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LOCATION: Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Mind Factory Escape Games Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Breathless 📅 DATE PLAYED: May 31, 2021 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY After receiving an encrypted transmission at Mind Factory, the agents were able to decode it and all they heard were two words... "Help us"!! The rest of the message was full of static and weird sounds. In a remote section of Colorado, something strange has occurred inside a high security biohazard laboratory. Across the United States, there are hundreds of labs that handle dangerous biological substances, but this location has a safety level that shouldn't even exist and apparently it contains a label classified as: "Unknown Entity". Your mission as a Mind Factory agent is to infiltrate the lab, determine what has happened and contain any threat to the outside world! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The backstory for "Breathless" is Sci-fi story-telling at it's best! The whole "unknown entity" and what's to be expected really builds the anticipation. As a Mind Factory agent, our mission was to infiltrate and investigate a high security biohazard laboratory that isn't even supposed to exist! The intro video really set the tone for what's to come next. The set design started before we even entered the room. The black door with blacked out windows and purple accent lighting will draw anyone's attention. Once inside, the atmosphere becomes intense right away as if we really entered a dangerous biohazard lab. There was a decent amount of puzzles which all correlated with the location and theme of the game. One challenge in particular was quite unique. We really had to work together in separate locations in order to save ourselves from running out of time. We've never seen this idea used in an escape room before but it suits perfectly with the narrative. Mind Factory spared no cost at making this game as immersive as possible. The voice acting you will hear during the game is done by Jeff Steitzer, voice of the Multiplayer Announcer of the Halo series. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Since Mind Factory is located on the street level, you will hear some outside noise during one part of the room which took away some immersion but they did their best at trying to incorporate that part into the set design. The intro video seem to indicate something horrible had happened in the lab but the game itself felt not scary as it should have been. I guess that's good for players who doesn't like horror or jump scares as there were none in this game. Some parts of the game needed more sound warnings or activation noise as at times we didn't know if we had done something correctly or not. Adding a stronger "wow" factor for the ending would greatly enhance the unique storyline. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? As soon as you enter the lobby of Mind Factory, it really gives off a steampunk feel like you're inside a cool garage. They have a huge waiting area, perfect for private events and corporate gatherings. If you like sci-fi thrillers films that involve unknown alien entities, "Breathless" is a great way to get into character and investigate. Mind Factory Escape Games is a new escape room company with "Breathless" being the only game that's currently available but their new room "Invasion" will be coming soon! We had the pleasure of taking a peek and it looks MASSIVE. We can't wait to check it out when it's ready! 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 Mind Factory 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 #USA #CT #SciFi #MindFactoryEscapeGames #ExclusiveLook

LOCATION: Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Mind Factory Escape Games Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Invasion 📅 DATE PLAYED: June 17, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 12 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY New intel from Mind Factory agents tracked the location of an entity known as "Evo" to an abandoned factory. It appears that Evo isn't working alone! Jane Ryan, a former scientist of White Horse Industries has been infected with a deadly virus known as "The Spore" and together they are up to something... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Prior to staring the game, there's a little added puzzle where you will need to figure out a way into the factory. These little touches really makes the game feel more immersive to the player. Although there's no live actors in the room, the fact that all you see is a dim red light and pitch darkness down a hallway gives us chills down our spines. The set design was done perfectly with the story setting. As you go through the room, you'll get some jump scares, special lighting, sound effects and a really cool prop that easily becomes the center of attention. All of these factors makes this experience feel so REAL! Due to the sci-fi theming of this game, there was a good amount of tech and it was well implemented and there was no glitches at all throughout our experience. For those players that love to physically open locks, this game also has you covered there as well! 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some parts at the beginning felt quite easy in terms of puzzles. It almost felt like giveaway answers, but it does get progressively harder. This is also a coming from enthusiasts, the general public might feel that it still takes time to solve those puzzles. There were some "wow" moments that felt a little taken away by instructions given to prevent incidences. We gave some advise to the owner in terms of how that can still be preserved by adding in some protective elements. The ending video felt a little anti-climactic, it would be great if a twist or "a sneak peek into the next room" could be implemented. Or perhaps just a blackout?! 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? If you haven't played "Breathless", we suggest playing that first so you know the prequel to this story (although there's no knowledge in the previous game to help you with this one). We love the idea of making rooms into sequels, as there's always an anxious waiting period right after playing one of them to find out what the next one is all about. The owner already gave us an idea of the third room after this one and we're beyond excited for the theme that he's going to come out with. If you love Sci-Fi (games/ movies like "Resident Evil" or "Silent Hill") with a bit of creepiness, you'll want to check out this game. The storyline is also very intriguing to follow along. NOTE: This game can be adjusted in terms of difficulty level. We played the enthusiasts version, which added a puzzle element that will take some time since it involves deduction. You can request this at the time of your booking. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking lot on the side of the building. Lobby area with seating available (easily can be used as a corporate/team event) Photos above are properties of ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, interview with the owner, the room(s) (no puzzle spoilers) and more: Video above is 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 Mind Factory 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. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #SciFi #Connecticut #USA #MindFactoryEscapeGames

LOCATION: Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Sherlock Holmes and the Haunted Cemetery 📅 DATE PLAYED: October 15, 2018 🎬 GENRE: Detetive, Paranormal 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 12 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $33.00/ pp (Min. of 3 ppl), $29.00/ pp (4 ppl or more) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes This is a local owner that builds all the rooms himself. We were quite impressed as he provided us with a backstage tour which made us really appreciate the room designs even more. One puzzle that you can solve in minutes can take him months to build. The lobby area was also quite spacious with plenty of seating and puzzles to play with. Water & juice is generously offered complimentary from their mini-fridge. The owner pays attention to every detail including light fixtures to the room's design. Although we did see some areas that wasn't hidden very well, it was still pretty decent for something that he personally built. There's a few clever things he did with the tech in the room. However, one particular puzzle took a lot of time from us that we didn't particularly enjoy. Eventually, we got it but definitely with some "luck" involved. Overall, the room did flow very well and correlated with the storyline. With just the two of us, we managed to complete the room with 2 minutes to spare. The cost is quite hefty if you decide to do the room with just two people. So try to get a group to go all at once as the price does come down drastically and you'll have more fun altogether! We can't wait to try his other new rooms as he's completing a few of them as we speak! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - Please advise that "AdventurEscape Rooms" has changed their company name and is now called "REACT Premium Escape Rooms". 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"!) #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRoom #EscapeRooms #SciFi #Detective #Paranormal #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of REACT Premium Escape Rooms 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Hungover Games 📅 DATE PLAYED: December 28, 2020 🎬 GENRE: Fun 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $79.00/ team ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Our friend Dave got roped into a drinking game competition and didn't win. This did not go over so well with the shady characters that he was playing with and took his losing very seriously. So in order to save him, we have to play the same drinking game competition and win so that we can make it through! Otherwise, things could not only be bad for Dave... but for US too!! Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE If there was only one word to classify this escape room, that word would be "FUN"! In "The Hungover Games", we felt like we were trapped inside of a man-cave with a basketball hoop, air hockey table, a jukebox, a poker table, and a life-sized "Jenga" on steroids. There was so much to do that you could easily lose track of time. The set design really made it feel like happy hour at local pub. As soon as we stepped foot inside, we were ready to order some drinks! The music from the jukebox definitely set the tone and the neon lights brought the energy to life. The puzzles were creatively implemented with unique designs. Since the storyline's objective was to complete a bunch of drinking games in order to win the competition, there's no limit as to what you can do w/ the challenges. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK In regards to the storyline, we didn't feel the intensity of the competition. If we were competing to save Dave's life (and ours), we expected more of sense of urgency. The ending could also be a bit stronger to tie in with the story. It was a "fun" ending but we didn't feel that we "saved" Dave. There's a few puzzles that were heavy on color. We think the distinction should be made more clear on some of the colors. We're able to solve one of the puzzles without "completing" the set. It was confusing to us as we thought we needed to collect all of them. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Whether you are an escape room enthusiast or just being dragged along by your friends to play an escape room, "The Hungover Games" is designed for everyone! This room was pure entertainment. I would classify this game as an escape room man-cave or what I would imagine and escape room bar to be like. From shooting hoops to Jenga to a jukebox providing you with an upbeat playlist, the happy hour vibe is definitely there. Not to mention, all of this is accompanied by bright neon lights! If this wasn't enough, you can add $20 for the VIP treatment (21+ can BYOB one drink, get up to 20 minutes of additional playing time, spin their prize wheel and win some swag)! 🕵️ EASTER EGG The name of the bar "Puzzles" is a nod to an episode on the popular hit tv show - "How I Met Your Mother" where Barney Stinson suggests to Ted Mosby that if they owned a bar, they should name it "Puzzles". People would ask "Why is it called Puzzles" and they would respond "That's the puzzle!". Also, the same guy who customized the jukebox also designed the one for NPH. 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 REACT Premium Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #SciFi #Connecticut #USA #REACTPremiumEscapeRooms

LOCATION: Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of REACT Premium Escape Rooms 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Strangest Things 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 20, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Heist 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $46.00 - $59.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [47:07] 📖 THE STORY There's some unusual activity happening at a government laboratory in an undisclosed location. Rumor has it that there's a secret entrance somewhere in the cemetery. You and your friends decide to try and find this secret lab to get more information, but you're beginning to realize that the strangest things are beginning to happen... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Breaking in through a graveyard is definitely a more refreshing idea than just trying to go through the front door. This also gave the creator more flexibility on creating hidden doorways/ portals. "The Strangest Things" has a good amount of puzzles to work on simultaneously for larger groups. We thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle that we had to work on together as a team. You'll actually feel the cooperative teamwork vibe a couple of times in this game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK A couple of the props were a bit hard to see as they looked different under different lighting. Since this is a color puzzle, we suggest making it more obvious. Adding some notification/ alert sounds for certain things that triggered or to increaser the sense of urgency towards the end would enhance the experience. There was one photo that was supposed to help us with one of the puzzles, but it ended up confusing us even more. We suggest either removing it or making it a different layout. The ending would be more impactful if the creator were to use some sort of task completion rather than a "key to escape" to further develop the story. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? Whether you're a fan of "Stranger Things" or any sci-fi themed escape room, "The Strangest Things" will be right up your alley. This game is good for small groups of enthusiasts or large groups that wants to do schedule a team building event. Although the name is quite similar, there's nothing really referencing the show. Although, I can't guarantee things won't get stranger as you go deeper into the "other side".... ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking lot Waiting area with seating available Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Check out our YouTube video for a sneak peek of the location, interview with the owner, the room (no puzzle spoilers) and more: Video above is 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 REACT Premium Escape Rooms for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #BrandonChow #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #SciFi #StrangerThings #Connecticut #USA #REACTPremiumEscapeRooms

LOCATION: Southington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escapism CT Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Do Not Disturb 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 30, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Paranormal 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $29.00/ pp (Min. 4 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Escapism Ct is quite new to the Connecticut escape room community and have recently just passed their one-year anniversary. But in terms of their rooms and their puzzle designs... they are far from newbies!! They are located in a historic building in Southington, CT. There’s plenty of parking outside the facility. Right when you enter, you’ll see the “Witchdoctor Brewing Company” so definitely plan your day wisely. Our recommendation is to win your escape games and then go have a victory drink! When we entered the lobby of Escapism, it felt very spacious and welcoming. The owners designed this to be the hangout spot for all sorts of events. It definitely had a lovely lounge vibe to it. Today we were spending a whole “escape room marathon” here with the owners and tried all three of their rooms. We appreciated the “right from the start” immersive experience as each of their rooms have a difference entrance design for each storyline. The ambient music also changed in the hallway en route to the room that you are playing. The first room that we selected was “Do Not Disturb”. This was the first room that they opened and the minimum booking number required is 3 for this room, which we think is a fitting number as 6 could be a bit too crowded. We started our mission outside of the door which is always a unique experience for us, but in this case it made perfect sense pertaining to the storyline. We were private investigators hired to solve a mystery of a renter who has stopped paying her bills and there have been reports of mysterious sounds and movements inside the old apartment. I wonder what was causing the commotions? When we cracked the code and entered the apartment, we were surprised at how “decorative” it was. There was a lot to explore which was great for bigger groups. The sound and lighting added a lovely eerie feeling to the room. Bonus points for having a hint system that fitted seamlessly with the storyline! It’s always great to see that as we know the owner actually took the time to think about the minor details of the rooms. There was one decorative piece that was a bit misleading as we thought it was a directional hint, but it was merely a prop. Overall, the room had a clear sense of direction and the game flow was great! With just the two of us, we were able to escape quick enough to make the leaderboard for that day!! We really enjoyed this game and can’t wait to test out the other two games -"The Tomb” & “Meltdown” at the venue! 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 Escapism CT 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 #EscapismCT #Horror #Eerie #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Southington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escapism CT Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Tomb 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 30, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $29.00/ pp (Min. 4 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Read our reviews on “Do Not Disturb” for more detailed information on Escapism. As the owner led us down the hallway to the second room - “The Tomb”, we suddenly became a team of explorers ready to enter an ancient archaeologist site. As we got into our “Indiana Jones” mindset, the door opened into an ancient temple. The lighting, sound, fog machine and even a hint of the smell made the all-around sensory experience a pleasant one.  Our mission here was to uncover the secrets of the tomb before another earthquake hits and the tomb would be buried forever. In this room, you definitely needed a group of 4 people not because of the difficulty of the puzzles but because they are designed to be completed by 4 people and up. The owners had to come in the room to assist with finishing some of the puzzles with us as we only had two people that day. Most of the puzzles were on point with the ancient temple theme but we were able to see some electrical plugs and machines which if a cover was used perhaps like a rock, it would've disguised it better. The puzzles were really fun in the sense that some were tech controlled and others were merely “hand-eye coordination” games. The one at the end took the longest for us because we made it harder for ourselves by not utilizing the “key”. One puzzle may be a stretch for new players to coordinate the meaning behind the symbols, but it made the room more challenging to compliment the easier puzzles. In the end, we felt that there could have been a better "wow” moment since the latter part of the room felt like the space was used mainly for that one last puzzle. Ultimately, we were able to get out with plenty of time left on the clock as a team of two (with “helping hands” from the owners) and once again we were able to make the leaderboard for that day! We really enjoyed this experience and now we are really fired up to finish our third and last room at Escapism - "Meltdown". 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 Escapism CT 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 #EscapismCT #Adventure #Exploration #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Southington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escapism CT Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Meltdown 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 30, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $29.00/ pp (Min. 4 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Public/Private: Private Discounts: Subscribe and email us for details Read our reviews on “Do Not Disturb” and "The Tomb" for more detailed information on Escapism. The last room we are attempting at Escapism was their largest room called “Meltdown”. This room could fit up to 10 people and the minimum booking for the room is 4 people. We were able to complete the room with ample time left with just the 2 of us. Once again, we were led down the hallway but this time as workers at a nuclear power plant. This was our first day on the job and something has gone wrong. We have 60 minutes to shutdown the system to avoid a catastrophe. The owner really took the time to construct out the details in a nuclear power plant and you can tell by the heavy steel floor plates that covered the entire room. The puzzles were more challenging than the other two rooms since there was a bit more reading and science involved. You did not need any outside knowledge for any of the puzzles although knowing the periodic table may give you a bit of advantage. There was one puzzle in the latter part of the game that had a faulty trigger even though we didn’t complete the puzzle, something opened anyways. That may be worth looking into so that lucky guesses could be avoided. This room had far less props that were just décor so remember what you have already used and what you haven’t. Also, you should be very clear on the path for solving this escape room. All in all, we had a lot of fun in all of the rooms at Escapism. They were all unique in terms of themes and different in terms of puzzle designs. We can’t wait for their newest game - “The Score” to be completed as we heard it’s going to be a huge room and a challenge for new players as well as enthusiasts alike since the final goal here is not to really escape but to have the highest value of the stolen items from the vault and that will be your final score. We have to bring back up for this one! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** Unfortunately, "Meltdown" is no longer available. However, we were able to live-stream it for our third episode of "Escape Down Memory Lane": *** We regret to inform this game is no longer available for booking but check out other games on their website*** (If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!) Disclosure: We thank Escapism CT 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 #EscapismCT #Apocalypse #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Southington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escapism CT Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Score 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 9, 2020 🎬 GENRE: Heist 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 8.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $29.00/ pp (Min. 4 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Nothing can keep us from trying to steal from the notorious international criminal Salvo Faustino, not even retirement! We have an hour to grab as much as we can before he comes back to his hideout... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We've played many heist themed rooms before, but the concept of looting as much as we can had always been our favorite. One of the games we've played early was "The Ultimate Heist" by Clue Chase. The concept was quite similar to this game but in terms of amount of puzzles in the room, "The Score" has it beat. Other than the normal puzzles in the room, the game also embedded strategy elements. For instance, if you want to get more money you might want to attempt the harder puzzles as you'll be awarded with platinum bars versus gold ones. Since the room could fit up to 8 players, it might be wise to assign two players to more difficult puzzles and have single players tackle the easier ones. But you wouldn't know what you'll be awarded with until you open the object. But I'm sure you'll feel the difficulty level once you start to attempt them. The concept of mixing easy and hard puzzles was great since for experienced players, the easy ones could act like "breathers" and for beginners they'll feel accomplished with gold bars. Majority of the puzzles were logic puzzles but there was one physical puzzle that had an impact on creating that urgency feel for the heist. It pushed us to "loot" even faster. This game was definitely a puzzle lover's heaven. The game was designed to not be able to finish in 60 minutes. With the two of us, we were only able to steal 20 million. The owner generously let us try to finish the game after that and as we thought we were close to the finish line, a whole new world appeared before us. This game was designed to be not linear at all. Most of the time we played on the "divide and conquer" mode but it was nice to be able to work on a few puzzles together as well. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some puzzles took too long to solve and had tedious elements. We gave our feedback to the owner after and he already had plans to change them. We hope Escapism comes out with a concept to let players finish the game. Perhaps having an option of booking back to back or paying for extended time ? Especially for players coming from afar, I would think it'll be difficult for them return. But the itch of not being able to see the ending will probably haunt them forever (speaking a little from our own perspective). 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? We have been waiting for a long time to play this room. We were supposed to play it prior to pandemic, but things happened. This has been our first physical escape room visited in 4 months. We were so glad we chose this room to "reboot" our system... We highly recommend trying this game out if you are in the area. Weather you are an experienced player or playing escape rooms for the first time, you'll walk out feeling satisfied. Since there were so many puzzle types to chose from, you'll definitely found a moment to shine in your team. Be warned that you might feel a strong urge of wanting to play this game again right after. That's a normal side effect and with that we wish the best of luck! 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 Escapism CT 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 #EscapismCT #Heist #Connecticut #USA

LOCATION: Southington, Connecticut, USA Photo above is property of Escapism CT 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Magician's Apprentice 📅 DATE PLAYED: March 5, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Magic, Fantasy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 4.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $32.00/ pp (Min. 4 ppl) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY The famous magician Propheneus Plum is searching for an apprentice and no previous experience is required. You decided to apply and see what the role entails... what could go wrong? Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The game flow was nicely done as one puzzle led to another. The beginning of the game was mostly linear and then evolved into non-linear. There were a few Easter Eggs added to the game that was fun to experience especially if you've played all of their other games before. There was an interesting twist that had a nice change of "scenery" for the room's setting in the later part of the game. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One of the puzzles lacked some directions on the cluing, making it harder to detect. The "magic" vibe was missing in this room as the decor was mostly done with basic props but didn't really have much of a "reveal" when puzzles were completed. The storyline could be made a bit more clear through the puzzles as sometimes a puzzle just felt like it's a stand-alone puzzle rather than having a meaning behind it. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room would be great for beginners to try out as it utilized a good amount of variations of puzzles that you would potentially see in other escape rooms. I guess in a way, you are an apprentice learning to conquer future escape rooms! If you are looking for a "Harry Potter" type of vibe, you might feel disappointed but there are still plenty of magical items to discover in the room for young wizards such as magic books, wands, spells, and more! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking lot right in front of the location Lobby area with seating There's a Coffee/beer shop located straight ahead when you enter the building. Pets are allowed inside. 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 Escapism CT 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 #USA #Escapism #Connecticut #USA #Fantasy #Magic

LOCATION: Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Escape the Count's Castle 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 4, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers We are very excited to make Egress our very first ever Maryland escape room that we are visiting as they just recently opened. This mom and daughter team escape room venture is super cute! They are located right in between the town of Lutherville and Timonium. The entrance is in the back of a building with plenty of parking available. Once you enter the building, you would turn right and go down to the basement (you won’t be lost, just follow the ravens). There’s a good amount of space downstairs as they have a comfy lobby area and a large party room. They also have some space to build another room once they are more settled with the ones they’ve just completed. They currently have two rooms available and we are trying both of them today starting with the "Escape the Count's Castle" room. Considering this is all build in-house, we really liked their choice of theme related props. We did feel like this is a more basic design for more beginner escapees. There isn't that much high tech involved but the puzzles were pretty clear to follow. There were a few pieces of puzzles that we felt could be eventually utilized but is not fully at its potential right now. This is definitely a great room to build your escape confidence as I would think most groups would be able to escape the evil Count Vlad’s great room before he returns. Our suggestion would be to make some “wow” moments in the rooms and perhaps add in some more puzzles just to make the room a bit more challenging.  It would be great to see this room running at its full potential. If you can play both games here, take note that the creative mind behind the "Escape the Count's Castle" room was by the mom and the “Dream Within a Dream" room was by the daughter. See if you can tell some of the differences at the end? We would love to hear your comments below! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers * UPDATE - We regret to inform that "Egress" has closed. Disclosure: We thank Egress for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRooms #Egress #Mystery #Maryland #USA

LOCATION: Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Dream Within A Dream 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 4, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 7/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Read our review of “Escape the Count's Castle" at Egress for more information about this escape location. We were eager to play “Dream Within a Dream" as the room is inspired by the great writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe. You can also find the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, MD. We love to play an escape room that’s build on its local history as that’s a great original idea. As we enter Poe’s home, we felt immersed by his life stories. The “clues” were left as diaries and the design and props used were very much in line with the early 1900's. There was one prop in particular that young people these days are probably lost on how to operate it. Since I had Agent #1 with me, it wasn’t hard to figure that one out (JK, he’s not that old). This room definitely had more tech use than the previous room, but it didn't stray too far from the storyline. We really enjoyed the puzzles as well since we got to learn a good amount of history about Poe through them. Did you know Poe had many women in his life? I guess you had to be a romantic in order to write all those great poems. Some minor suggestions we would give is probably a bit more puzzles with level of difficulty if you want the play time in the room to be closer to that “few seconds left” excitement. We escaped with two people with a good amount of time left on the clock. If they can alter the difficulty of the room to make it easier for novices or more challenging for enthusiasts that would be pretty awesome. If you enjoy some learning while solving a mystery, you’ve found the right room. This type of creativity and originality is something we push in escape room designs all the time. As great as a pirate-themed room could be, how different can you make yours from another similar themed room? What kind of original themed rooms have you done before that you can recommend? What about what original theme room would you like to see escape room owners create in the future? We would love to hear your thoughts and comments below! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers * UPDATE - We regret to inform that "Egress" has closed. Disclosure: We thank Egress for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRooms #Mystery #Egress #Maryland #USA

LOCATION: Pasadena, Maryland, USA Photo above is property of Escape Proving Ground 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Mystery of the Holy Grail 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 4, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Mystery 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $27.99/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Escape Proving Ground is a fairly new escape room location as It’s only been operational for about a year. It’s located in a complex with plenty of parking in the front. The lobby is very spacious and nicely maintained. They have quite a collection of different types of clocks as décor on their wall. As soon as we entered, the owner greeted us and gave us a tour of the place before we began our game. He builds all his games in-house and we were surprised that he already has three games up and running - "Mystery of the Holy Grail", "Velociraptor Escape", "Pasadena Wizarding Academy", and one in the works - "D.I.C.E."! The game we are tackling today is the "Mystery of the Holy Grail". The storyline brings us down to Solomon’s temple to search for the Holy Grail as it’s supposedly buried here within the knight’s tomb. We, as Dr. Bone’s grandchildren also must find out what happened to him as he went missing following this trail. When we first entered the room, we enjoyed the ambience of the lights and the nice touch of the cobwebs. At first, I didn’t know if I can actually pull on them as they looked like part of the decor, but the owner instructed us to search away. We did notice a few furniture and props that may not have fit in with the theme of the set design, but the owner has informed us that he was going to change them out very soon. Most of the props were on point with the ancient temple theme. We appreciated a few clever ways that he was able to utilize the tools to create different types of puzzles. However, there were a few puzzles that was a bit confusing with the clue. There are a few red herrings in the room which normally we really resent but these were quickly discovered by us and we didn't waste too much time on them. I’m not sure how a beginner player would do on the red herrings, but it would be great if some new puzzles could replace them since red herrings are always a moot point when it comes to escape rooms. We prefer real puzzles as it always brings joy when solved. Speaking of endings, you’ll find this one quite surprising as even if you did solve all the puzzles, you may still lose at the end. But if you pay attention to detail, you should get out with no issues. With the two of us, we had a good amount of time remaining and completed the mission and escaped w/ the Holy Grail! If we had the chance, we really would want to go back and try his "Velociraptor Escape" room. It looks amazing with the set design and the “surprise” within. The concept behind his "D.I.C.E." room also sounds intriguing where two teams must play against each other and strategize to win. We see great things coming from Escape Proving Ground in the near future. Make sure you check out our exclusive video tour of their location and pick out your favorite room(s) to escape away! 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 Proving Ground for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRooms #EscapeProvingGround #Mystery #Maryland #USA

LOCATION: Rosedale, Maryland, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Elevator 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 4, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 6 ppl): 8.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 45 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Read our review of “The Lobby" room to find out more about Escape It Baltimore. We are excited to try their second most challenging room, “The Elevator”. Another reason why this could be considered challenging is because this is a 45-minute room. We rarely do 45-minute rooms as it’s quite difficult with just the two of us as is in a 60-minute room but today we have “The Fantastic 6” and after beating their hardest room, we are ready for the challenge. This is the first elevator themed escape room we’ve ever played so we’re excited to see how it’s designed, and boy did they deliver! Right away we felt like we were on a Universal Studio ride. The sound, motion, lighting all felt very real. We were trapped in an elevator and there’s nowhere to escape! Other than a few puzzles that we felt like it didn’t really relate to the theme, others fit perfectly into the storyline. This room had a great mixture of puzzle solving and physical elements. It definitely required a lot of teamwork. We felt the level of difficulty for this room was higher than the previous. There was one particular puzzle later on that was quite difficult for my height, so it was advantageous to have some tall people in our group. Because of the size of the room, we think 6 is an ideal number. It may feel a bit tight with 8 at a later part of the game. We escaped with minutes to spare. Also, when certain puzzles were being solved, only two people can essentially do it, so the others became cheerleaders. Us girls didn’t mind it at all as it was more fun watching the boys’ agonizing faces. If you have a phobia of elevators, we recommend you trying this room to overcome that fear. If you want to gain some upper muscle strength, this is also the room to train in. Most of all, if you want an immersive experience with your team, this is where you want to take them. We can’t wait to see what other new rooms Escape It Baltimore has up their sleeves! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Escape It" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Escape It for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRooms #Escap

LOCATION: Rosedale, Maryland, USA Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Lobby 📅 DATE PLAYED: July 4, 2019 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 6 ppl): 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: Up to 10 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $35.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Escape It Baltimore was our third stop in Maryland. This owner has families that also own escape rooms in other States. They are true escape room enthusiasts at creating these interactive immersive experiences. This location has plenty of parking available in the front. The lobby is spacious, but the waiting area is actually in the back. There’s plenty of lockers for you to lock up your personal belongings as you won't be needing them. The waiting area is set up like a conference room with a screen which they use for debriefing. Our initial thought was it’s a bit too office-like. Perhaps to create a more immersive feel, they should change the décor. However, you will find Mr. Wolf himself there so make sure to have your camera ready! The debriefing (in our opinion) was a bit long. It would be great if they can limit the story telling into one video (although the actors were entertaining to watch).  The location currently has three rooms and they are all intertwined as a story with Mr. Wolf playing the main character. However, you do not need prior knowledge to play the rooms separately. When the owner told us “The Lobby” was their hardest room I knew we had to call for back up. My sister and her friends were in the area, so we quickly assembled “The Fantastic 6”. Our mission was to locate Mr. Wolf’s next victim, free her from her restraints, save her life and escape before Mr. Wolf returns. As we got sent into what looked like a receptionist area next to the elevator, things started to become unnerving. The room definitely had an eerie feeling to it. My sister is even more of a scaredy-cat than I am. The “no reason” jumpiness and screaming from her didn’t help with my focus on the puzzles at all. Although, I do admit there were a few moments of actual reasons to be jumpy a bit later on, but her reactions intensified the whole experience (she literally thought Mr. Wolf will come in at any minute and snatch her away!). The puzzle flow was smooth at first, but we did experience some “huh” moments at the later stages on why the answer was a certain way. The room décor could be refurbished a bit as some puzzles felt worn. Overall it was a fun room with some “surprising” elements. With some updating it can definitely improve its potential. We can’t wait to try their next room - “The Elevator”! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ** UPDATE - We regret to inform you that "Escape It" has closed its doors. Disclosure: We thank Escape It for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #CiciCao #IRLEscapeRooms #EscapeRooms #Thriller #EscapeIt #Maryland #USA