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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LOCATION: Calabasas, California, USA Photo above is property of Boggled Escape Rooms Photos above are property of Boggled Escape Rooms 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: The Key of Destiny 📅 DATE PLAYED: April 28, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Egyptian, Sci-Fi 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 6.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $45.00/ pp (Min. fee equal to 4 ppl - $180.00) ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY You are a member of Explorers. One day, your team member Sophie opened an old Egyptian artifact called "The Key of Destiny" which summoned the ancient God of Chaos - Set. Since then, the world has been altered, and Sophie has vanished. Now, you have about 60 minutes to solve the challenges by Set to find Sophie, and to return the Key of Destiny to your headquarters before the world is completely changed forever! 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Since the theme was about the reality altered by "The Key of Destiny" and an Egyptian god, it was not entirely about ancient Egypt or the modern world. The room had a mixture of items from those two worlds (at times, I lost the immersive feeling of a full Egyptian theme room when I found materials that don't belong from that era). I felt I was fully immersed in the world of the altered reality in this room. I believe that the theme worked out cleverly. Because of the setting, the mixture of modern and Egyptian items coherently helped to give a variety of puzzles without breaking the immersive feeling. I admired the details of some of the props in the game. Those were unique, artistic, and mesmerizing. I loved the way that the creators of this game decorated the room. I felt their passion for making this room! Because the number of chambers was already revealed, there might be no surprise factor like discovering an unexpected place. However, every time I moved into a new space, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and so much excitement. Each room had a different vibe and a new unique set of puzzles to enjoy. As we moved on, my teammates and I had moments of “Oh, Wow!” especially toward the end. I loved how the game flowed. There were a good number and variety of puzzles in this game. Some puzzles were conventional so that beginners could have a chance to shine. I loved that some had nice twists and originality. All of them made sense, and I enjoyed them all. We could read hints in envelopes left in the room. Or, if we needed more specific suggestions, we could ask our game masters. I liked that they gave us options. My game masters, Darryl and Erica, were nice and friendly. They explained well how the game goes to a novice on our team. When we needed hints, they gave us exactly what we needed. I felt they were paying attention to what we were doing. They guided us nicely. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK One of the gadgets was not working smoothly, so one of the game masters had to stop the game for a moment. He handled the issue well. After we finished the game, we tried the gadget again, and it worked perfectly. (He said that it never failed before. I think things like that happen when a reviewer is playing. Lol.) 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? "The Key of Destiny" is an exciting and joyous escape room newly opened in Calabasas, California! Although it may be a little easy for a group of enthusiasts, I believe there are a lot of puzzles with charms and uniqueness that everyone can enjoy in this game. This escape room is perfect for a fun night out with friends and family! So, why don’t you gather your team and dive into the altered reality to challenge puzzles created by an Egyptian God of Chaos? ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Parking is available in front of the building Located on the 1st floor There are restaurants and shops nearby. The game master can give you a map of the restaurants. Great location to hang out on weekends! Photos above are property of Boggled Escape Rooms (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 Boggled 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. #ChikakoOmura #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #BoggledEscapeRooms #SciFi #Egyptian #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of The Escape Revolution Photos above are property of The Escape Revolution 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Chernobyl Disaster: Moments After 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 20, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Action 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 ppl): 9/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $46.00 - $59.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [55:56] 📖 THE STORY 26th of April, 1986… In the heart of the night, as the clock struck 1:24 a.m. the Chernobyl Power Plant shook the world with a cataclysmic explosion. As nuclear scientists, your expertise are greatly needed; your mission is as daring as it is dangerous. You need to decontaminate this long forgotten bunker and turn it into a sanctuary of life. But, each breath you take depletes the precious oxygen, a reminder of the imminent danger closing in. 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE This room is dripping with theme and immersion. Possibly one of the most impressive constructions we have seen. So much detail has been applied to transport you to the Soviet USSR and this wretched bunker. The story is king! We appreciated that the game designers thought about the progression of the story. We didn't just magically appear inside. We had to work out how to enter the bunker and even decontaminate ourselves! The puzzles are logical and have a thematic connection to the goal and your predicament. We enjoyed the interactive moments the most. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The puzzles are the only area where we felt improvement could be possible. There is a lot of searching involved in the game and the places they have chosen to hide several items are not areas we would have intuitively thought to look. More team oriented challenges are needed to keep everyone engaged. The game would also benefit from some audio affects when certain things in the room have changed or occurred to give that little clue towards moving to that area. I was surprised that there was not more of a welcoming lobby. The reception area is painted entirely black and consists of only a desk, with no seats or storage facilities. Teams store their belongings in the room with them. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? As stated, this room is visually unbelievable and in itself worth the visit. However, be assured that this is a challenging room which requires detailed searching and some out of the box thinking. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking is available at the rear, one spot per group/ room There is a lobby but no seating available We were offered a free soft drink after each of our two games Photos above are property of The Escape Revolution (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"!) #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Action #TheEscapeRevolution #LosAngeles #California #USA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA Photo above is property of The Escape Revolution Photos above are property of The Escape Revolution 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: Armored Vehicle Heist 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 20, 2023 🎬 GENRE: Heist 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 3 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 Yesterday, your team pulled off the near-impossible, capturing an armoured truck full of cash! The police are closing in on the hideout, so you need to get to work recovering the millions from the vehicle before the cops catch you red handed! Did the rest of your team leave you everything you need in the garage, to break into the truck successfully? Are your skills up to the challenge? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We weren't quite prepared for how impressive the 'room' was going to be upon first sight. You would not be blamed for thinking you were in a real mechanic's garage. The walls are full of decorative auto signs, there are working props, and even an office. Everything looked incredibly authentic. Having a genuine armoured truck in an escape room, with built in special effects, deserves it's own Bullseye point! Obviously this is the focal point and highlight of the room. But the truck is not just a pretty prop, we get to climb in, on, and under it, interacting with it in many ways and many times. It was a lot of fun! Often companies struggle to keep their story involved or ways to make it remain relevant throughout. Here, the game is all about the story. Everything you do is directly and thematically linked to achieving your goal, making this an incredibly immersive experience. The puzzles were all thematically linked to the story and goal; making the vehicle safe, finding a way to get inside, and of course, stealing the loot. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Although the puzzles were very thematic, there wasn't a lot of substance to them, with a high emphasis on searching, rather than doing. Our GM likened the game more as a scavenger hunt than traditional escape room; which we would agree with. Whilst this was a somewhat negative point for us, it may not affect others in any way. Regarding the puzzles, we also wished there had been more team oriented challenges. Aside from the searching there isn't much to keep all players actively engaged, as most puzzles can be solved by one person only. I was surprised that there was not more of a welcoming lobby. The reception area is painted entirely black and consists of only a desk, with no seats or storage facilities. Teams store their belongings in the room with them. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? As stated, this room is visually unbelievable and in itself worth the visit. However, be assured that this is a challenging room which requires detailed searching and some out of the box thinking. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free Parking is available at the rear, one spot per group/ room There is a lobby, but no seating available We were offered a free soft drink after each of our two games Photo above is property of The Escape Revolution (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"!) #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Heist #TheEscapeRevolution #LosAngeles #California #USA

LOCATION: Mesa, Arizona, USA Photo above is property of Paragon Escape Games Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝  ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME: JEKYLL & HYDE 📅 DATE PLAYED: August 22, 2022 🎬 GENRE: Thriller 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-8 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 90 Mins. 💰 PRICE: $27.00/ pp - $30.00/ pp ☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes 📖 THE STORY Ra has bestowed his last bits of power in you to make you mortal for one hour. You must enter the ancient pyramid of Shabaka to overcome Set's curse so Ra can regain his power. If you succeed, you'll be able to rule Egypt once more. If you fail, you'll be cursed and forgotten forever... Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The set design was incredible. From cinematic sounds to lighting to fog effects, this felt like a Hollywood movie production. The statues of Egyptian Gods were massive, giving us that impression as if we've entered a real ancient temple. One thing that really amazed us was that the creator was able to synchronize the sound and lights during the entire game. It definitely built up the anticipation on what was going to happen next. We loved that there was a clear indication using lighting on what items had opened in the room. As we entered into the temple, we were welcomed by real sand! The props used were also a perfect match to the Egyptian themed room. As we completed puzzles, prerecorded voices (from the Gods) would give us more information on the developing story. This was a lot more immersive than us having to read something in a dimly lit setting. The puzzles were not too difficult, but we did appreciate the fact that there wasn't too much translating that we had to do as that's quite typical with other Egyptian themed room that we've played before. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK This "miss the mark" is debatable. There were a lot of "search and find" components in this room. If you are an enthusiast, you might think these aren't considered puzzles. But in this room, we didn't mind it so much mainly because there's only so much that you can do in an Egyptian room and still stick with the theme. One of the puzzles needed a little better cluing in terms of where to look as we were unsure for a while where the sound was coming. Some lights lit up at the beginning on some columns but we didn't have access to that particular puzzle yet. Not sure if those could be turned off to avoid confusion? 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This room is definitely considered as one of the top Egyptian themed escape rooms we've ever played. The set design and immersion was there from the beginning to the end. The ending was also quite memorable. The game master was great at giving us clear directions on certain items being used again as typically, we're used to using an item once and putting it away. I loved that I could take my shoes off and play this entire game barefoot in the sand. I think it really helped with my speed and was a determining factor with our escape. With two people, there was a lot of areas to cover, especially when there's a lot of "search and find". I definitely suggest coming with a larger group especially if you're a newbie. We highly recommend trying out this game if you are in the area. I see a lot of potential in Paragon Escape Games and I can't wait to check out their newer experiences coming in the near future! Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Free parking lot right in front Lobby with seating area Tablets provided for checking in (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 Paragon 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 #Egyptian #ParagonEscapeGames #USA #Arizona