking with meters Lobby with waiting area Dark lit room We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but if you'd like more information on the room, feel free to email us. (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Escape Room Live for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #escaperoomlive #edgarallenpoe #poeranormalactivity #Raven #eerie #haunting #mystery #supernatural #alexandria #virginia #va #usa

LOCATION: Falls Church, Virginia, USA Above photo provided by Cyber Raccoon Escape Room Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, interview with the owner, the room(s) (no puzzle spoilers) and more: Above Video is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Train Robbery 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 28, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $26-50/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY It's the 19th century, and you've embarked upon the gold rush in the western frontier. There has been a robbery aboard the transcontinental railway which carries massive shipments and transports millions of dollars of Gold from California to Washington, DC. The criminals made off with over $6M into the mountains. Because the precision of how the heist was executed and the necessity of the powerful weapon required to perform, this has now become a matter of national security. You are part of a team called the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and your mission is to find the thieves, retrieve the gold, and investigate the nature of the secret weapon that they used during the heist. Above video provided by Cyber Raccoon Escape Room 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE "Train Robbery" was quite generous in terms of space usage! It actually feels like you've stepped inside of a real saloon from back in the 19th century. There's a full bar w/ stools, roulette table, piano, card game table, and a stage! The set design took into consideration all of the things that you would find inside this type of establishment. You can tell the creators took time to find these authentic pieces. I had to keep reminding myself that we were on the clock because there were a couple of times that I was ready to hop on a stool and order an "Old Fashioned"! In regards to the puzzles, there was so many variations of physical and logic puzzles. There's some clever ways in which the maglocks were used to reveal surprises that we've encountered throughout the room. I really felt that detective vibe since the objective was quite clear and each puzzle that we solved gave us another piece of the mystery. Ultimately it felt like a deduction game mixed with a strong narrative. Since we started playing escape rooms back in 2018, storylines and themes have become extremely repetitive. We've played a good amount of western saloon-type games and usually involve a bandit heist or "find the gold" storyline objective. Don't let the title - "Train Robbery" fool you because it is so much more than that! The plot twist was definitely unexpected and one of my favorite parts about this game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There isn't much to criticize about "Train Robbery" since it was a really solid game. The only thing that we could suggest is if the door to the entrance of the saloon could also be designed to fit the theme? Perhaps adding another puzzle to having us figure out how to get into the saloon (maybe with a secret code or knock) would be a cool addition to add on to the already very immersed room. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Cyber Raccoon Escape Room Fairfax, DC is one of those companies that you hear really amazing things about and when you finally get to play the game, it actually lives up to the hype! "Train Robbery" is an escape room built around a strong narrative (which is pretty rare to see) but also paired with awesome puzzles. There were so many different types of obstacles to overcome that it felt like you became a character in the story once you entered that room. Nothing is typical in this room and we're glad that we had a chance to draw our own conclusions and witness first hand what everyone else was raving about! Additional Info Parking lot available Lobby with waiting area Event space available Above photos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but if you'd like more information on the room, feel free to email us. (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Cyber Raccoon Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #cyberraccoonescaperoom #trainrobbery #western #cowboy #saloon #adventure #scifi #fallschurch #virginia #va #usa

LOCATION: Arlington, Virginia, USA Videos/ Photos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Saddlewood Saloon 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 5, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Western 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 6PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $27/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes We arrived early on a Saturday morning at Bond’s Escape Room in Arlington, VA. We were lucky to find parking right downstairs. They are located on the second floor of a beautiful mall complex. Street parking would probably be difficult as it does get quite busy in this mall complex but there are lots of parking lots nearby. The lobby area feels very welcoming and the designs are very modern. There’s a large café-like seating area that they are using as a waiting area with plenty of games available. Also, it can easily be turned it into a party space. They also have a sister location in Fairfax, VA with 11 escape room themes! Since this is their new location and currently only have two functional escape rooms available - "Saddlewood Saloon" & "Enchanted Castle: Battle for Gahl-Zaan" and we’re going to attempt them both. They have a third room in the works that’ll be a continuation story of "Enchanted Castle: Battle for Gahl-Zaan" which is called "Elven Forest: Battle of Gahl-Zaan". I’m sure they’ll build more here seeing the capacity of the space that they can work with. After watching the intro video, we were led into the “Saddlewood Saloon” room first. Our mission was to prevent the millionaire from destroying the town. He has plans to build a dam and block our town’s water source so Saddlewood will turn into a ghost town. We need to stop his evil plan! The first impression of the room was the set design and props used were very authentic. You immediately feel like you’re transported onto a Western movie set. The room feels very “aggressive player proof”. Most items are nailed down, so you won’t be able to break them even if you tried. This is the first room we felt a little worried in terms of what we were supposed to do because it’s very linear and there’s not much you are able to find or use right away. We were stuck for a bit on one puzzle and there’s not much you can do other than ask for a hint to move forward. The puzzle we got stuck on turned out to be quite humous. All the puzzles stayed on par with the theme of the room and what you would use in real life inside of a saloon. Our only suggestion would be perhaps to have some more puzzles and make it a little less linear. With the two of us, we escaped with ample time to spare so we would think this room would be great for beginner escapees to try as it won’t feel too overwhelming. For enthusiasts, I would say 2 is probably the most you’ll need. We can’t wait to try their next room - “Enchanted Castle: Battle for Gahl-Zaan” which is going to be a bit more challenging! (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. Disclosure: We thank Bond's Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #bondsescaperoom #saddlewoodsaloon #saddlewood #saloon #arlington #virginia #va #usa

LOCATION: Arlington, Virginia, USA Videos/ Photos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Enchanted Castle 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 5, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Fantasy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 6PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $27/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Read our review on “Saddlewood Saloon” to find out details on Bond’s Escape Room’s location. After the debriefing on the TV, we were ready to be challenged in the “Enchanted Castle: Battle for Gahl-Zaan” room. What was once a peaceful town, is now being attacked by a sickness and it’s our mission to rescue the town. We need to venture deep within the magical woods where the elves live and find the mythical tree that can heal the village. But first, we must manufacture a magical sword so we can pass the barrier the elves have created to stop us from getting to them. As we enter the room, all the set design was meant to feel like we’re in the medieval time frame. The props once again felt very authentic. We’ve played several similar themed rooms before and it seems like all the escape rooms love to make a solid throne! All of their props are made in-house so it’s quite impressive to see the quality and how they all connected with each other. There were a few technical issues that day, but it didn’t bother us much with our adventure. We liked how there was a lot more to do in this room in terms of puzzles and they were very creative in how it intertwined with the storyline. It was as if the puzzles were also telling the story and as we continued to solve them, more details started to unravel. We completed the room with ample time with just the two of us. From a difficulty standpoint, this one had a lot more to do but the puzzle flow was great so it’s not too challenging. The room is more spacious than their "Saddlewood Saloon" room so you can have a group of 4-6 novices playing the room and have a lot of fun with exploration. Overall, we feel that Bond's Escape Room's designs are not really about search and find. Their puzzles are very straight forward with a clean hint system. Each puzzle’s solution will lead you to the next puzzle’s clue. This is a great system for beginner players or organized players who likes a very direct approach to puzzle solving. As enthusiast, we love a bit more challenge on the side of room design and we hope Bond’s Escape Room can perhaps add in some ADDitional “surprises” since we really enjoyed their set designs. The “Enchanted Castle: Battle for Gahl-Zaan” room can be played as a competition room with “Elven Forest: Battle for Gahl-Zaan”. We can’t wait until it’s done so we can complete our journey into the magical elves’ world and save the village! Interesting fact: Gahl-Zaan is actually one of their game master’s name. If you do encounter the original Gahl-Zaan, make sure you say hi! (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. Disclosure: We thank Bond's Escape Room for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #bondsescaperoom #battleforgahlzaan #enchantedcastle #arlington #virginia #va #usa

LOCATION: Fairfax, Virginia, Pennsylvania, USA Above photo was provided by Room Escape Fairfax Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, the room (no puzzle spoilers) and more: Above Video was filmed and edited by ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Molly's Horror Room 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 28, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Horror 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 4.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $27/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Molly was an ordinary little girl that enjoyed playing with her dolls and teddy bears while singing songs in her room. Two years ago she disappeared and her room remained exactly how she left it, Lately, Molly's parents have encountered strange and unexplainable incidents in the room. Since then, they've boarded up the room and locked it shut to prevent whatever's inside from getting out. You and your team of paranormal investigators have been requested to examine Molly's room. Unfortunately, you don't have much time and you have now been locked inside... "Molly's Horror Room"!! Above video was provided by Room Escape Fairfax 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The set design for this room really gave us the goosebumps. Since the escape room is located in the basement it provided the perfect ambiance for this room. The game master told us that there's actually a dojo upstairs that would from time to time add natural sound effects from the creaking floors. The room itself has dimmed lighting accompanied by creepy old toys. We kept thinking there was someone else in the room with us. And if you are "lucky", you might get a return on your "calling"... The set design cleverly hid everything that would cause a jump scare and it got us almost every time! The scene transformation was "lovely" as we one from one room to another. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There were a couple of puzzles in the room that we managed to bypass without solving it which actually confused us because we were performing out of order. Some of the props felt like they needed some maintenance and others that were not working needed to be removed from the room to avoid this from happening. We also had to guess one of the solutions due to this issue. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Room Escape Fairfax is the sister company of Bond's Escape Room which we've visited before and played their games - "Saddlewood Saloon" and "Enchanted Castle". You can click HERE for our exclusive interview with the manager and a sneak peek inside both of those rooms! Room Escape Fairfax is a larger space that currently has 9 escape rooms in total and Bond's Escape Room currently has 5 escape rooms and 1 online virtual game. If you love jump scares then I'm sure "Molly" will take very good care of you. Otherwise, there are many other fun themes to chose from! Additional Info This is a dim lit game Parking lot available Lobby with waiting area Above photos are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers We don't want to go into detail and ruin any surprises for you, but if you'd like more information on the room, feel free to email us. (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Room Escape Fairfax for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #escapetheroomers #etr #review #escaperoomreviews #escaperooms #escape #rooms #games #roomescapefairfax #BondsEscapeRoom #mollyshorrorroom #horror #eerie #poltergeiest #ghost #dolls #fairfax #virginia #va #usa

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Escape Quest 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Black Widow 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 16, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up To 8PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $34/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of Escape Quest This escape room location is located on the second floor and there's no elevators. The lobby area is quite large and comfortable. The decor definitely adds to the ambience and there's a few puzzles for you to play with while waiting. The room design has a bit of a eerie feeling to it as if you are in a black widow's apartment, but I would definitely not label it as scary. We felt that the decor played well with the storyline, but the design of the room didn't feel as immersive. We were glad all the props were in great condition and functioned well. The puzzles were a good mix of high-tech and basic locks which played nicely. We actually finished up the puzzle rather quickly but got stuck at the end because of a brand new tech we have never encountered before. Also, we didn't understand one of the meaning behind the hint we got so we almost didn't make it out in time but figured it out with a minute left. There were some minor red herrings, but nothing major. Overall, we enjoyed our experience so much that we booked a second 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"!) Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeQuest #Mystery #Virginia #USA

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Escape Quest 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Lost Temple 📅 DATE PLAYED: September 16, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Jungle 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up To 8PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $34/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Read our review on the "The Black Widow" room for information on this escape location. This second room that we tried was definitely more immersive than the first. Right when you enter, you're going to feel like an archaeologist visiting an ancient dig. The props were pretty authentic and once again there was a good balance of high-tech and normal key lock puzzles. We had some difficulty using one of the tech products later on and that took almost 20 minutes of our time. We didn't feel that the game master's hint were clear at all. Unless the tech part was malfunctioning, we thought we did exactly what was hinted to us. Finally at the end, it worked and we were then faced with another obstacle. This was also another tech puzzle that we've never encountered, but was able to solve it right before our time was up. We liked this room better because the storyline was more intriguing and to the point. (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"!) Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers #CiciCao #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #EscapeQuest #Adventure #Archaeology #Virginia #USA

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Escape Quest Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The King's Ransom 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 9, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure, Medieval 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $36-54/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your group of friends have been confined to the King's royal chambers! There's a demand for the King's coffer of gold in exchange for his life and it's up to you to find it. But beware, his chambers are filled with challenges designed to hide and protect his most precious items! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The props in this room felt like items you would find in a castle in the medieval times. It almost felt like we were inside of a museum exhibition observing historical pieces. The huge center table is definitely eye catchy and a great place to put items on when working on the puzzles. There's even a seat for the "reader" of the group to read off all the story/riddles to the fellow team members. Although this is just a single room experience, there was a lot of puzzles embedded in hidden places. There was a clear mission on what we needed to find and do in order to claim the Gold at the end. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK This is Escape Quest's oldest room and some props were a bit finicky during our game play and some needs a bit updating. There's no other way to figure out answers for riddles in this room other than ask for a hint. One riddle in particular was based more on a "saying" which if you are not familiar with then you'll probably need to just ask the GM for the answer. It's quite difficult to clue players on these. There was one puzzle in there that was a bit of a logic leap for us. Even after using a hint, we still needed a nudge in the right direction. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? We first visited Escape Quest at their Alexandria, Virginia location back in 2018 to play "The Black Widow" and "The Lost Temple". From the minute that we stepped foot inside the lobby area, we knew that Escape Quest was something special! The lobby decor and costumer service of this family owned business were top notch. Since then, we've been back to play to their newest game - "Pitfall" and their other location in Bethesda, Maryland to play "Expedition Unknown"! They are constantly improving their games as we see now from their oldest one we've just played to their newest one that just won our Bullseye Award (Pitfall). We look forward to new games that will be released from them this year! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There is street parking available (pay meter with app). Lobby area with seating and games available. You'll need to climb a flight of stairs to get to the lobby. Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Escape Quest 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 #Ransom #Adventure #Medieval #Alexandria #Virginia #EscapeQuest #USA

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Escape Quest Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Pitfall 📅 DATE PLAYED: February 28, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $34/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Rumor has it, that the Black Hills Gold Mine contains millions of dollars worth of treasure. You and your team decided to venture off to find the entrance to the mine which collapsed due to a powerful earthquake over 75 years ago. Deep in the jungle of South America, you accidentally plunge into a deadly pitfall and you now have only 60 minutes to find your way out or become trapped forever! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We were super excited to play "Pitfall" as we knew about this game before the pandemic. We were so glad that they re-opened and that the room was available! "Pitfall" is an escape room adventurer's dream! The unique storyline puts you right inside of a collapsed mine and you need to navigate your way out! How much more immersive can you get? Much like the other games that we've played by Escape Quest, the quality of the set design was fantastic! As soon as we entered, we felt like we stepped foot inside of an abandoned mine that hadn't been discovered in 75 years. All of the puzzles felt like challenges that you would face in order to survive! I really loved the sound effects in this room. It constantly reminded us of being underground in a cave through rumbling sounds of rocks and water drippings. We love it when there's a good mixture of different types of puzzles (physical, traditional, technological, etc.). Of course, the theme would have to make sense in order to incorporate a good variety and "Pitfall" absolutely did! 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There were certain parts of the experience that could've been more engaging. Towards the end, there wasn't much of a challenge. It was more like we knew what had to be done and things were just aligning themselves up for us. There wasn't much puzzle solving involved and there could've easily been a couple more obstacles added for that wow moment. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Escape Quest has 2 locations - Alexandria, Virginia and Bethesda, Maryland. So far, we've played "The Black Widow" and "The Lost Temple" at the Alexandria, VA location and "Expedition Unknown" at the Bethesda, MA location. One thing's for sure is that Escape Quest consistently delivers great games!! We first found out about Escape Quest while visiting VA w/ the family. Of course, we started to get itchy for Escape Rooms, so we searched on Google and to our surprise, the Alexandria, VA location was 5 minutes away right across the bridge! They are located on King Street, which is quite popular and their surrounded by a bunch of shops and restaurants. The lobby is very welcoming and spacious! As mentioned, if you're an adventure seeker that ponders whether or not you have what it takes to survive hypothetical situations, "Pitfall" is a must play! "Pitfall" was so much fun to experience and definitely reminded us how much we missed playing in-person escape rooms! Additional Info Metered street parking avaialable Lobby with seating 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 Quest 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 #EscapeQuest #adventure #survival #virginia #usa

LOCATION: Leesburg, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Escape Room LOCO Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Refuge 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 8, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Survival 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $29-35/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your group of friends have become lost in the woods. Searching for help, you discover a desolated cabin. Reluctant to enter, you decide to figure out way to get inside to call for help. This might be your only hope... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE I might be a little biased towards "cabin theme" rooms. We've played probably 15 or so by now. There's always something eerie about the set design and it always looks amazing when it's done right. The outside of "Refuge" looks like we've just stumbled onto a creepy cabin out of no where. Who knows what's waiting for us inside. But anything is better than the darkness lurking around us on the outside. When delivering a storyline like this, it's very easy to connect the players to an actual scenario they might have experienced themselves in the past in real life. We enjoyed the fact that we had to solve puzzles in order to get ourselves into the cabin as a starting point. The eerie lighting, left over clues from previous "guests" at the cabin and sound effects immediately put us in survival mode. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK During our game play, there was a minor defect in one of the props. This was not mentioned to us prior to the game so we were confused about how to use that prop when it was relevant to a puzzle later on. One of the puzzles had an "assumption" factor which wasn't written into the clues. We thought it would be best to clarify this for players. There was an action that we had to do for one of the puzzles which felt didn't feel relevant to the storyline. It felt more like "entertainment" for GMs to watch rather than for the players to physically do. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Escape Room LOCO currently has 4 games available with all different types of themes. If you want to check out which theme is the right one for you, click HERE for the video. If you enjoy a little adventure with a bit of eerie atmosphere, then "Refuge" might be the game for you! Please note: One player will need to be able to climb a ladder during the game. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There are a few free parking spaces right outside the facility. There's a lobby area with seating. You'll need to climb a flight of stairs to get to the lobby (not handicap-accessible). There's a restaurant right near the facility. 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 Room LOCO 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 #Mystery #Cabin #EscapeRoomLOCO #Virginia #USA

LOCATION: Chester, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of The Escape Adventures Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Lab Rats 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 10, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 4.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $25/PP (Min $75/Booking) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You and your team are requested to conduct an investigation into a medical research facility. Shortly after you arrive, you discover that it was a trap and you are now locked inside the facility. There's a timer counting down the hour! This doesn't look good... can you figure out what happened before it's too late?? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The medical facility looks and feels rather clean but it also presents a mysterious cold feeling like something is going on in here. The storyline has potential to develop into a series and the owner definitely has this in mind already. One puzzle used a sensory that was quite fitting to the medical theme. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The set design had a lot of potential to creatively deliver puzzles but there's no surprise elements to it. Certain areas could be hidden and revealed at a later stage but currently you can see through the entire facility. We gave the owner a couple of suggestions on "wow" factors that could be added to adjust the experience. Certain tech items were quite sensitive to trigger. Just have some patience with them. Some sensors could also be better hidden as it could serve as red herrings for puzzles clues. There was a good amount of searching in this room. Some felt quite difficult without the proper cluing. We had to ask for hints twice and had to think like as if we're patience or doctors in order to understand where to look for certain items. An audio puzzle was quite difficult to hear. The ending could use some light and sound effects to create a sense of urgency. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? The Escape Adventures is a fairly new company with 2 games currently available as or right now. "Blackbeard's Revenge" is their older game and the difficulty level is rated as medium, while "Lab Rats" (their newest game) is rated as hard. We love the "entrance" to the Blackbeard game. It was very creative and for anyone who just started playing escape rooms, you might want to start with this room first. "Lab Rats" has potential but has room for improvement. We can't wait to see what the owner does with the 2.0 version! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Located in a shopping complex. Free parking right in front of the facility. There's a small party room/seating area. 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 The Escape Adventures 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 #Mystery #LabRats #TheEscapeAdventures #USA #Virginia

LOCATION: Richmond, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Gnome & Raven Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Magic Lamp 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 10, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Fantasy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $30/PP ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY By code and laws of all magical things, every genie is required to grant exactly 1,000 wishes in no less than 500 years. Once this accomplished, they are released from their lamp. Balazar Bolderdash, a genie who has faithfully served in his Magic Lamp for 499 years, 364 days and 23 hours, currently has granted precisely 999 wishes. With only one hour left, the last wish is lost inside his lamp and nowhere to be found! Enter inside his Magic Lamp and help him find the last wish before it's too late! Video above is property of Gnome & Raven 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We love when intros are done by game masters in character. Valerie did an amazing job with getting us prepped for this magical world. Right when we enter, we're mesmerized by the beautiful tree (if you guys have extra time, ask the GM to tell you the story about the tree) right in the center of the room. All the wishes on there are handwritten by the employees. The room was decorated in blue and gold with colorful accent lighting to provide a magical touch. In order to successfully pull off the concept of entering inside of a magic lamp, there has to be something spectacular in mind. The lighting and ambience is exactly what you would expect in a genie's lamp. It literally felt like we're transported into a Disney movie. You can tell the quality that the company put into finishing their props and decor. If you've watched Aladdin before, you'll probably be able to cross reference some of the items in the movie. It's utilized really well with the puzzle designs. The size of the room will comfortably fit a large group. We were literally running around (didn't mind it at all) till the last minute (quite satisfying) in order to find that last wish. There are many "magical" moments that we experienced in the room. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK There was one puzzle that was a bit confusing with the cluing and made us think that it we had to actually do something in order for something to "magically" happen. I think we definitely entertained the GMs for that puzzle. Some clarity in the clues would help. Since "Magic Lamp" is such a large room, there were times that we weren't aware what we had opened or if we triggered something. Perhaps some added spotlights or louder alert sounds would help with this issue. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Gnome & Raven is located in an outdoor shopping complex called "Stony Point Fashion Park". Once we saw the eye catching sign and decoration, we already knew that it was going to be something special. The front of the entrance is painted red and black with gold trimmings. The rooms are some of the biggest ones we've seen for a storefront location. We really didn't anticipate each game to be so large as it's definitely deceiving to the eye. Once you enter, you'll be immersed into a magical world right away as you'll be greeted not by normal game masters but characters from the stories. Gnome & Raven currently has 4 games available to choose from with familiar themes with a rich storyline behind it. Magic lamp truly made one of our wishes come true which is become a character inside the world of "Aladdin" but after taking a sneak peek of the other rooms, we know we have to go back and play all of them! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There is a free parking lot (the closest place to park to access Gnome & Raven is by P.F. Chang's). Gnome & Raven is located inside the "Stony Point Fashion Park". Lobby area with seating. There are packages available for purchase. Please note: This room contains sliding, crawling/moving through tight spaces, and some high steps. 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 Gnome & Raven 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 #GnomeandRaven #Magical #Genie #Aladdin #RavenChase #USA #Virginia

LOCATION: Richmond, Virginia, USA Photo above is property of Escape Room RVA Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Shadow of Cthulhu 📅 DATE PLAYED: November 10, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 3-8 PPL 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins 💰 PRICE: $25-27/PP (pending on group size) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Your uncle has always had a fascination with exploring other parts of the world. He always sends you letters detailing his expeditions, but lately the correspondence has gotten strange! You decide to visit him at his mansion to see if everything's okay. Unbeknownst to you, horror awaits your arrival... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The story line really sets the curiosity level and the set design really complimented that. When we entered his mansion, all we see are strange items he's collected from various locations in the world and a strange covered "thing". Of course you won't be able to get it revealed that easily as it's covered with locks! The creators really utilized this space quite well as we can see that the room is quite narrow and had a weird layout but they were able to utilize every inch of the space. As you venture deeper into the storyline, more and more will be revealed to you. The lighting was quite dramatic when there's a change of scenery. It really felt like we're entering a different realm and when you play this escape room you'll know exactly why. After playing so many games, it's hard to remember every single detail of the escape rooms. But one thing's for sure, we'll always remember the finale of "Shadow of Cthulhu"!! There was such an unexpected "wow ending" that we still reflect back on it till this day. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One puzzle at the beginning had a clue that was rather confusing as the props did not resemble what we're suppose to see. We had to brute force the final digit due to this issue. Due to a tech issue we weren't able to see one of the props in full effect. I think it would have been cool to add a bit more "movement" to that to make it more impactful than just as entrance. There was a puzzle towards later on that if we had moved a certain prop we would have to "guess" the order as it was suppose to remain where it was. This should probably be adjusted since players would probably not memorize which prop was supposed to go where. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? If you love adventure and mystery then you'll love the storyline of "Shadow of Cthulhu". It definitely had a build up that we experienced from beginning to the end. This is our first time visiting Escape Room RVA (the original Ravenchase Adventures location) and we are already intrigued about their other rooms. If you finished playing their rooms, make sure to check out their sister companies: Escape Room Herndon, Escape Room Arlington, and Gnome & Raven! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There's a free parking lot right outside the facility (they are located around the BACKSIDE of the Village Shopping Center). Lobby area with seating. It's located downstairs (1 flight). Not wheelchair accessible. RVA also offers their customers water bottles and... ICE CREAM & POPSICLES! Yes, you heard it right!! Also, we found out that teams that set a new record (without using hints) will receive a golden gnome! 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 Room RVA 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 #EscapeRoomRVA #Mystery #Supernatural #EscapeRoomRVA #RavenChase #USA #Virginia

When the Orlando Voyager Magazine reached out to us wanting to feature us in one of their Inspiring Stories series, we were delighted to tell ours. Since we just got back from a Florida escape room tour then, we were also pleased to include some of the Orlando companies that we've visited (Bureau Escape Rooms, The Escape Game Orlando and The Escape Ventures). To read more about the interview, please click HERE. Thank you, Orlando Voyager Magazine for this opportunity!