Updated as of September 4, 2023 2023 is here and there are so many new locations and new rooms to look forward to playing this year!! As usual, we're keeping our eyes open and ears to the ground, waiting for updates on rooms from around the world! Once again, this is cumulative list of games that are available now and coming soon. I will provide updates on when they will become available and other games that are added to the list, so be sure to subscribe to our website and keep checking back! Do you have a new game available? or coming soon? To be added to the list, click the icon below to email us: AUSTRALIA "THE PIRATE'S COVE" SYNOPSIS You've found yourself shipwrecked on a coast island. You have discovered mysterious chests all around... Could this be the legendary lost treasure? To open the chests you'll need your crew, but before you can enjoy your loot, you'll need to defeat Medusa's curse! Be quick, Be careful! There is limited time RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Cairns City, QLD, Australia CANADA "Outbreak" SYNOPSIS In a world where the Z-Virus has turned the human race into hordes of walking undead, a group of survivors has joined together to search for a cure in a long abandoned laboratory. ​ However, the last working satellite only provides one hour to transfer the cure data before their lifeline is severed... RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Ottawa, ON, Canada "Project R.E.S.E.T." SYNOPSIS It's 2035 and the metaverse has invaded society with new virtual experiences. This has led to a dramatic increase in crimes committed in this new environment. Metacriminals have therefore invaded the prison system and the situation is now out of control. It has become necessary to ease the pressure in the prisons and to fill the labor shortage which has become worse than ever. The government has therefore launched a new project called R.E.S.E.T. (Rehabilitation, education and self-awareness of errors through technology). This project could allow some metacriminals to obtain their release if they can demonstrate that they are able to learn from their errors or mistakes. You, as metacriminals, have been chosen for this project. This is a unique chance for you to regain your freedom. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Boisbriand, QC, Canada "SuperHEIST" SYNOPSIS Can you steal the ultimate weapon? You are a team of supervillains with only 1 goal in mind: to achieve ultimate power by obtaining the most powerful weapon in the universe. You have heard a rumor that such a weapon exists inside the Emma Frost Experimental Weapons Facility. Your mission: to sneak in there after hours and steal the weapon. More information will be provided to you in your backpack. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Kanata, ON, Canada REVIEW: Click [ HERE ] "THE CITY MORGUE" SYNOPSIS You were looking for a new doctors office and overhear someone mention a Dr. Boris Keborkian. You look it up and find yourself led into what looks like a closed wing of an old building basement. Suddenly the doctors assistant who led you in quickly locks the door in what you realize looks more like a mortuary. The location you quickly realize is the abandoned city morgue that was condemned decades ago. It was rumoured to have a lot of paranormal activity but this looks like an active morgue. You get a strong feeling that you must investigate further. You read an old paper on the desk table that states “Dr. Boris Keborkian was caught operating out of the old city morgue on live patients” and has never been seen since. Your mission is to discover how to escape from here before the doctor returns to start procedures. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Niagara Falls, ON, Canada "SHERWOOD FOREST" SYNOPSIS How much gold are you carrying? Answer carefully, because this is Robin Hood. Lie, you'll be robbed and your goods distributed to the poor. Tell the truth, you'll gain trust and join his merry crew on a mission to thwart King John. We must hurry though, the King's tournament begins nigh and you'll need a fine weapon to compete... RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Toronto, ON, Canada "CONTAINMENT BREACH Z" SYNOPSIS In a last ditch effort to save humanity a team of scientists, you, are sent to create a cure for the zombie contagion. Unfortunately, enroute to the lab your party is attacked by a rogue zombie horde. Half the team is quickly transforming into ravenous zombies desperate to eat their former friends. It is up to the remaining scientists to cure their friends … or die by their hands. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada "STARSHIP MINERVA" SYNOPSIS Starship Minerva’s purpose was to explore the galaxy and deliver aid to planets in need, but now the ship and the people aboard are the ones in need of help. Together with the damaged ship’s AI can you save the day before all is lost. RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Edmonton, AB, Canada GREECE "ELIXIR OF LIFE" SYNOPSIS The pursuit of eternity has not yet been achieved. Through your research, you manage to find the location where the elixir of life is possibly located. You’re guided by the notes of an alchemist, who has dedicated his entire life to its search. In the cave where you ended up, everything seems to be falling apart. Will you be able to become immortal before you get trapped in the cave forever? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Kallithea, Greece HUNGARY "THE RING" SYNOPSIS Since the fall of the Dark Lord, the hoard of the Dwarves of the “Lonely Mountain” started to grow again. Sadly, the Drakes of the north have taken notice. The greatest of them, Hadrac the ice-fanged, landed on the mountaintop. Luckily the Dwarves managed to hide their most valuable jewel, sometimes known as “the heart of the mountain” from the dragon. It falls on you to plan a route for the armies of the free people to the “Lonely Mountain”, that avoids the notice of the dragon. Help slaying the dragon, and rescuing the heart of the mountain! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Budapest, Hungary "THE HATTER" SYNOPSIS The Alice story continue with another adventure in Wonderland! Arrive again in a magical world! Here, an upside-down world unfolds before you, where everything is turned upside down. The Hatter has lost his friends, his past has been erased. You must help lead Him back to the “real” Wonderland. Go! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Budapest, Hungary "RAINSTORM" SYNOPSIS Stormy, great adventures in the sky RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Budapest, Hungary NETHERLANDS "RISE OF THE PHOENIX" SYNOPSIS Dr. Phoenix was an all-round respected and passionate scientist. As the head of Phoenix Institute, he used all his knowledge in service of improving quality of life. Tests on birds seemed successful, but when he started human experiments without permission, the medical world turned its back on him. Convinced he was right, his passion changed into an obsession with defeating death. He began preaching that mortality was merely an illness for which he had found the remedy. Supposedly, Phoenix resumed his experiments in secret, utilizing little girls from a nearby orphanage. Soon thereafter, Phoenix Institute definitively closed its doors. Nothing was ever heard from Phoenix or his patients again. The institute can now be visited as a museum; a wry tribute to a man that was either far ahead of his time, or completely insane. RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Delft, Netherlands "THE ALCHEMIST" SYNOPSIS A planetary alignment about to end, a lab full of dangerous materials and an ancient ritual gone wrong. You've become our last hope, before time runs out forever... RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Amsterdam, Netherlands "SECTOR" SYNOPSIS Sector is not an escape room! This is an action game where during one hour you go trough 6 different rooms trying to avoid the lava, defuse bombs, stop the flood, catch the lights, solve riddles and do other things with a goal to earn as many points as you can. With a team of 2, 3 or 4 players you can try to beat other teams or your friends. And may be even to become the best team of all time… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Amsterdam, Netherlands "JASON'S LEGACY" SYNOPSIS After the all destroying fire in the home of the siblings Blackwire, Jason disappeared in the dark night. When the fire department and the police start their investigation the next day, they find two dead bodies, deceased long before the fire, buried in the garden. The emergency services The emergency services are completely in the dark about what crime has taken place in the house and would like to speak to Jason.Jason is on the run and a real manhunt is underway. The neighborhood watch is asking for help in searching this community. It’s up to your team to visit Priest Neville Morrisson’s home and see if Jason can be found. Neville Morrisson is an old but sweet man. He is almost blind and therefore you may search his house. Matter of doing for this sweet man… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Rijswijk, Netherlands REVIEW: Click HERE "ABANDONED HOTEL" SYNOPSIS Sinwood, England, 1954. As plenty of women go missing in both the town and its surroundings, frightened locals start to suspect that these events are somehow related to an old, abandoned hotel on a hill by the forest. According to folk tales about the area, the spot where the Victorian boarding house was built has been possessed by evil for centuries. Due to that, no citizen of Sinwood has ever come near the place… Finally, you arrive at the front gate. The porch, in the dim light of a dusty lantern, makes you feel overwhelmed by a whirl of conflicting emotions as you’re both curious and… suddenly anxious. Still, you decide to set foot in the building and face the evil lurking inside. However, before you even touch the old brass door knocker, you suddenly hear a voice of a woman calling you from within the hotel walls… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Wroclaw, Poland UNITED KINGDOM "PROPHECIES QUEST" SYNOPSIS As the last hope for the magical world you must collect The Prophecies and use them before it's too late. The Dark Lord has hidden The Prophesies so you must find them in The Department Of Mysteries before using them to defeat him. You need to hurry, The Dark Lord is on his way and only you can stop him. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Edinburgh, United Kingdom "WILD WEST PRISON BREAK" SYNOPSIS You find your self arrested by the local sheriff for the robbery of the towns bank. But you’re innocent…. Right? Can you escape the jail cell and get the evidence to the Governor to clear your name before it’s too late? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Middlesbrough, United Kingdom "ARK RAIDER" SYNOPSIS A mysterious friend of has hired you and your crack team of archaeologists and explorers to track down an ancient temple deep in the jungle. To find the entrance to the ancient Maya temple. Inside he believes there is a golden idol which is not only worth a fortune but may also contain magical properties, be careful though as the gods don’t take kindly to thieves and this adventure could be your last… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Shrewsbury, United Kingdom "CREEP" SYNOPSIS Captured, Blindfolded and petrified Who is skulking in the darkness? 60 minutes is all you have to escape the torture chamber! Whats his plans??? …with other victims flayed and dismembered all around you sort out your plan of escape pronto! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Glasgow, Scotland "ROOM 13" SYNOPSIS You and a group of friends are travelling through the night when your car unexpectedly breaks down on a deserted road. Thankfully you spot a light in the distance and eventually stumble upon the entrance to a time-worn hotel. To your relief, the manager informs you that a single vacancy has just become available, though if you wish to stay you must promise not to attempt to enter Room 13. The hour is late so you happily agree to this strange request. As you settle in for the night, you think you hear the distance sound of a woman calling for help. You attempt to leave your room but find it locked shut. Can you escape your room and discover the location of the mystery voice? Whatever you do, do not enter Room 13! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: York, United Kingdom "HUT 17" SYNOPSIS Rumours of a devastating attack have been circulating: use your skills to crack the code, uncover the enemy plans and prevent the attack. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom "PUSHED FOR TIME" SYNOPSIS To undo time travel itself, we must send an expendable, sorry, experienced crew back to its inception and light a fuse under Bancroft’s first Time Machine. Once you’ve detonated the explosives, you’ll need to get the hell out of Dodge before the contraption is blown sky high and you’re trapped in the past forever. Before you can get there, you’ll need to fix our Time Machine. It is an architectural salvage of the elevator from a demolished Parisian hotel. It’s taken a battering in recent expeditions and is only partly operational. Hopefully, if you can make one jump back into the past, you will find what you need to power it further and unlock its maximum potential. RELEASE DATE: Summer 2023 LOCATION: London, United Kingdom "UNDERGROUND 2099" SYNOPSIS August 2027, the world was turned into a blazing hell. Nuclear weapons launched by our national leaders set all cities aflame in minutes. There were no winners, only losers. Humanity was plunged into chaos in which morality, solidarity, and dignity burned. London 2099, 72 years have passed since the Great Fire; among the radioactive debris of this once-great city, rats have survived and transformed, trying to take the lead in this new disfigured world. Your mission is to thwart the plot of their leader, King Rat, hidden within the depths of the London Underground. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: London, United Kingdom REVIEW: Click HERE "THE ASSESSMENT" SYNOPSIS Brace yourself – today is going to be a tough day! Today, you have to complete The Assessment. The stakes are high. You have been shortlisted for a dream job with Belfast’s most prestigious security company. Complete The Assessment successfully and you will be set for life! Fail and, well, the consequences don’t bear thinking about… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Belfast, United Kingdom REVIEW: Click HERE "CONSPIRACY" SYNOPSIS You have arrived at the apartment of your friend, Richie Walsh, who you have not heard from for several days. He has always been interested in extra-terrestrial activity and the like, but upon arriving it is clear that things have gotten out of hand. As you explore his flat, you learn the extent of the vast and insidious conspiracy, and Walsh’s inadvertent involvement in it. It becomes apparent that he has been abducted by someone, aliens or otherwise – who seek to whisk away anyone who knows of their existence – including you! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Glasgow, United Kingdom "JUNGLE ESCAPE - RAINFOREST RUN" SYNOPSIS There have been recent sightings in this area of the critically Endangered, but deadly, Golden Dart Frog. The Logging company is working their way through the rainforest and will arrive here in 60 minutes. We, the Plantasia Conservation Team, are hiring you to prove the existence of the species in this area. If we can prove it’s here, the logging company will be forced to halt their chainsaws, and leave the area. You can save the species from extinction, but you only have 60 minutes to do so! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Swansea, United Kingdom "PANDORA: HELL ON EARTH" SYNOPSIS You are a special unit of the Church that investigates mysterious cases dealing with otherworldly forces. You have been sent by the Church to an old manor house, where rumour says something terrible has happened. The only clue you have is a call from inside the house, repeating Pandora, the name of an 8-year-old pupil whose mother died giving birth to her. But what could this little girl do that would require help from you? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Belfast, United Kingdom "BADDIE ACADEMY" SYNOPSIS Baddie Academy is the no.1 supervillain training school in the world, maybe even the Universe! Evil geniuses apply in their droves, in the hopes of receiving a world-class education in the dark arts. Only the best of the best will be invited to attend next semester. Can you channel your superpowers and pass the entry exams? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Falkirk, United Kingdom "CHAMBER OF SOULS" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: London, United Kingdom "THE ACID BATH MURDERER" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Crawley, United Kingdom "STAR CREW" SYNOPSIS The SS Clementine is an old but beloved starship known for its technical problems. When the internal system fails mid-flight, the crew is forced to make an emergency crash landing on a nearby planet. Power cells have come loose during the bumpy landing, and many of the ship’s systems have been knocked offline. You are the engineering team assigned to repair the ship and save the crew – can you become the valiant Star Crew and save the day before time runs out? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Glasgow, United Kingdom "THE READING WITCH" SYNOPSIS Unlock the mysteries of the legend that is The Reading Witch! Join a team of TV investigators to explore the ominous woods where the mysterious Reading Witch is said to have resided. Unusual noises and ritualistic chanting has been heard nearby yet no-one has ever returned from the cabin. Can you debunk the rumours or will you fall foul to the witch yourselves? RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Reading, United Kingdom USA "TEMPLE OF THE ELDER GODS" SYNOPSIS Your professor, Dr. Francine Morgan, is leading an expedition in South America for Miskatonic University. She is searching for the Temple of the Elder Gods. What she found could be her demise. And you, her students, might be trapped forever! Will you survive? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA "JURASSIC ISLAND" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: Summer '23 LOCATION: Buffalo, New York, USA "STARSHIP ICARUS" SYNOPSIS An alien spaceship was just discovered deep beneath an Antarctic glacier. Can you discover the secrets of the Icarus before it's too late? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA "SAL'S CYBERNETICS" SYNOPSIS Help the resistance smuggle Sal, the cybernetic upgrade doctor, and his secret tech off of Core City before the corporate police arrive! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Phoenix, Arizona, USA "CHECKMATE" SYNOPSIS Moscow - December 5th, 1962 Tensions are high in Moscow as The Cold War continues to heat up, rumors of a missile strike have brought you and your fellow spies to an international chess tournament. Although you start off on the same mission, allegiances are not set in stone. Achieving success in checkmate requires independent and group success and shifting allegiances make that success even harder to grasp. Are you a pawn in a game between two superpowers or are you a hero closing in on the ultimate checkmate? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA "THE BLUE BIRD HOTEL" SYNOPSIS Welcome to The Blue Bird Hotel, you are now accomplices to our speakeasy that is hidden in our basement. This is where the after-hour parties are held for special clientele. Upon entering the speakeasy, you must announce yourself with “Bottom’s Ups” then you may continue into this very exclusive speakeasy. Does your team have what it takes to solve the mystery and stop the pilot in time?! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Snohomish, Washington, USA "RETRO REPLAY" SYNOPSIS Leather jacket? Check. Acid wash jeans? You know it. We're hitting the arcade tonight, so scrounge between the seats of your '84 Pontiac Fiero to find some quarters while Sweet Child o' Mine blares over the dashboard FM transistor radio. Between the flashing lights bouncing off your aviators and the smell of stale pizza, you hear rumors of the Arlington Arcade's closing. Can you save the arcade tonight? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Arlington, Virginia, USA "THE NEST" SYNOPSIS A woman named Josie has recently passed away, leaving behind a storage room filled with decades of collected memories and cryptic secrets. Remnants of her entire life are all here in one place - left for you to discover. As a young girl growing up in the 1960s, Josie was gifted a tape recorder and began documenting every part of her life. But in her old age, she has become almost unrecognizable, warped by the tragic events of her past. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA "THE LADDER" SYNOPSIS THE LADDER tells the story of your 50-year career at a vitamin company called Nutricorp—an organization with a couple of dark secrets to hide. RELEASE DATE: T/B/A LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA "OPERATION ARCTIC STORM: THE FINAL MELTDOWN" SYNOPSIS This is not a test. This is your local forecasting station reporting the formation of a severe Arctic Storm. All stationed personnel should vacate the premises immediately and seek shelter in a class four base or higher. Will you make it to safety before The Final Meltdown? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Orlando, Florida, USA "NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHER" SYNOPSIS It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, at least that's what the leader of Clearview Community's Neighborhood Watch reassures their residents! With an invitation to the Watch leader's home with promises of fun and games, it's the perfect setting to keep young minds distracted as parents spend the night out searching for a missing neighborhood kid. Is this just another child running away from home or could it be the latest in the case of the Clearview Catcher? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Orlando, Florida, USA "ONCE UPON A WINTER" SYNOPSIS Once upon a time, you found yourself at the door steps of Mother Winter’s cottage. The winter season was about to begin, but Mother Winter was nowhere to be seen. The house was strangely quiet and dark; it looked as if there was a spell put over it. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Hawthorne, New Jersey, USA REVIEW: Click HERE "TRAPPED MINESHAFT ESCAPE" SYNOPSIS With the renovation of the historical buildings in Sparta, crews have discovered the entrance to the original mine shaft from the Ridge Mining Co founded in 1883. According to local legends the mine was dug under the town’s Greenwood cemetery. After several years of operation, the mine had an alarming number of strange and unexplained happenings. The mine was finally shut down after the last mining crew never surfaced or were ever found. Antique parts were found to fix the original elevator to allow people to explore the abandoned mine. Once you start your descent in the elevator you will have 60 minutes to explore the mineshaft and get back to the surface before the air runs out! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Sparta, Michigan, USA "ESCAPE DEEP SPACE" SYNOPSIS The prisoners have escaped! You are in command of a prisoner transport shuttle in deep outer space and at some point during the night, the prisoners broke out of their cells and blasted off on one of the shuttle’s escape pods. Before they left, the prisoners sabotaged your ship, the USS Ollie, and locked you in the cargo hold. To make matters worse, the prisoners aimed your ship towards an asteroid field and you only have 45 minutes before you crash! Your mission is to find a way into the control room, regain power and do what you can to take back control of the ship and see if you can repair the engine damage before it is too late! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Concord, New Hampshire, USA "ROCKSTAR" SYNOPSIS Rock 'n roll legends and Tacoma natives, Grit City, are set to start their North American tour tonight at the Tacoma Dome. The show is sold out and everything has to go off without a hitch. With almost an hour before hitting the stage, it comes to light that the band's guitarist lost his lucky guitar and they are refusing to play without it. As the old saying goes, the show must go on! Can you locate the missing guitar before showtime? Join us for the most rockin' escape room experience in Tacoma! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Tacoma, Washington, USA "GUARDIANS' GROVE" SYNOPSIS As soon as you step into the rainforest, you can feel it: A doom as thick as the warm mist all around you. You come across strange signs, and you begin to sense they’re meant for you. But time is running out. Will you interpret the mysterious messages in time to save this wondrous wilderness? Or will your perilous mission end in ruin? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Renton, Washington, USA "THE DOJO" SYNOPSIS You have received a mysterious invitation to join The Dojo, a new martial arts academy. Without knowing anything about it, you decide to check it out as you enjoy solving unexpected mysteries... ​ Why did they reach out to you? What is this place hiding? You only have one hour to learn everything you need about The Dojo. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA "POSSESSION AT HADDON HEIGHTS" SYNOPSIS CONFRONT AN EVIL ENTITY AT AN ABANDONED SCHOOL. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Orlando, Florida, USA "THE WEEPING WITCH" SYNOPSIS The Weeping Witch is a spirit that lures people close by mimicking the sound of a woman crying. When people hear its wails, they follow the sound into the darkness, thinking someone needs help. Once they get close enough, the Witch attacks and slowly sucks the life out of its victims. If you choose to enter Madam Ruby’s study, that is what is awaiting you. Will you be able to banish the evil spirit and end your family curse before the Weeping Witch consumes your soul? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Anaheim, California, USA "THE QUEST FOR THE LAST DRAGON" SYNOPSIS The Eternal King ordered his wizard to place a curse upon all dragons. The last remaining dragon not under the spell has been captured and it is up to you to free him, which will free all dragons from the curse. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Huntington, West Virginia, USA "CRAZY TRAIN: THE BALLAD OF SKEEMIN' PLOTZ" SYNOPSIS Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Local heroes are needed once again to stop that nefarious evil-doer, Skeemin’ Plotz! Climb aboard the Crazy Train and race down the tracks before it’s too late! You never know what that sneaky trickster Skeemin’ Plotz has up his sleeve, so be quick, and be careful, heroes! RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Kissimmee, Florida, USA "THREE PINNACLES" SYNOPSIS As the newest members of the Search And Venture Everest team, or SAVE, you and your teammates are part of Mount Everest's one and only rescue team. You save explorers all around the mountain, especially in its most dangerous areas. Are you ready for your next mission? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Pittsburgh, California, USA "THE TRIALS OF MERLIN" SYNOPSIS In ancient times the legendary wizard Merlin defeated a great evil that threatened the world. Unfortunately, for us in modern times this ancient threat has returned. You and your team will need to prove yourselves worthy to learn the secrets of Merlin and prove you are the chosen ones to restore balance to our world. Can you pass the Trails of Merlin? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Upland, California, USA "NIGHTMARE AT THE MUSEUM" SYNOPSIS Ever since the former curator disappeared, his beloved old doll exhibit has been terrorized by a ghost. Museum patrons are understandably turned off by this, and it's bad for business. Can you brave the haunting and bring an end to the madness? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA "WITCH CABIN" SYNOPSIS A witch is known to live in the cabin in the woods. Stories have been told she captures unwanted guests to be never seen or heard from again. Enter the cabin and free her captives or you too will be trapped forever. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Turnersville, New Jersey, USA REVIEW: Click HERE "ALIEN AGENTS" SYNOPSIS Test your skills in a series of tests in our agent training facility. Pass all of our tests and you will become one of our elite alien agents to help protect this great earth! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Leesburg, Virginia, USA "ESCAPE IT" SYNOPSIS Located in the heart of Sin City and spanning more than 30,000 square feet, Escape IT is a revolutionary new take on traditional escape room experiences, offering fans two multi-room escape adventures that bring to life IT Chapter 1, the highest grossing horror film of all time, and its blockbuster sequel IT Chapter 2. This unparalleled attraction will include more than 20 interactive rooms, state-of-the-art special FX, lighting, animatronics, and live actors to create a fully immersive and terrifying experience. There’s no turning back as guests put their skills and critical thinking to the test, navigating some of the films’ most iconic locations including the infamous Neibolt House, the Losers’ Clubhouse, the Derry Canal Days Festival, and sewers below Derry, all while trying to escape the clutches of Pennywise, the Dancing Clown. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA "TREMORS ON THE TRACKS" SYNOPSIS After leaving your hotel, you head out to see the Statue of Liberty. When you get into the elevator down to the subway platform the ground begins to shake. As you near the platform level, the shaft begins to collapse, ultimately filling with rubble and completely blocking your exit. You are trapped in the station and must find a way to the surface before additional aftershocks hit and prevent you from ever escaping. RELEASE DATE: 2023 LOCATION: Stamford, Connecticut, USA "THE NIGHT JANITOR" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: T/B/A LOCATION: Maui, Hawaii, USA "THE SABOTAGED SYSTEM MISSION" SYNOPSIS November of 3049, Valcarol’s people land on earth and plan exploratory missions. Will there be clean air and water on earth? Will there be people there to help them fix their ship’s hydro system? Will it be safe outside of Valcarol? Earth’s survivors aren’t all friendly and some of Valcarol’s people are unhappy too. Someone has compromised Valcarol’s operating system. We are not sure if it is an unfriendly earth survivor or a disgruntled person from Valcarol. Whether it’s the result of our mission to secure clean water or our mission to get the vaccine, or something else entirely, someone is not happy with us. This unidentified person had to have entered the Valcarol in order to sabotage our operating system. Volunteers for this mission must enter the Valcarol situation room, find the bug in the system, fix the system, and figure out who the saboteur is. Once the system is up and running, get out quickly. We don’t know if the saboteur is still on site and we don’t know what other plans they may have to hurt those aboard the Valcarol. Valcarol is not only our temporary shelter on this ruined earth, but it is also our home in space and our only way off Earth. This mission is critical. We are depending on your team to remedy this situation. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Concord, North Carolina, USA "CLOCKWORK CORRIDOR" SYNOPSIS In the realm of steampunk chaos, Lord Phineas Sterling has hired your gang to retrieve his magical aether from the infamous “Clockwork Corridor.” The “Clockwork Corridor” is run by Vincent Vondæther, an ominous alchemist. Because of Vincent’s power-hungry nature, he has stolen Phineas Sterling’s prized aether to use in his twisted inventions. RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Mesa, Arizona, USA "FLY-TANIC" SYNOPSIS Welcome to Paragon Air. We’re here to take you on a journey in our first self-piloted aircraft! Throughout this flight, you will experience first class service since we make it a point to go overboard for our pass€¬%ƒ^∞ For our passengΓ^@%ø!ε We apologize for the brief malfunction. Rest assured, your journey with us will be sensational RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Mesa, Arizona, USA "REQUIEM" SYNOPSIS A soft melody plays. The windows of the Granville asylum were opaque with moonlight, turning a thin river of blood black as tar, trickling from under the door. It began to cut a path through oil and grit. A dissonant echo travels through the halls— “Molly?” Dr. Jennings whispers in horror. Molly had suffered for years and was treated measureless times without any success, but maybe this unconventional experiment will work. RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Mesa, Arizona, USA "CANNIBAL" SYNOPSIS A psychiatrist is the primary suspect in a series of murders. His signature involves ripping out the victim's organs, and possibly...eating them. Your team of special agents have a warrant to search the psychiatrist's office for the evidence to convict him. RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA "THE SCAVENGERS" SYNOPSIS An intergalactic treasure vault owned by a mysterious being knows as The Compiler has just been revealed to you. Your team has been tasked to steal six eternity gems from the vault. Will you escape with just the gems, or try to steal more? RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA "DRAGON REALM" SYNOPSIS A wizards spell gone wrong; a dragon's curse. You will race against the clock to level up your magic skills in order to save the realm. There is only one way to break the curse... COMING SOON... RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Brighton, Colorado, USA "DARE TO DREAM" SYNOPSIS Who wouldn't love to be a kid again? Travel back in time and see where your dreams will take you! Will you relive those heartfelt and emotional moments in time or will you enter into the darkness and face your nightmares? Your memories will come alive in this one-of-a-kind nostalgic and immersive experience with two different adventures! Do you...Dare to Dream? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Titusville, Pennsylvania, USA "MORTUARY ESCAPE" SYNOPSIS As urban explorers, you want to find out the truth about the abandoned mortuary in town. Will you uncover the mortuary’s morbid mysteries, or will you be wrapped in its web of woe? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Niagara Falls, New York, USA "CANNIBALS IN THE CATACOMBS" SYNOPSIS The catacombs of Paris are a popular tourist destination. The bony fragments of several hundred-year-old remains attract curious visitors from all around the globe. But lesser known to the public is what exists beyond the catacombs. A place so deep below the Earth’s surface, it has its own ecosystem – independent of the outside world. No one would expect so much life would exist in a place with so much death. And this is where things get messy. It is rumored that an ancient cannibalistic tribe lives beyond the catacombs. According to legend, These people feast on the flesh of unsuspecting tourists and curious teenagers. They perform black magic rituals and worship a figure resembling a jackalope. All of this is simply rumors. Nobody has ever seen these people…. Or at least lived to tell the tale. Meet Arthur, an Anthropologist from Jacksonville, FL, USA. Arthur became obsessed with the cannibalistic tribe of the catacombs. He flew to Paris determined to prove their existence. But that was several days ago. I’m afraid no one has heard from Arthur since. You are here because you are the best in your field. If there’s any chance Arthur is still alive, you are his only hope. I’ve arranged for a guide to take you down to the Catacombs, I don’t know how deep they’re willing to travel, but they can at least give you a head start. Your mission is to find Arthur and bring him home safely. Good luck on your voyage. You’re going to need it. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Jacksonville, Florida, USA "THE MAGICIAN'S APPRENTICE" SYNOPSIS You have responded to a mysterious job posting to be a magician's apprentice. No experience necessary. Perform well and it could be your first day on the job...what could possibly go wrong? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Southington, Connecticut, USA REVIEW: Click [ HERE ] "TEMPLE OF DOOM" SYNOPSIS A hired crew of artifact thieves crash land back in the depths of the jungle after a failed attempt to escape with stolen treasure! With a wrecked plane and unsettling feeling that you’ve disturbed the powers of the jungle until the ancient artifact is returned, battle your way back through the jungle and find the hidden Mayan Temple. Only when the artifact is returned to its rightful place and your crew has patched the plane’s communications device back together will you ever have a chance to radio for an emergency evacuation! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: El Paso, Texas, USA "MYSTICAL MANOR" SYNOPSIS This eccentric professor has traveled the world collecting oddities from far away lands. Some of these oddities contain magical properties that could help cure any sadness in the world.. You are a team of archeologists that will do anything to get your hands on this magic and have broken into Professor Whippleton’s mystical manor!! Be careful while exploring as you could set off an enchantment inside the manor. You will have one hour to secure the items you need or the powers you seek will be lost forever! Good luck young Chaps! You will need it once inside. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Broomfield, Colorado, USA "TEMETRA'S HEX" SYNOPSIS Embark on a thrilling journey to Oars Rest, where the ultimate pirate treasure lies locked and waiting. Brave the challenges set by the powerful voodoo priestess, Temetra, and prove yourself worthy of unlocking the secrets to the treasure chest. ​ Navigate through the three quests of water, fire, and death, each with its unique theme and obstacles, as you feel the spirits growing stronger around you. Time is running out, and it's up to you to unravel the mysteries of the island and claim the treasure as your own. ​ Experience an immersive adventure that tests your pirate skills, puzzle-solving abilities, and quick thinking. With the fate of the treasure in your hands, make every move count in this drama-filled and exciting escape room experience. Are you ready to become a true pirate of the seas? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Tacoma, Washington, USA "THE JAIL CELL" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon... LOCATION: Belleville, Illinois, USA "THE CABIN 2.0: Simon Says, DIE" SYNOPSIS Four years ago, you and your team of FBI investigators solved the case of the infamous "Simon Says" killer. After braving his Cabin filled with traps and mayhem, you rescued his would-be victim – buried alive in the Alaskan wilds – and captured the killer before he could strike again. “Simon Says” was found to be Sam Sisnoy, from Anchorage Alaska. And now, he’s serving a lifelong sentence in state prison, alone. Disavowed by his parents and siblings, even his family - only present at Sisnoy’s trial - refuses to visit or acknowledge him. But now, even as Sisnoy sits in prison, reports of missing people are emerging once again. A parcel addressed from the infamous Simon Says killer was delivered to the FBI. In it was a video of a new victim, trapped and buried up to his neck. You were assigned to return to Sisnoy's old Cabin to hunt for clues; to search for evidence that might help discover this new victim's whereabouts. Sam Sisnoy is still in prison. Is he somehow working with an accomplice? Or is a copycat killer on the loose? You’ve been assigned to return to Sisnoy’s Cabin. Simon says: head back to The Cabin, and find the victim before it’s too late. And if you can, discover the killer’s identity… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA "MISSION 1: WITCH'S CABIN" SYNOPSIS Test your wit my pretty. Do you have what it takes to solve this mystery and save your friend? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA "FREAKSHOW" SYNOPSIS Step right up! You’ve got games to play! And if you can’t beat them, you can’t make it into the carnival. And that’s what you’re here for, after all. These grounds are haunted by an old magician, and its your job to break the curse before the time is up, or you’ll be trapped in the carnival for eternity too… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, USA "BLUE CAT CABIN" SYNOPSIS Step right up! You’ve got games to play! And if you can’t beat them, you can’t make it into the carnival. And that’s what you’re here for, after all. These grounds are haunted by an old magician, and its your job to break the curse before the time is up, or you’ll be trapped in the carnival for eternity too… RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Lake Ozark, Montana, USA "ZOLTAR SPEAKS" SYNOPSIS The Owner's of our lovely House are now hearing some strange, accented voice out of Her Oddities Collection from Around the World. Can you sort through her collection to see what could be Speaking to her? Maybe things are not what they seem... RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Breckenridge, Colorado, USA "RETRO - A BLAST FROM THE PAST" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Calabasas, California, USA "THE GHOST OF BLACKSTONE MANOR" SYNOPSIS Coming soon... RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... LOCATION: Calabasas, California, USA "DREAMCATCHER" SYNOPSIS You have accidentally fallen asleep. You must wake yourselves up in time by navigating your way through the puzzles of the dream world. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Toms River, New Jersey, USA "A PIRATE'S CURSE" SYNOPSIS Many years ago, there was a crew of barbaric pirates led by their bold and intrepid Captain. His name was Captain Goldbeard and he spent his years voyaging the seas in the hopes of acquiring treasures beyond his wildest dreams. But one night, many moons ago, the Captain and his crew landed themselves in troubled water embarking on a quest where few others dare go, aboard an abandoned ship laden with treasure, known as ‘The Soul Catcher’. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Various locations, USA "THE SCORPION CODE" SYNOPSIS You and your team are highly skilled Navy SEALS tasked with recovering the SCORPION Launch Code, belonging to the most dangerous weapon on earth. The launch code is being in held in a TOP SECRET underground bunker somewhere in the USSR. 3 days ago, your team mate, Frank Ryan disappeared while attempting to recover the launch codes. You have reason to believe he may still be alive and held hostage by the enemy deep within the underground bunker. Your mission is to locate and free him, recover the stolen SCORPION code and blow the bunker before time runs out! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Bethesda, Maryland, USA "WINNIE THE POOH" SYNOPSIS Welcome new residents of the Hundred Acre Wood! You and your team will embark on a delightful journey to organize a surprise birthday party for the lovable bear, Winnie the Pooh. Get ready for a fun-filled experience as you solve puzzles, uncover clues, and work together to create the perfect celebration for Pooh! Are you ready to dive into the enchanting world of Winnie the Pooh and give him the birthday party he deserves? Let the adventure begin! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Murrieta, California, USA "BAYOU BOATHOUSE" SYNOPSIS Merle is abandoning his boathouse and your team has one last chance to explore it. Will his obsession with finding the legendary golden gator in the bayou fade into history or will your team solve the mystery. The Bayou Boathouse is brimming with discoveries, can you secure success in the swamp? RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA "DOOMSDAY DISASTER" SYNOPSIS Can you break into Pap Pap's bunker, outmaneuver your fellow survivalists, and emerge victorious in this new world order? Unlikely. After all, you didn't believe the world was ending in the first place! RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Sanford, Florida, USA "ODDITORIUM EMPORIUM" SYNOPSIS WELCOME TO PROFESSOR BLEEHALL’S ODDITORIUM EMPORIUM & PIE SHOPPE! Home to the strangest collection of oddities from your weirdest, wildest dreams; some good, some bad, (some evil) and all slapstick stupid. This CREATE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE game allows you to pick and choose which puzzles you want to play – it’s a completely ridiculous, completely replayable score-based shopping spree. RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! LOCATION: Novi, Michigan, USA #BrandonChow #EscapeRooms #Articles #IndustryNews #HighlyAnticipated #BucketList #CumulativeList #IRLEscapeRoom #RemoteEscapeRoom #NewReleases

Updated August 14, 2023 If you're visiting NYC, here are some of our recommendations on escape rooms by category pending on what you're looking for: Top Rated "Heresy: 1897" & "Madness: 1917" by Doors of Divergence "Montauk Project" & "Ghost Light" by Myss Tic Rooms "Prison Break" & "Special Ops: Mysterious Market" by The Escape Game NYC "Operation: End of Days" by Mission Escape Games "The Haunted Hotel" by BrainXcape "The Clocktower" (played in MA) & "Cartman's Escape Room" (played in CA) by Escape The Room Set Design "The Haunted Hotel" by BrainXcape "Special Ops: Mysterious Market" by The Escape Game NYC "Cartman's Escape Room" (played in CA) by Escape The Room "Wild West" by PanIQ Room NYC "The Dungeon of Elements" by Enigma Escape Games "High Speed NYC" by Exit Escape Room NYC Beginner "Sugar Rush" by Exit Escape Room NYC "Vanished" by Epic Escape Rooms LI "The Haunted" by Brooklyn Escape Room "Prison Break" by The Escape Game NYC Family Friendly "Sugar Rush" by Exit Escape Room NYC (2 identical rooms can also be played in competitive mode) "Houdini's Workshop" by Clue Chase "Playground" by The Escape Game NYC Puzzle Heavy "Nuclear Annihilation" by Escape Room Madness "The Secret of The Alchemist" by Enigma Escape Games "High Speed NYC" by Exit Escape Room NYC By Genre: Adventure "The Dig" by Escape The Room "Room X" by OMEscape NY "High Speed NYC" by Exit Escape Room NYC "Legends of a Hidden Temple" by Escape Game Long Island Horror "The Haunted Hotel" and "Room 228" by BrainXcape "Killer Feature" by Epic Escape Rooms LI "Prey" by Just Escape "The Haunted" by Brooklyn Escape Room "Ghost Collector" by Escape Virtuality Immersive theatre style escape room with live actor: "Heresy: 1897" by Doors of Divergence If you're interested in VR, check out Escape Virtuality's "Goblin's Quest: The Uprising" If you end up going to any of these locations, we love a shoutout or tag on your social media and let us know how you liked your experience! #CiciCao #recommendation #escaperoomguide #escaperoomrecommendation #bestofnyc #nycescaperoom #review #escaperoomreview #nyc #topratedescaperooms

Updated as of April 19, 2022 The global pandemic hit the Escape Room industry pretty hard and forced a lot of companies to go out of business. For those companies that temporarily closed their doors, needed a way to sustain their business. For the past 2 years, at-home games has been a great alternative for owners to still deliver challenges and entertain their customers until they could re-open to the public again. It also gave companies a chance to build new rooms and renovate existing ones! We all know that this world is slowly finding its way back and so is the escape room industry! With brand new games available now and a bunch of others on the way, we want you to be the first to know about them and have a peek of what's coming your way! Do you have a new game available? or coming soon? To be added to the list, click the icon below to email us: The photo above is property of The Exit Games FL SYNOPSIS Holy S#*t… you just secured an apprenticeship under one of the most acclaimed tattoo artists in the world: Paul Tompskins AKA Skinz. Now the question is - do you have what it takes to last? It seems like Skinz throws away more apprentices than the New York City Sanitation Department. It’s crucial that you and your team of rookies make a solid impression on your first day at the shop. Show up, do your job, and don’t find yourself snooping around for anything that’s none of your damn business. You got that? If you can survive his apprenticeship longer than the first day, I’m sure it will make for one hell of a good story. The photos above are property of Mystique Room GAME: Pins & Needles Tattoo Parlor RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Mystique Room SYNOPSIS Enter through the door of the Magic Castle and surrender to the miracles! Captivating visual world, the most grandiose adventure ever! Let the magic begin! The photos above are property of Mystique Room GAME: Magic Castle RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Mystique Room SYNOPSIS Two missions and a load of tasks. Belonging to the latest generation of its genre, our HighTech submarine provides a much greater creative entertainment than most of the escape rooms in Budapest. The video above is property of Mystique Room The photos above are property of Mystique Room GAME: The Submarine RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Trap Door Escape Room SYNOPSIS In this Jack the Ripper Escape Room, you and your team take on the identity of city inspectors. As you investigate, you and your team are tasked with tracking down the notoriously nefarious Jack the Ripper. The photos above are property of Trap Door Escape Room GAME: Ripper of London RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of escape.exe SYNOPSIS TS:03 has been investigating escape.exe and found a device a great importance. The Resistance is counting on you to locate and gain access to this device-- our fate lies in your hands. GAME: Neon Tokyo RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of The Bureau Adventure Games SYNOPSIS AN ALIEN HAS CRASH LANDED AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO HELP LAUNCH IT BACK INTO SPACE. The video above is property of The Bureau Adventure Games GAME: UFO: Go For Launch RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of 13th Hour Escape Rooms SYNOPSIS During an excavation project, a mysterious door to an Egyptian tomb has been unearthed. We have learned the door that has been discovered is a gateway to a curse that will unleash darkness upon the world. A top-secret military department has now constructed a device around the gate to protect the world from the powers that lie beyond its threshold. With every minute that passes by, the device grows weaker as the curse becomes stronger. Now we must crack the code, enter the tomb, and finally put the curse to rest. The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: The Gate RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! REVIEW: Click HERE The photo above is property of Escape Room Concord NH SYNOPSIS The evil Wizard of Drachenkammer Castle has captured the last dragon of this world and has imprisoned her in the Dragon’s Chamber with strong spells and potions. The wizard spends his days using magic to create complex puzzles and riddles in order to protect his castle so nothing can break in….or break out. One day the wizard did something that angered the dragon so much that even his magic could not protect him. The dragon killed the wizard and is now trying to escape. As a young wizard, now is your chance to prove yourself by breaking in and taking control of the dragon. Upon entering the castle the door vanishes. You must now find another way out. You look towards the chamber….and you see something…. The photos above are property of Escape Room Concord NH COMPANY: Escape Room Concord NH GAME: The Dragon's Chamber RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Granite State Escape SYNOPSIS You took a risk hiking in these parts. Several missing persons have been reported. No remains, no tracks, no clues. But, you can’t help it. The woods have been calling for months, consuming your dreams and thoughts. Instinct takes you down a series of overgrown paths to an abandoned cabin deep in the brush. You feel a strange desire you can’t understand. A belonging you’ve always wanted. This strange cabin… THIS will be your new home. After all, it’s always safer to stay indoors. Right? The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: Dead Cabin RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! REVIEW: Click HERE The photo above is property of Captured LV Escape Room SYNOPSIS A most unforgiving serial killer has been terrorizing the US. Obsessed with purifying humanity, this psychopath targets his victims by the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth. One evening you were ambushed in the parking lot. Everything went black and you awoke in his kill room. You are slated to be his next victim…but why, what sin are you guilty of? Detained in this Devil’s Den, you have an hour to free yourselves before you’re killed. The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: The Devil's Den RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above has been provided by Trap Door Escape Room SYNOPSIS You've been sent to the Red Heart Mental Institution to be observed in an experimental Tea Party used for Group Therapy. The Mad Hatter as host has prepared a menu of utter chaos and ridiculous insanity. Make sense of nonsense and blow out the candles to celebrate yet another Un-Birthday and maybe you can return to sanity. The video above is property of Trap Door Escape Room GAME: We're All Mad Here RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above has been provided by Exit Game SYNOPSIS Do serial killers have hobbies? Of course they do! This one is obsessed with Escape Rooms, so he built his own. You only have 60 minutes to get out if you want to survive. Can you solve the puzzles created by this psychotic Escape Room enthusiast? The photos above have been provided by Exit Game GAME: 13th Basement RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Lucifer Escape Room SYNOPSIS The ancient clown-like demon is back! The video above is property of Lucifer Escape Room GAME: The Killer Clown RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above has been provided by Tulleys Escape Room SYNOPSIS The SpellCraft twins, Evilinda & Spellinda, two witches, two paths, two shops, two worlds, two journeys, their two magical worlds collide, and you find yourself in the middle of their story. SpellCraft will take you on a magical adventure, you'll need to work together, but in the end there's always a battle, will you escape and who will win? The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The photo above has been provided by Tulleys Escape Room GAME: Spellcraft RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Escapology SYNOPSIS Welcome aboard the U.S.S. Discovery. As civilian engineers, you’ve been given a singular opportunity to inspect a piece of living history. More than 900 years ago, this Crossfield-class starship represented state of the art 23rd century Starfleet technology. Your mission is to travel aboard Discovery while it makes a routine patrol, evaluating each of its systems in preparation for the host of upgrades the ship requires to bring it up to modern 32nd century standards. The video above is property of Escapology GAME: Star Trek - Quantum Filament RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of QUEST ROOM The video above is property of QUEST ROOM SYNOPSIS Project Minotaur is not only our most epic thriller, but it is in fact our grandest design that measures over 1600 square feet, nearly three times the size of "normal" escape games. While the sheer size of the project added to an already difficult task, our drive to create saw us through. The photos above have been provided by QUEST ROOM GAME: Project Minotaur RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! REVIEW: Click HERE The photo above is property of DarkPark SYNOPSIS Your breath catches in your throat when suddenly footsteps sound on the stairs you are hiding under. You will see him come down slowly, turn around and walk towards your hideout. He gropes in the dark, his hands grabbing close to you and his face getting closer and closer to yours. His empty eyes see right through you. As you almost bite your tongue to not make a sound, the same words keep running through your head: "Why the hell did I go in here?" With 'Stay in the Dark', DarkPark is breaking new ground by combining the best of escape rooms and immersive theater in a brand new, hair-raising experience with an area of ​​no less than 4000 m2, spread over several floors. In an abandoned building, next to an old fire station on a forgotten site near Rotterdam, we take you on an unforgettable journey that will make your hair stand on end. Nerves of steel are not enough this time, during this experience you will have to face your greatest fears. The photos above have been provided by DarkPark GAME: Stay In The Dark RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Escape-topia SYNOPSIS Troubled by night terrors, a mentally disturbed young woman seeks the aid of a highly unorthodox psychiatrist. In turn, he is looking for volunteers to enter her nightmares and clear her of her ailments. Will you be up for the task? Or will her disturbance drive you screaming from the facility? The video above has been provided ESCAPETHEROOMers The photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: Nightmare Lands RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! (Limited Time) REVIEW: Click HERE The photo above is property of Emergency Exit UK SYNOPSIS You are invited to spend an hour with the famous Dr. Becker at Boleskine Lodge Practice. He is currently with another patient and will be with you shortly. In the meantime make yourself at home and enjoy his hospitality and his study - a beautiful place decorated with his bizarre collection of strange and wonderful things. But do not dig too deeply as things are not always as they seem in this place, after all it is well known that some of his previous guests are still there after volunteering to help with his studies. Dr. Becker has a past which is questionable at best and not everyone agrees with his methods. The photos above have been provided by Emergency Exit Escape Games GAME: The Studies of Dr. Becker RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! REVIEW: Click HERE The photo above is property of NW Escape Experience SYNOPSIS Some legends are true.... After inheriting a storage locker from your long lost uncle, you discover the mysterious arcade machine known as Polybius! The game has been hidden since 1981 after a series of mysterious deaths in a Portland arcade. The urban legend just woke up and it wants to play a game….can you outwit the most deadly arcade game ever made? The photo above is property of NW Escape Experience GAME: Polybius Lives RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of RI Riddle Room SYNOPSIS You have been hired as entertainment experts to approve the opening of a refurbished Rocky Point Amusement Park, a park that has touched many and has been in ruins for over 25 years. Rumor has it that the technology in the new park keeps malfunctioning, so keep your eyes and ears open. Can you and your team give your seal of approval to build the park or will the park be forgotten forever? The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The photos above are property of RI Riddle Room GAME: Rocky Point Park RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Kingdom Escape Games SYNOPSIS Evil King Blamsfar's guards caught you red handed trying to steal the dragon egg's. They have locked you in the dungeon for now… King Blamsfar, known for being a ruthless king, will make his decision on what to do with you in one hour! Can you escape before you meet your inevitable end? The photos above are property of Kingdom Escape Games GAME: Blamsfar's Basement RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Sky High Escape Room SYNOPSIS Psychiatrist Alfred S. Milgram has a notorious reputation. He heals patients who had been abandoned by everyone, but with the help of experimental medication and a very intimate relationship with his clients. Yet the treatment of one patient did not work: the enigmatic Jules Early. Can you be the friend Jules Early needs? Put yourself in his world, feel his pain and discover for yourself who you really are: a friend...or foe? Pain killer is a psychological thriller in the form of an interactive story. The video above is property of Sky High Escape Room GAME: Painkiller RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Big Bear Escape Room SYNOPSIS Memories of your epic night out in Big Bear Village are fuzzy. You recall hanging out, singing Karaoke until the wee hours of the morning. When you woke up… your crazy friend was gone. After two days of tracing your steps you received a strange call. “Hello, this is Dr. Fawnskin… I have your friend at the Big Bear Asylum. I’m sorry, but we had to institutionalize him. He lost his mind and was found in the mountains searching for it. We finally got your number from him. Unfortunately, a frontal lobotomy has been ordered in two days… unless you can come up with $100k that is!!! Mmmwwaahhahahah!” Word is, Dr. Fawnskin, isn’t running the most legal asylum in the area. No one really knows what goes on there. He’s run the Big Bear Asylum for 40 years and the crazy seems to have rubbed off on him. It’s night time… at the asylum… find your friend and get him out before Dr. Fawnskin returns in the morning and decides to lock all of you in… forever!!! The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: The Big Bear Asylum RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Locked Room SYNOPSIS Your days are numbered, as every supplier of the Heisenberg Drug empire is being brought down. The police are doing a coordinated attack against all the supposedly secret hideouts and put everyone into custody found on the premises. Lucky you got intel in time. Your place is up next. Your task is to sneak into your own lab, destroy all the evidence and get out before the police get there. The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The photos above are property of Locked Room GAME: Project Heisenberg RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Every Second Counts ESC Escape Rooms SYNOPSIS The Dark Lord has risen, and the World is no longer safe. Lord Vul de Mort created a series of Magical objects so powerful that the holder is said to be immune from death. The supreme act of all evil has OCCURRED and his horcruxes are missing. The Daily Profit has expressed its concern about the young wizard's suspicious behaviors within the Defense Against The Dark Arts Classroom Wizards Welcome, Muggles Tolerated... The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: Wizard's Academy RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! REVIEW: Click HERE The photo above is property of District 3 Escape Rooms The video above is property of District 3 Escape Rooms SYNOPSIS In this sequel to the Interrogation Room, archaeologists were brought in to recover a secret artifact, and analyze it. Upon trying to do so, half of the team was captured. The other team must save their captured colleagues, and still retrieve the artifact they were brought in to access. The photos above have been provided by District 3 Escape Rooms GAME: Operation: Synergy RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! SYNOPSIS You have been taken captive by a sea witch living on the coast of Mystic. She needs human tears to complete a water transformation ritual. You are locked in a room in her sea cave and she is collecting the last of the supplies she needs to begin the ritual. You have 1 hour to try and escape before she returns… The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: Lair of the Mystic Witch RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Epic Escape Games SYNOPSIS Throughout the galaxy terror reigns. You and your crew were searching a nearby star system to find and join the Resistance. While scouting your reconnaissance team was captured and placed in a cell on the enemy’s spaceship. Per your instructions, the rest of your team, are supposed to leave if you don’t return within sixty minutes. Can you break out and find an escape pod to get back to your own spaceship in time? GAME: War for the Galaxy RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Epic Escape Games SYNOPSIS In 1891, Octavia Hatcher became ill and fell into a coma. Believing she was dead, they buried her alive! Now Octavia’s vengeful spirit haunts her old house, bringing the same fate to any who stay for more than one hour in her home. But that’s just a legend…right? Based on a gruesomely true story. GAME: Buried Alive RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of The Puzzler Escape Rooms SYNOPSIS Retrieve the master sword to defeat the Dragon to keep him from wreaking havoc throughout the kingdom. You have just 60 minutes to complete your mission! GAME: The Quest RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of e-exit emergency exit escape rooms SYNOPSIS 1984 is a traditional escape room based on the novel written by George Orwell, where you will find brain-twisters, padlocks, keys and codes. The game is fully enjoyable without any knowledge of the story, however, fans of the book or the movie will find many familiar details in puzzles and pieces of decoration, making the experience more immersive. It is not an easy room but we recommend it to beginners as well – courageous players might even choose it for their first escape, but keep in mind: Big Brother is watching. Always! Can you beat the system? The photo video is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: 1984-Big Brother RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Puzzleescape Hudson SYNOPSIS While camping in the woods, your group gets caught in a torrential thunderstorm. Seeking shelter, you come across an abandoned cabin; but, it is more than it originally seems... The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: Something Wicked RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! SYNOPSIS You are on you way to the office party as as you are getting ready to enter the elevator, you hear an explosion above you in the building. The power goes out and you are in complete darkness! Can you restore power before it is too late?! The video above is property of LOST Escape Room GAME: Into The Darkness RELEASE DATE: Available NOW! The photo above is property of Escape Room RVA SYNOPSIS Down the darkest alley, in the most nefarious part of town, a wizard going by the name of Algernon has set up a shop selling gently used magical goods. Rumors have reached the Queen's Guard of strange comings and goings at Algernon's - particularly late at night. After a series of stake outs, the time has come, you and the other Guard are prepared for a raid on the shop. Will you uncover this wizard's secrets in time? GAME: Algernon's Shop of Magical Goods RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2022 The photo above is property of The Escape Game SYNOPSIS Coming soon... The video above is property of The Escape Game GAME: Timeliner RELEASE DATE: Coming Soon The photo above is property of Room ESC SYNOPSIS Coming soon... The video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers GAME: Crashed Conspiracy RELEASE DATE: Spring 2022 The photo above is property of Every Second Counts SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Cursed RELEASE DATE: T/B/A SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Classic Times RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above has been provided by Scenario Escape Room The video above is property of Scenario Escape Room SYNOPSIS The animators behind the popular comic book series "Dr. Hader Loses!" are suddenly missing. To find them, you'll have to search their studio, retrace their steps, and follow any leads you can find. Who knows where this search will lead you? You may even find yourself in a "Parallel Tooniverse" with the villainous Dr. Hader himself! GAME: Dr. Hader Loses RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... The photo above is property of Mystery Maui SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: The Night Janitor RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above has been provided by The Escape Ventures SYNOPSIS This is not a test. This is your local forecasting station reporting the formation of a severe Arctic Storm. All stationed personnel should vacate the premises immediately and seek shelter in a class four base or higher. Will you make it to safety before The Final Meltdown? GAME: Operation Arctic Storm: The Final Meltdown RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Daydream Adventures SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Ice Cave RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Mystery Mansion Regina SYNOPSIS With the key to the Adventurer’s Club in your possession, it is time to find out exactly what happened to the stolen necklace. Find your way into the Club and uncover the secrets locked within. GAME: The Adventurer's Club RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of trap't Escape Room Adventures SYNOPSIS After leaving your hotel, you head out to see the Statue of Liberty. When you get into the elevator down to the subway platform the ground begins to shake. As you near the platform level, the shaft begins to collapse, ultimately filling with rubble and completely blocking your exit. You are trapped in the station and must find a way to the surface before additional aftershocks hit and prevent you from ever escaping. Photos above are property of trap't Escape Room Adventures GAME: Tremors on the Tracks RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of The Lost Escape Room SYNOPSIS Coming soon... The video above is property of The Lost Escape Room GAME: The Quest for the Last Dragon RELEASE DATE: Coming soon... The photo above has been provided by Escapism LLC. SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: The Magician's Apprentice RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Cyber Raccoon Escape Room SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Space Glider RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Lock & Clue Escape Room SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Agent Z.E.N. RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Kingdom Escape SYNOPSIS Fern is the most well known wise women in the Kingdom. She has made elixirs that have cured terrible ailments; botanicals that have transformed the grotesque into unspeakable beauty. Potions that have given great power to those brave enough to ingest them. ​ You and your friends heard Fern has been working on a top secret potion. Rumor has it, this potion will give the person that drinks it the strength and power of a dragon! You'd love to get your hands on that recipe and keep it out of wrongful hands, like the Evil King. So you've planned to steal it! Though, you're not the most experienced thieves.. and Fern is known for setting traps to keep people from stealing her recipes. ​ Fern has stepped out of her shop to gather some ingredients, She should be away for at least an hour. That should be plenty of time to get in and steal the recipe, if you can find it... GAME: Fern's Finest RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Hatch Escapes SYNOPSIS THE LADDER tells the story of your 50-year career at a vitamin company called Nutricorp—an organization with a couple of dark secrets to hide. The video above is property of Hatch Escapes GAME: The Ladder RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Fox-N-Otter Adventure Games SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Bayou Boathouse RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Complexity SYNOPSIS You will be given the plans on how to break into a building on West 47th street. Inside you must recover the rare mineral that will power the time travel reactor needed to save the future. This will not be an easy task as it is stored in an almost impenetrable vault that houses not only this mineral but millions of dollars of diamonds owned by the MOB. GAME: The 47th Street Mission RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of No Exit Escape Rooms SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: Dead or Alive RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of No Exit Escape Rooms SYNOPSIS Coming soon... GAME: The Jigsaw RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Black Cat Escape Room SYNOPSIS It’s the year 1921 in Honey Grove, Mississippi and the Golino Flying circus is in town! All the townsfolk of Honey Grove were so excited for the carnival until rumors began to spread of mysterious goings on surrounding one of Golino's main attractions: Madam Zara, the mystical gypsy fortune teller. It seems that after her fellow circus performers visit Madame Zara's caravan, they are never seen leaving and have been missing ever since. As the story spread like wildfire that the fortune teller is really a witch, stealing away these unfortunate players for her own malevolent intent, she conveniently disappeared herself along with her last victim. While rumors fly of Madam Zara’s wicked powers, another unusual troupe is headed to Honey Grove, and straight to the missing fortune teller's caravan. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini have gathered a team of investigators to travel America to find true spiritualists or to debunk fraud. Doyle hopes that Madame Zara is the real thing while Houdini is convinced she is a charlatan. As members of the investigative team, you must get to the truth behind these strange disappearances. But hot on your heels is a hoard of townsfolk coming to torch the caravan to the ground, convinced this will end the evil contained therein. You have 60 minutes to figure out The Peculiar Case of the Mysterious Gypsy Caravan before all the evidence burns up with Madam Zara's caravan. But beware the supernatural powers contained inside or you might just join the doomed missing circus performers. GAME: The Peculiar Case of the Fortune-Teller's Caravan RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Black Cat Escape Room SYNOPSIS Egypt, 1912, city of Philae – you and your group of dedicated archeologists are once again in search of priceless, ancient Egyptian artifacts. On this dig you are seeking the Temple of Isis who was perhaps the greatest goddess of ancient Egypt, mother of Horus, wife of Osiris, and Goddess of the Underworld. Inside Isis' Temple is rumored to be the sacred Eye of Horus, made from pure gold. But even more priceless- its ability to protect against the greatest of all evils. Isis was entrusted as Guardian of the Eye and so your research has led you and your team to believe that it must be hidden within her sacred Temple. ​ After sailing up the Nile and following a long-forgotten trail, you have found the Temple of Isis! Your team is the first to step inside these hallowed walls in thousands of years. As you enter, you walk under the inscription written in Ancient Egyptian, “Only those of true mind, body, and heart shall walk free.” When the last of your party steps inside, the heavy stone door slides closed behind you. As your team tries futilely to open the door, you realize this is only the beginning. Your eyes slowly adjust to the dim cavern illuminated by your lanterns and you can just make out a glyph of the goddess, Isis, on the far wall. The sound of gears turning startles your group and you hear water dripping, the sound growing louder. Looking up, you see water pouring slowly but steadily into the temple. You realize that the inscription above the door was more than just a warning. Now you must prove yourself and pass Isis' tests or perish in a watery grave and become just one more chapter in the legend of The Trials of Isis. GAME: The Trials of Isis RELEASE DATE: T/B/A The photo above is property of Trap Door Escape Room SYNOPSIS This Pirate Escape Room finds you on Tortuga Island, searching for the Fountain of Youth. On your quest, you meet a VooDoo Priestess. However, before the priestess will provide you with a map to the Fountain of Youth, she requires you eliminate a problem of hers. The problem, you ask? Simply, destroy the Tortuga Cannibal Tribe and bring her the heart of their leader. GAME: Tortuga Island RELEASE DATE: August 2022 The photo above is property of Trap Door Escape Room SYNOPSIS This Pirate Ship Escape Room challenges players with a series of tasked assigned by a VooDoo Priestess. In Curse of the Pirate’s Ship, you must sacrifice the Cannibal Tribe Leader’s heart to the monstrous kraken. However, before you do that, you must find the Kraken. Commandeer the pirate’s ship known as The King John’s Revenge and sail it to the edge of the earth by following the map you received from the VooDoo Priestess. GAME: Curse of the Pirate's Ship RELEASE DATE: December 2022 The photo above is property of Trap Door Escape Room SYNOPSIS All set for a tour through the wondrous Catacombs of Paris, when suddenly the tunnel caves in behind you. This tour turned expedition forces you to solve the puzzles of long forgotten cataphiles in order to escape the extensive maze.​ GAME: Catacombs of Paris RELEASE DATE: December 2022 The photo above is property of Trap Door Escape Room SYNOPSIS This Cave Escape Room experience transports you to the mystical and elusive Fountain of Youth. Challenges lie ahead, though. Before you get to the Fountain, you will have to puzzle your way through the Beast Caves. That is not all, though. Offer your sacrifice and defeat The Kraken to gain immortality in the Fountain of Youth. Book now for the chance of immortal glory! GAME: Beast Caves RELEASE DATE: June 2023 #BrandonChow #RemoteEscapeRoom #Articles #IndustryNews #HighlyAnticipated #CumulativeList #IRLEscapeRoom #RemoteEscapeRoom #NewReleases

We really enjoyed our conversation in this episode of "The Life Is An Escape Room Podcast" (w/ hosts - Christina Jeff & Eanes). We spoke about why communication is so important in escape rooms and how that actually improved certain parts of our lives. Listen to the interesting stories here (Audio: https://lifeisanescaperoom.podbean.com): The video above is the property of The Life Is An Escape Room Podcast #podcast #interview #media

Photo above is property of Jacob & Megan Hannah of Hannah Photography What a beautiful, magical, and of course "puzzling" wedding! This one is close to our hearts because our very own reviewers Krista & Dave got married last year! Offbeat Wed's article perfectly captured all of their memories on that special day. If you want some inspiration for your own wedding, make sure to read about it! And best of all, if you need help planning a wedding like this, check out their company "Whimsically You" to make your fantasy wedding come true! #wedding #interview #puzzles #bespoke

In this interview with "The Board Game Specialist" (hosts Carla and Melanie), you'll be able to learn about: - How Matt got "addicted" to escape rooms/tabletop games - How he became a reviewer at ESCAPETHEROOMers - Matt's favorite puzzle games & escape rooms - And more! The video above is the property of The Boardgame Specialists #podcast #interview #media #canada

LOCATION: Norwegian Prima Ship Photo above is property of Norwegian Cruise Line Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📖 THE STORY You and your friends were transported by a time machine to P. Clearwater's private collection. Something went wrong and you seem to be trapped! Only when you're able to assemble a sacred statue will you be able to travel back in time. Time is ticking... Video above is property of Deep Inside 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The intro was done outside the room and the AI on the door felt futuristic as if we were about to embark on a time machine. The props accurately resembled a collector's den. There were items received from various locations and different timelines. The main objective was clearly displayed so the group knew exactly what we were looking for. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Some items desperately need repair and touch-ups. We understand that it is difficult to get materials at sea but it was disappointing for players to discover that they couldn't get the full experience after the fact. In this case, it would also help if the GM could inform the players while they were in the room that a certain puzzle is not in play anymore due to malfunction so the players could keep going and avoid the unnecessary red herrings. It was hard to tell if a puzzle had been completed or not when there were many other players in the room. Some players were trying to rework puzzles that were already solved. A solution was displayed right in front of the puzzle which made it very confusing to players as no solving was needed. Due to broken items, some puzzles didn't make sense as the logic was also broken. The communication with the GM was hard to hear sometimes over the speaker. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This was the first escape room we've done on a cruise. The last NCL one we did back in 2019 was more like a puzzle hunt. We are glad to see escape rooms being offered on cruises as an option for entertainment. However, we also see the potential issues it could have due to technical issues and unable to be repaired in time. Perhaps more sustainable props and less techy rooms could be the solution as a Gen-1 room with great puzzles could be just as fun. Since we were unable to experience this room at its full potential, it's difficult to give an accurate review of this room. But we did enjoy ourselves in their other room called "Magic Room". I hope they will be able to repair the issues by the time you onboard the amazing NCL Prima. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO Located inside the Galaxy Pavilion on Deck 17 You will likely be paired with strangers unless you have a big group to book a private session On sea days, the ship could be quite rocky (a player ended up sitting on the couch the entire time) 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 Norwegian Cruise Line 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 #NorwegianCruiseLine #NCL #NorwegianPrima #PearlsRoom #Adventure #CruiseShip

Prior to the pandemic, we were fortunate enough to visit a lot of countries and play their escape rooms. Countries such as Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Japan, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, Mexico, Norway, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It's always great to experience the creativity from around the world! This year, we are super excited to travel abroad and add Greece, Israel, and Cyprus to the map. Please email us if you are: - Crazy in love with escape rooms like we are and would like to meet up to tackle some rooms together or just chat over a drink or two! - An owner at any of these below locations and would like us to visit you on our tour. - Have suggestions of other locations and escape rooms that we should add to this list. EUROPE Tours Sep 22-23, 2022 - Spain " The Narcos " - Unreal Room Escape (Barcelona, Spain) " Las Maravillas de Agrabah " - Unreal Room Escape (Barcelona, Spain) " APOPHIS Escape Room " - Vortex Escape Room Terrassa (Barcelona, Spain) " Prisoners of Alkaban " - Maximum Escape Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) Apr 6, 2022 - Greece " The Emperor's Masterchef Is Dead " - Mister. E Alive Escape Rooms (Athens, Greece) " Sin City " - Mastermind Escape Room (Athens, Greece) " Enigma " - Mysterylab - Escape Rooms Live (Athens, Greece) " Jack The Ripper " - Game Over Escape Rooms (Nea Smirni, Greece) Apr 7, 2022 - Greece " The Bookstore " - Paradox Project (Athens, Greece) " The Music Academy " - Paradox Project (Athens, Greece) Apr 11, 2022 - Israel " Titanic " - Escape Room (Tel Aviv, Israel) " Flight 301 " - QuestAir (Tel Aviv, Israel) " The Last Job " - MindRush Escape Room (Tel Aviv, Israel) Apr 12, 2021 - Cyprus "Smuggler's Bay" - Lockdown Paphos (Chloraka, Cyprus) "Tomb of the Kings" - Lockdown Paphos (Kato Paphos, Cyprus) NORTH AMERICA Tour Dec 26, 2022 - Cayman Islands " Escape 1932 " - Locked Inn Escape @ Parcel 110 (George Town, Cayman Islands) Aug 20, 2022 - New Mexico " Knight Shade " - Puzzah! (Santa Fe, NM, USA) " M.A.S.K. " - Puzzah! (Santa Fe, NM, USA) " House of Eternal Return " - Meow Wolf Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM, USA) " BOMBSHELL " - New Mexico Escape Room (Albuquerque, NM, USA) " Captain Morgan " - Escape in Time (Albuquerque, NM, USA) " Arnama Letters " - Escape in Time (Albuquerque, NM, USA) Aug 22, 2022 - Arizona " Return of the Pharaohs " - Paragon Escape Games (Mesa, AZ, USA) " CARN-EVIL " - Escape Rooms Mesa (Mesa, AZ, USA) " JEKYLL & HYDE " - Escape Rooms Mesa (Mesa, AZ, USA) " EVIL Robots " - The Nemesis Club (Phoenix, AZ, USA) " Mogollon Monster " - The Nemesis Club (Phoenix, AZ, USA) " Curse on the Emerald Seas " - Puzzle Effect (Phoenix, AZ, USA) " The Toymaker " - Incredible Escape Rooms (Glendale, AZ, USA " Spirit Trap " - Incredible Escape Rooms (Glendale, AZ, USA) Aug 24-26, 2022 - Nevada " Omega Mart " - Meow Wolf Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " The Asylum: The Doctor's Secret " - Lost Games (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " The Fortune Teller " - Lost Games (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " The Lair of the Puzzle Master " - Trapped! Escape Room Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Pandora's Box " - Trapped! Escape Room Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Who Stole Mona? " - Escapology Escape Rooms Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Star Trek: Quantum Filament " - Escapology Escape Rooms Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Wizard Trials " - PanIQ Room Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " The Haunted Manor " - PanIQ Room Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Rumplestiltskin " - Once Upon an Escape (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Neverland " - Once Upon an Escape (Las Vegas, NV, USA) " Once Upon a Time " - Once Upon an Escape (Las Vegas, NV, USA) Aug 26-27, 2022 - Utah " Secrets of the Maya " - Escapism Room Escape Games (St. George, UT, USA) " Mission: Deep Cover " - Escapism Room Escape Games (St. George, UT, USA) " Afraid of the Dark? " - Mystery Escape Room (St. George, UT, USA) " Nancy Drew and the Hidden Chamber " - Mystery Escape Room (St. George, UT, USA) Various Games - Immersive Gamebox (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) " Neverland: The Hunt for Tinkerbell " - Red Giant Escape Rooms (Orem, UT, USA) " Nancy Drew and the Mystery of the Missing Jewelry " - Mystery Escape Room (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) " The Haunted Temple of Au Puch " - Mystery Escape Room (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) Aug 28-30, 2022 - Colorado " Staked! A Vampire Tale " - Time Emporium Escape Rooms: Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO, USA) " Cleaux's Mansion " - Time Emporium Escape Rooms: Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO, USA) " Hotel Hell " - Time Emporium Escape Rooms: Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO, USA) " Wizards Tower " - Time Emporium Escape Rooms: Loveland (Loveland, CO, USA) " Murder In London " - Time Emporium Escape Rooms: Loveland (Loveland, CO, USA) " Rebel Rockstar 2.0 " - Atlas Escape Rooms (Longmont, CO, USA) " Dragon Discovery 2.0 " - Atlas Escape Rooms (Longmont, CO, USA) " Paradox | The Incredible Time Machine " - Rabbit Hole Recreation Services (Louisville, CO, USA) " Frost Base Z " - Rabbit Hole Recreation Services (Louisville, CO, USA) " Contamination " - Mile High Escape Ops (Brighton, CO, USA) " Chapter 1 - Room 303 " - 303 Escape (Thornton, CO, USA) " Chapter 2 - Dark Heart of the Hotel " - 303 Escape (Thornton, CO, USA) " Grim Stacks " - Puzzle Effect (Northglenn, CO, USA) " Convergence Station " - Meow Wolf Denver (Denver, CO, USA) " KAZAM! Escape Room " - The Wizard's Chest (Denver, CO, USA) #escaperoomtours #escaperooms #schedule #events #escapetheroomers #inpersonescaperooms

Written by: Joelyn Alexandra, ESCAPETHEROOMers // Writer “There’s a bonus story? How? Oh, but I’m not a puzzle person, can you just tell me how to get the bonus story?” My first encounters with stories that had more lore situated outside its printed / presented forms were various indie video games back in the early 2010s - “Five Nights at Freddy’s”, “Doki Doki Literature Club”, “Undertale”, “Inscryption” etc… Particularly, games that rewarded curious players with bonus lore or answers to lore gaps after they respond to the seeds the game makers planted (e.g. game files, website source codes, parallel storytelling in books). Personally, I did not play the games, but watching videos by The Game Theorists, led by Matthew ‘MatPat’ Patrick, as they dissected and crafted the game series’ lore became an anchor point in my storytelling career. I am a writer - by trade, for fun, and anywhere in between. Specifically, I am a writer interested in thrillers and investigative games. Therefore, each adventure book, escape room, or investigative experience brings about a slew of ideas and inspiration. Quelle surprise. And I am always looking for ways to immerse readers in the universe I built. Gamebooks around me mostly fell into the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure category. At the same time, my previous attempts at seeding routes to bonus lore in my previous works have fallen quiet. This was especially prominent with longer works, where the seeds can be entirely ignored. And with festival and artist markets returning, I was looking for a way to showcase my niche and work in a quicker, more compact version. Enter the Cipher Zine... Cipher Zine? As I mentioned above, I got a huge burst of storytelling inspiration through the likes of lore-heavy games - Curious Correspondence Club, Big Fish Games’ Mystery Case Files, and Inscryption (I’m not joking - there’s a hidden story you can dig for, FIND IT). This was also around the time where I got into Tabletop Role-Playing Games (RPGs), where the stories were rich (shoutout to my amazing Game Master (GM) - Shao Han!) and the puzzles / problems were improvised. Coming at this as a writer who had spent a bit focussing and creating only in prose and comic writing, watching Escape Room / Immersive Experience creators combine story with puzzles was highly refreshing. Listening to Tommy Honton (Stash House) speak on Reality Escape Pod (Season 3, Episode 7) in the middle of one of my commutes through the tiny island of Singapore was probably what pushed me over the edge. He was talking to David and Peih-Gee about the impact of a story when the consequences were personal (this kid you knew was sick and you needed to find a cure) versus when the consequences were apocalyptic (and we all hear this with almost every blockbuster). And thus, the question that bloomed: If Daniel Mullins is able to immerse players into his story by seeding clues and curiosities through his games; If my GM is able to immerse us in the world he built without the use of a built-up room or pages of descriptions, what is stopping me from doing the same? About this time, I got reminded of a quick print format illustrators and comic artists use (thanks to my husband) at times to collect illustrations or tell short stories. Using only an A4 / A3 piece of paper, folded to the shape of a booklet, creators have up to eight (8) sections to work with on either side. So that’s how the cipher zine came about - a short story on one side of a folded zine, and a puzzle experience on the other. Each story and its corresponding puzzle is based on a character I have in the fictional universe I’m currently working on. How Do You Fold a Zine? The short answer - You create, you format, you print, and you fold. And there are many pages that will show you how to fold a zine. For the longer answer, buckle up. And hint: The puzzles are the easy part. The first consideration that came to mind was not the puzzles or the mechanics, but the story - what is the story I wanted to tell? What was going to hold everything together while we dive into this lore? Why are we even solving puzzles? The second consideration was how compact the stories had to be. Like many rooms that have to compress lore into a couple of hours, I did not have my usual prose-writing luxuries. I had 5-6 sections (about A6-size) on an A3-size sheet of paper to work with, leaving the zine cover, back cover, and administrative page left for consideration. So this was going to be a glimpse or a slip of a major story, perhaps a single incident or turning point, where a puzzle experience would be relevant. So I chose turning points - newfound discoveries in the digital world, last gifts, instructional letters, that sort of thing. And the next step was to write and edit the story. This is not an article on craft, but what I learnt from this experience was simple - keep your story simple and direct. There is another platform if you are inclined to provide context and countless descriptions. The objective here was to give my readers a quick glimpse into my fictional universe, and how my works can be ideally read in the future. After that, it was formatting. Images do more justice than anything else here so this was how I did it: Story on One Side, and Puzzle on the Other? Aligning the puzzle experience with its short story varied depending on each story. I knew I wanted a puzzle that both the character and the reader can experience, so it had to be there for a reason and not for the sake of one. (If you wanted to push it, you could also argue that the nature of each zine’s puzzle dictated how the stories they were paired with ended.) When I settled on the scenario of each puzzle, it was time to put in the mechanics. This was relatively easier, considering how the restrictions have been set and I did not have to deal with the tyranny of choice. A puzzle box? Simple, one-and-done puzzles that could fit on the face of a box. How about a letter? Deliberate typos can be a start to a multi-layered puzzle. And that process was fun. I just had to make sure that I could fit the puzzles legibly into the dimensions of the zine. In my case, as long as the entirety of the puzzle experience could fit into a single A4 page, I was satisfied. However you wish to format your puzzles on the other side is up to you. The one thing I would ask you to take note of would be the following: You will be cutting a slit down the middle of the zine paper to fold it into a booklet. Test to see if any puzzle intricacies will be affected. As for me, I chose to place the puzzle on one side of the paper, with a space for notes, and the link to check the puzzle answers on the other. And you are on your way! Note: Remember to test print your various formats - because zine-folding is so personal and hands-on, you would want to make sure that your printed products align before you head into mass production. Can I Make One Myself? Personally, the journey itself was the most fun I had as a creator in a while. The ability to combine my interests in the most fun and rewarding way possible was an outcome of this project that I will be highly grateful for. Therefore, if you are a creator looking for a possible step into the creation of story-driven puzzles, or puzzle-accompanying stories, I would say - Give it a try. You might just learn more about the world you just created. And I look forward to your creations (and whatever springs forth from there)! #JoelynAlexandra #CipherZine #Beyondthepage #articles #perspectives #ciphers

Written by: Krista Jones, ESCAPETHEROOMers // Writer Dave and I love puzzles. Obviously! While we’d both been fans of escape rooms previously, it wasn’t until we met that we fell fully down the rabbit hole and also discovered the world of tabletop and online puzzles games. It’s one of our absolute favorite things to do together - for the teamwork, the mental challenge, the incredible moments of magic and discovery…so after Dave proposed to me by puzzle, we knew that we wanted to incorporate this aspect into the wedding itself. In part, we wanted to share our passion with our loved ones and maybe generate some new enthusiasts; so, we crafted little tabletop puzzles for the reception, with the prize for everyone who solved being some kind of tabletop puzzle game. But we also wanted something special for US. In particular, we thought it would be awesome to have a game that we would lock up and have to open on our 5-year anniversary. Initially, we thought we might create this ourselves but…we were a little busy with the rest of the wedding planning! Then, we thought maybe we would take a special already-available game…like Tale of Ord (if we could find it). But when I posted in the Puzzle People Facebook group for some suggestions, Shuai Chen came up with one that had never occurred to us…commission a bespoke game JUST for us inspired BY us. And we couldn’t imagine a more fabulous option. Thus entered Josh Rosenfeld and the team at Odes Unboxed. Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers The Process While we were super excited about the concept and what we could see of their previous work, we didn’t really know what to expect for how it would all work. Josh quickly set up an initial video chat with us and explained the process, as well as sending a follow-up email right after our meeting summarizing what we discussed and the plan moving forward. Discovery: In our initial call, we chatted about our general vision and preferences, budget, logistics, etc., and he answered our questions. At that point, we agreed we wanted to move forward. Then, he scheduled separate hour-long intake calls with each of us to discover more about our relationship, our story, and each other. (He did give us the option of having one call together, but we both liked the idea that we might each think of different things or have little surprises for each other. He also gave the option of interviewing some of our nearest and dearest, though we decided not to do that.) Some of the other members of his team listened in on these calls as well, to help them get to know us better. We found these to be really fun…it felt almost indulgent to just chat for an hour about each other and our relationship. Josh gave us prompts like “What do you want the overall mood or vibe to be or not be?” and “What are some of your favorite memories together?”, but spent most of his time listening, with the occasional follow up question. He seemed really interested and invested in our story and made it easy to speak openly. When I occasionally got stumped on an answer, it was easy for him to rephrase or just move on to something else, so nothing felt stressful or like there was a “right’ answer. From our perspective, the goal was to provide Josh with lots of potential material to work with, without being beholden to inclusion of any one particular aspect. Though, I’m sure he could accommodate more specific design briefs! After our calls, he again quickly sent summaries of key points and next steps. Development: At this point, Josh and his team moved into the development phase, with relatively limited discussion with us. This incorporated not just the design of the flow of the game and puzzles, but also conception and creation of all of the collateral pieces. In many cases, when someone is commissioning a game for someone else, I think he has more feedback as they develop the concept. In our case, since we BOTH wanted to be totally surprised, we preferred to skip this step and just trusted that they would come up with something fabulous! Though he did periodically clarify relevant preferences for a few things. We also asked him to incorporate copies of our vows, so we sent those along as they were finished. Since this step happened largely “behind the curtain for us,” I asked Josh about his perspective: “It was incredibly touching to speak with you each on the phone. This work gives me a beautiful window into what people value most about their loved ones. The way you two support and uphold each other was moving to hear, and I feel grateful for the chance to have made something for you. I loved that this experience allowed both of you to give and receive. You each got to influence the concept by reflecting on your relationship and you’ll each get to enjoy surprises from the things your loved one shared in their interview with me. Overall, I really enjoy the mutual trust and generosity that’s part of this process. I trusted you two to approach this process with curiosity and a willingness to be candid and vulnerable. You trusted me to celebrate everything you shared and design something to honor this special moment in your lives.” Yep - can you tell he’s an incredible human being? Delivery: Finally, we had to sort out how to get the box to the wedding. In our case, Josh arranged an in-person hand-off with a friend who worked in NYC and was going to be driving up for the festivities, but shipping would have been an option as well. Videos above are property of Odes Unboxed The Outcome Dave and I were excited for the wedding for a lot of reasons…but we definitely couldn’t wait to see our box! We just had no idea of how it might have actually turned out. And it was definitely awesome when Dave’s youngest revealed it with a flourish in the midst of the ceremony. It’s a gorgeously intriguing laser cut wooden lock box with mysterious etchings…In addition, Josh sent along a card and two beautifully wrapped packages for us to open right away. These included a framed landscape image of our land, Kaidervast, and a smaller box containing little teaser items to help build that world, including the nametags for our alter egos: Proximatron and Dr. Jones. OK, one is a little more “alter” than the other… Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers Go For It! Not having actually gotten to PLAY the game yet, or to see any of the interior contents, of course we can’t fully comment on the gameplay experience itself. However, we were blown away by the care and craftsmanship clearly evident in what we have seen, not to mention the overall care and service that Josh provided…he is an utterly lovely human being and a delight to work with. We can’t wait for the 5 year mark to discover all of its secrets! Until then, we will continue to gaze wistfully at it where it sits in a place of honor on our shelves, as a beautiful reminder of our love and commitment, not to mention all the support and creativity of the puzzling community. And wonder at what the world of Kaidervast may hold! While we commissioned the box for our wedding, of course there are plenty of other worthy occasions. I’ve seen all sorts of experience motivations come up on Odes Unboxed’s social media - love (proposals, weddings, anniversaries), life (birthdays, graduations, parent’s days), or even work (e.g., retirements, promotions, team-building, brand activation). There’s really no end to the possible inspiration behind the gift; since they’re fully customized, you can always chat with him about any specific occasion, goals, inspirations, and/or constraints.. And, of course, for most of those, you would have the benefit of getting to actually play it right away! Currently, his projects tend to have a base design fee plus production costs, but check his website for the latest info. And if you’re interested in checking out one of his experiences right away, they are actually doing a limited run production of a Valentine’s Day experience! It’s apparently an “intimate, heavily personalized adventure that will shower your partner with love and celebrate all of the things you love most about them.” We are definitely excited for its release, and you can read more about it in the interview below! Photos above are property of Odes Unboxed Behind the Scenes: an interview with Josh Rosenfeld (Creator of Odes Unboxed) Photos above are property of Odes Unboxed Creating bespoke puzzle games and adventures is a rather niche field! How did you get into this line of work and start Odes Unboxed? My journey is simultaneously serendipitous and premeditated. Here’s a quick recap: I worked in tech for several years as a Product Manager. The work was intellectually stimulating and I loved working with my teammates; however, I didn’t have strong emotional connections to the people I was designing for. I worked with a coach in my life to introspect and clearly articulate what kind of work I wanted to make a career out of. We honed in on designing experiences that helped people step into the best versions of themselves. I wanted to get to know the people I was designing for and offer them something that would give them space to connect, play, grow, heal, and self-actualize. I quit my job with this general intention and a handful of ideas. I just started trying a lot of different things. One of those things was taking a friend’s birthday gifts, locking them in a cardboard safe (made with an x-acto knife and a hot glue gun), and designing puzzles for her to unlock the gifts. She loved it and my friends thought it was the coolest thing. So I made another puzzle experience for another friend’s birthday and one for a friend’s wedding. Then, people started reaching out to me to design experiences for their loved ones. I saw there was traction with these puzzle experiences, so I leaned into it and grew the quality, depth, and scale of my work one step at a time. If you look back at the photos on my Instagram (they’re roughly in chronological order), you can see how much the work has evolved since I started doing it. So, overall, the journey was premeditated in that I entered this leap with a clear intention, a financial safety net, a few coaches & mentors in my life, and an emotional readiness to embrace uncertainty. And it was serendipitous in that I didn’t know what exactly I would do, yet kept taking chances, trying new things, and moving forward one step at a time. We’re so glad you made the leap! What about the meaning/story behind the name, Odes Unboxed? We’ve been curious… Each creation is an ode (it celebrates one or more people). And each creation is something that gets unboxed (you use your hands and make a beautiful mess). We can’t wait til we get to do our unboxing…How has coming from a tech background translated into your current work, and what new skills have you been honing? The tech background has been incredibly helpful. As a Product Manager, I led cross-functional teams to identify the biggest challenges our customers faced and to run rapid experiments to see what solutions would be most helpful. This iterative mindset continues to be a big part of the work I do today. I’m constantly trying new things, tinkering, and giving myself permission to fail, trusting that I’ll grow from it and that I’ll eventually find my way into a solution. Another thing I take from tech is a focus on customer experience. I see my relationships with customers as journeys. I want every aspect of working with me – from finding my website to chatting with me through the intake process to receiving the gift – to be as seamless and uplifting as possible. I’ve always had an affinity for telling stories, synthesizing many threads into a unifying theme, and tuning into emotions. Some of the other skills I’ve enjoyed exploring are using my hands to make crafts and geeking out on puzzle design. I’ve always enjoyed both these things and, over the past few months, I’ve given myself a chance to learn a lot more about them and get many repetitions to level up my craft. Speaking of skills, how much of your components are created "in-house" in terms of graphic design and manufacturing, and do you have your own workshop and machines? I want to emphasize that you can start where you are. I started really simple, with cardboard, a hot glue gun, an x-acto knife, acrylic paint, and construction paper. I used Google Slides (!!!) for graphic design. I didn’t even own a printer (I did all of my printing at Staples). And I used a makerspace for some early forays into laser cutting. I gave my creations as gifts to friends, and that initial traction allowed me to keep honing my craft and working on richer projects. Over the months since I started, I’ve gradually invested in some light equipment – namely, a printer and a Silhouette Cameo 4 (for cutting vinyl & stickers). I’ve also started working with other makers and artisans who can create components (like wood boxes) much better and faster than I can. And I’ve upgraded my software stack (I do all the graphic design myself). Canva has been immensely helpful, since it’s full of templates and elements. And Dall-e has been a game-changer for creating custom artwork. I’ve also really enjoyed having parts fabricated through board game makers like Print & Play. Some great tips there! In terms of “soft skills,” the work that you do is in some ways very intimate, getting to know people on a very personal level and crafting what I imagine are often very meaningful experiences around them. Certainly, that’s how we have experienced it! How do you approach this, and how do you find that people respond? I do this because I enjoy connecting with people and celebrating their relationships. And I allow that enthusiasm and kindness to show in all of my interactions with the people I work with. It slowly and steadily builds a feeling of trust and safety. When I speak with someone for the intake call, we’ve usually spoken on the phone or over email a bit, so we’re familiar with each other. On the call itself, I use the first segment to talk about lighter topics and build rapport. Throughout the call, I try to strike a balance between (1) giving plenty of blank space for their thoughts to develop and (2) asking specific questions to guide the conversation toward themes that seem rich. Throughout the call, I remind them that there are no wrong answers, that they’re welcome to share as much with me as they’d like, and that I wouldn’t want them to share anything they’re not comfortable sharing. I also make it clear that these calls are commitment-free. We’ll chat on the phone for about an hour. I’ll digest everything you’ve told me, then come back to you with a plan that celebrates everything you’ve shared in a novel way. If we’re both excited about the plan, then, at this point, we’d commit to spending the time and money to work together. If we’re not excited about the plan, we can look for tweaks that feel right, or we can table this concept for now, without any consequence. You clearly put a lot of thought and heart into the whole experience! How has your design process evolved over time? Over time, I’ve leaned much more into the emotional intimacy of the process and of the gifts. The richest experiences come from a willingness to introspect and to candidly look at the highs and the lows. I steer conversations in this direction as much as the participants are willing to go there with me. And I gravitate toward people who share my enthusiasm for exploring the full spectrum of emotions. Another evolution is that I’ve started developing richer worlds and stories. I aspire for the puzzles to serve the story and to feel natural within it. Nothing should feel arbitrary or out of place. There shouldn’t be a puzzle for the sake of it. Nor should there be a puzzle experience for the sake of it (unless the recipient really loves puzzles). Rather, there should be a premise that justifies the puzzles. And there should be a message or intention that is amplified by experiencing hands-on puzzles and activities together. In the big picture, what do you find to be the best and most challenging aspects of this work? The best part of the work is getting a window into people’s relationships. It’s incredibly moving to hear what people appreciate most about their loved ones. Often, the person who gifts the experience (and conspires with me on the design) becomes a friend. On a similar note, my goal with every creation is for the gifter & recipient to both feel loved, seen, and heard. I want them to feel that they’re stepping into their best selves. It puts an enormous smile on my face when I hear that we were able to create space for this to happen. The most challenging aspect is that, as a solopreneur, I wear many hats. I’m responsible for concept creation, puzzle design, graphic design, assembly, quality assurance, customer relationships, social media, my website, accounting, legalese, etc. Building a great product is hard in and of itself; getting the word out is even harder; then adding all the administrative & legal work on the side makes it even more challenging. Similarly, I’ve been continuously finding a balance between my roles as an artist and entrepreneur. It’s an absolute must-have that the work I do is thoughtful, beautiful, and uplifting. It needs to be financially sustainable too. And I want it to be as accessible as possible as well. It’s difficult to juggle all 3 of those. Fundamentally, I believe that doing the right thing will pay off. To me, it’s like planting seeds and watering them with a steady dose of patience, courage, generosity, and trust. Then, one day, they’ll blossom in the future. I can only imagine what a tough balancing act that is! But it has led to some incredible things already. Do you have a favorite experience that you have created, or a moment along the way? One of my favorite experiences was one that told the story of a couple’s relationship. Over 10 chapters, it showed how their lives have intersected – from an initial spark through many moments of love, courage, and vulnerability to an ultimate sense of home. It showed that it’s the ups and downs – the shared struggle, growth, and healing – that make relationships buzz with life. Because the gifter was vulnerable with me and spoke about all aspects of their relationship, the experience had a depth and richness that it wouldn’t have had, had we limited ourselves to only the happy memories and feelings. Another one of my favorites was creating Bare for Jared & Zach at Puzzling Company. The story looked at what it means to grow up. Is it about becoming stronger? More hardened? More impervious to pain? It was an 8 part puzzle adventure that grappled with those questions, told through the story of a cub becoming a bear. It explored how growth flows from vulnerability, friendship, and attention to one’s inner world. Hearing Jared & Zach’s stories during the initial intake process was extremely meaningful. And it was clear how much love (from all 3 of us) went into the puzzle experience. Hearing their reaction a few weeks later and seeing how moved they were was one of the biggest highlights of my journey so far. I will have to check these out! Any tips for people who may be inspired after reading this to create their own custom experience for a loved one? This experience is for your loved one. Gravitate toward the kinds of activities, vibes, and themes that they enjoy. Really check-in with yourself; am I designing this for myself or for them? Start by getting as much on paper as possible. Think about inside jokes, favorite memories, routines you share, etc. Ask yourself what makes them unique? What makes this moment in their life special? What's a story that only they could tell and that could only be told by a gift like this? Once you’ve gone broad, start to go deep. Look for patterns and themes. Are there topics that come up over and over? Is there a nice turn of phrase or inside joke that could pull a story together? (Once you have a high-level idea, just start building something. You won’t know how every moment will work or flow. That’s okay. Trust your ability to figure things out. Think of the design process as driving a car (i.e. making adjustments at each turn) rather than as launching a rocket (i.e. forming a grand plan, then hoping it all comes together when you execute on it). It sounds like you’ve come a long way already. How would you like to see Odes Unboxed evolve over the next 5-10 years? Over the next few years, I see the brand evolving to offer a wider range of experiences. For example, I’d imagine having a few types of experiences for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, weddings, graduation, etc. Each of the experiences would have a well-developed core concept that’s common to everyone who receives it while also being heavily personalized, so that the gift couldn’t be received by anyone else. I’d also like to offer more experiences that focus on growth and transformation. For example, I experienced chronic headaches for several years and went through a difficult journey to heal and, ultimately, grow. I would love to offer an experience (whether a puzzle tale, workshop, retreat, or world) that helps someone experiencing chronic pain feel like a hero at the center of their journey. They’d feel empowered and uplifted as they go on quests, meet mentors, and ultimately come back with the elixir. In the more immediate future, are there any upcoming projects or plans that you would like to share? I’m designing a Valentine’s Day experience that’s coming out beautifully. It’s an intimate, heavily personalized adventure that will shower your partner with love and celebrate all of the things you love most about them. It is designed to hold your partner in a weeklong embrace. The magic starts building up several days before Valentine’s Day, culminates on the day itself, and lives on through mementos your partner will cherish forever. You’ll celebrate some of your favorite memories from over the years and step into moments designed for play, pampering, and conversation. To make it heavily personalized, there will be an intake process where I ask the gifter for photos, inside jokes, the things they love most about their partner, etc. Then, I’ll incorporate all of that into a version of the experience made just for that couple. So, it’s not quite custom since it’s the same underlying story & concept for each version I’m making. However, the personalization is meaningful & substantial enough that it will feel custom. In other words, it’s a level of personalization that goes far, far beyond putting your name on things. It’s an integral part of the experience. It will have the gifter’s fingerprints all over it. Bonus: This is still a really enjoyable experience for the gifter as well! They’ll be clued into a few small things, yet still surprised by all of the puzzles and activities. Since it’s so heavily personalized (and since my team is small), we can only make 12 copies. I’m going to make sign-up available around January 12. The latest I can take sign-ups will be January 20, since I’ll need quite a bit of time to order parts, assemble everything, and turn it around ahead of February 14. The experience will be more affordable than a custom experience at the same level of depth. However, the experience involves dozens of high quality parts and many hours of assembly by hand, so the cost will be comparable to seeing a Broadway show, going out to a fancy dinner, or getting a nice piece of jewelry. I’ve been describing it as the magic of an escape room, the thrill of a sexy date night, and the warmth of an intimate conversation, all made just for you, with several personalized keepsakes to remember the experience forever. If you’d like to learn more, reach out to me at josh@odesunboxed.com. Photos above are property of Odes Unboxed Shoutout time! Who are some of your favorite experience/game designers or what are some of your favorite experiences/games, and why? I love "The Light in the Mist" (by Rita Orlov & Jack Fallows). The design is beautiful, the puzzles are really thoughtful, and the story has a lot of emotional resonance. "Boda Borg" & "Level 99" near Boston are tons of fun. I was able to visit them at RECON (the Reality Escape Convention). I loved how they combined my favorite elements of escape rooms, obstacle courses, sports, and video games. "Storyteller’s Secret" at Boxaroo is one of my favorite escape rooms. I loved the tender, mellow vibe. It was clear that so much care and love went into the experience. Anything else that you would like to share? If anything I’ve said resonates with someone reading this, feel free to reach out. I’m quite swamped but I promise I’ll respond and we’ll find some way to connect. You can contact me at josh@odesunboxed.com. #KristaJones #articles #perspectives #interview #OdesUnboxed #PuzzleBox #TabletopGames

LOCATION: Lausanne, Switzerland Photo above is property of Evade Escape Game Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝    ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME : The Sentinel 📅 DATE PLAYED : February 23, 2025 🎬 GENRE : Fantasy 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl) : 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS : 2-5 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME : 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE : CHF 138-220 ☎️ BOOKING TYPE : Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED? : Yes (53:00) 📖 THE STORY Inherit the legacy of your grandfather Henry, a renowned archaeologist and secret guardian of a hidden treasure. After his passing, his mysterious old house becomes your playground — filled with cryptic clues, booby traps, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. A cassette marked with your name reveals your destiny: to follow in his footsteps as a sentinel, protecting the treasure from those who seek it. Solve intricate puzzles, decode hidden messages, and outwit rival treasure hunters in this immersive escape room adventure. Logic, observation, and teamwork will be your greatest weapons. Do you have what it takes to unravel the secrets of the Sentinel and claim your place as the worthy heir? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE We really liked the inclusion of the fairy character that was with us throughout, providing both clues and story updates. We even got to see how she looked towards the end when she appeared on a TV screen. Her inclusion offered a bit more whimsy and magic to the adventure. The look of the game was also impressive, although I do wish they’d pushed themselves a little further to make the rooms look less … ‘roomy’. But, what we did like was the assortment of fantasy props and furniture pieces, particularly the doors which had been beautifully transformed to look like anything other than a regular door. The game made excellent use of special effects, particularly lighting cues to indicate when portals or doors had opened. This clever feature solved a common issue in escape rooms where players might miss key progressions. The lighting was seamlessly integrated, enhancing both the aesthetic and functionality. There is a good variety of puzzles to solve, ranging from searching to decoding, memory, team-based, and even a little yoga making! The assortment offers teams plenty to do and are well suited to families and less experienced players. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK While there were no major flaws, a few decorative choices slightly diminished the level of immersion. The puzzles, although fun and engaging, could have been better tied to the narrative. They often felt like standalone challenges rather than integral parts of the story. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This game is designed with families in mind, thanks to its accessible puzzles and enchanting theme. The Sentinel delivers an engaging adventure that encourages teamwork and leaves players with smiles on their faces. However, the price point feels high for the overall experience. If budget isn't a concern, it's definitely worth playing. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There is very limited free parking in front, however none was available on our visit. There is a public car park (fee required) within a 5-10 minute walk from the escape center. There are toilets on site, and as mentioned above a comfortable reception area with chairs, a sofa, lockers, and drinks/games for sale. The games are all available in English or French. The rooms are CASH ONLY, although they do accept TWINT (with a small fee). There is no ATM at the location or in the nearby vicinity that we could find. Potentially possible to play in a wheelchair, however there are some tight spaces to transition. Photos above are property of Evade Escape Game (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 Evade Escape Game for providing us with a media discount for this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Fantasy #EvadeEscapeGame #Switzerland

LOCATION: Lausanne, Switzerland Photo above is property of Evade Escape Game Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝    ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME : Blackmail 📅 DATE PLAYED : February 23, 2025 🎬 GENRE : Adult Erotica 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl) : 6/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS : 2-5 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME : 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE : CHF 138-220 ☎️ BOOKING TYPE : Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED? : Yes (40:00) 📖 THE STORY An anonymous letter exposes compromising photos, with a ransom demand attached. Refusing to give in, you and your team set a trap — but it backfires. Knocked out and captured, you awaken in the blackmailer's eerie dungeon. Now , you must outwit your captor, solve puzzles, and recover the incriminating photos before they ruin your life. Can you escape before time runs out? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE The theme was definitely a standout feature for us. After playing numerous escape rooms, it's refreshing to encounter something so unique and memorable. Despite the outrageous story and inevitable hilarious moments, the game maintains a serious tone, reminding us that completing the mission is the ultimate goal. Alongside the strong narrative, the set design is dramatic and immersive, packed with more 'toys' than some adult stores! Naturally, we couldn't resist a bit of playful exploration — and the provocative movie playing on the TV certainly served as an amusing distraction (we're sure that's intentional!). The puzzles strike a great balance between cheeky, saucy tasks and more traditional escape room challenges, ensuring both laughs and brain-teasing moments. We particularly enjoyed the hands-on interactions with the props and those puzzles that encouraged us to pay closer attention to the TV ... if they ask us to watch, it'd be rude not to 😉. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK Our biggest gripe was the overall condition of the room, which is definitely showing its age. Worn furniture, damaged props, and scuffed walls — particularly the photo frames — detracted slightly from the immersive experience. However, one could argue that this adds to the sleazy atmosphere the designers were aiming for. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? " Blackmail " is designed to shock and amuse, blending racy visuals with inventive puzzles. For players with a sense of humor looking for something edgy and unconventional, this game is an absolute blast. Just remember — this is strictly adults only! ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There is very limited free parking in front, however none was available on our visit. There is a public car park (fee required) within a 5-10 minute walk from the escape center. There are toilets on site, and as mentioned above a comfortable reception area with chairs, a sofa, lockers, and drinks/games for sale. The games are all available in English or French. The rooms are CASH ONLY, although they do accept TWINT (with a small fee). There is no ATM at the location or in the nearby vicinity that we could find. Some crawling is required Photos above are property of Evade Escape Game (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 Evade Escape Game for providing us with a media discount for this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Adult #Erotica #EvadeEscapeGame #Switzerland

LOCATION: Lausanne, Switzerland Photo above is property of Evade Escape Game Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers 📝    ETR DECODER 🔑 GAME : Amazonia 📅 DATE PLAYED : February 23, 2025 🎬 GENRE : Adventure 🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl) : 7.5/10 👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS : 2-5 ppl 🕒 LENGTH OF TIME : 60 Mins. 💰 PRICE : CHF 138-220 ☎️ BOOKING TYPE : Private 🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED? : Yes (40:00) 📖 THE STORY On a mission for the Brazilian government, you investigate the mysterious disappearance of villages near the Amazon rainforest. Whispers of dark figures and chilling screams lead you to a grim truth — the "La Familia do Norte" cartel is running a human trafficking operation deep in the jungle. To expose them, you'll navigate the dense forest, crack intricate puzzles, and dodge deadly traps — all while the cartel hunts you down. Time is running out. Will you unveil the conspiracy or become their next victim? 🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE Of the three games we played at EVADE, this one offered the most immersive introduction. Our GM, dressed in full government military uniform, set the tone perfectly by escorting us to the game entrance, which was adorned with evidence of the criminal gang’s activities. The backstory and mission objectives were clearly communicated, building anticipation before we were separated into individual cells to kick off the experience. The game immediately challenged our teamwork with several cooperative puzzles that required clear communication to reunite the group. As fans of collaborative tasks in escape rooms, we found this a strong and engaging start. The jungle aesthetic, while not overly elaborate, was effective. Foliage-covered walls and subtle decorative touches created a convincing Amazonian atmosphere, while the shipping containers used to imprison us felt authentic and added to the immersion. A diverse mix of puzzles kept the gameplay dynamic, incorporating dexterity, communication, observation, and decoding. The hands-on nature of many tasks further enhanced the sense of realism and kept us fully engaged. 🧩 MISSED THE MARK The game’s biggest drawback was its multi-use approach on two puzzles. This goes against the widely accepted “unwritten rule” of escape rooms that items and information should only be used once unless explicitly stated otherwise. For experienced players, this lack of clarity caused unnecessary confusion and broke the game’s otherwise smooth flow. 🏹 TAKE A SHOT? This is a fun and dynamic escape room best suited for teams of 2-4 players, regardless of experience level. The variety of puzzles ensures no two tasks feel repetitive, and the immersive setup creates an exciting atmosphere. However, the game’s price point feels steep for what is ultimately delivered. If budget isn't a concern, it's definitely worth playing — just be prepared to think outside the usual escape room conventions. ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO There is very limited free parking in front, however none was available on our visit. There is a public car park (fee required) within a 5-10 minute walk from the escape center. There are toilets on site, and as mentioned above a comfortable reception area with chairs, a sofa, lockers, and drinks/games for sale. The games are all available in English or French. The rooms are CASH ONLY, although they do accept TWINT (with a small fee). There is no ATM at the location or in the nearby vicinity that we could find. Some crawling is required Photos above are property of Evade Escape Game (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 Evade Escape Game for providing us with a media discount for this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever. #RyanDriver #IRLescaperoom #EscapeRooms #Adventure #EvadeEscapeGame #Switzerland

Looking for something to do during this holiday season? Check out the list of escape rooms and at-home games we've compiled for you that are holiday themed! You might find some "discount codes" in there as well from the companies as a gift of appreciation to you! We also found some cool games/gift ideas for your holiday shopping! Here's the list! Lastly, here's a FREE puzzle game created by Edaqa's Room for us. If you enjoyed that, check out his other games as well - HERE! From the team at ESCAPETHEROOMers, we wish you a happy holiday! #christmas #holidays #holidaygames #escapetheroomers #2022holidaygames

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN! For anyone who missed out on ER Champ last year, be sure to sign up NOW! ER Champ is a FREE competition organized and designed by our friends at lock.me (Fun fact: they are also the creators of Escape Tales!) Their main goal is to promote the escape room industry and provide entertainment to people from all over the world. Originally, the event was staged in real life escape rooms located in Poland but due to the pandemic the format has converted to online. All the games will be presented in a point-n-click format. You can join as a team of 2 - 4 players where one player will act as the captain. There'll be 3 rounds before the winners will be announced (prizes to be determined): October 8, 2022 | 16:00 UTC - Stress test - test of the elimination system November 5, 2022 | 16:00 UTC - Elimination stage - a point and click game November 26, 2022 | 16:00 UTC - Grand Finale - top 100 teams will compete for the title of the champions If you get into the top 100, you'll get an invite from them to join a secret FB page group but for now you can just subscribe to their main page for updates. Time and hints used will be calculated into your final score. During each round, you will see live updates on each team's performance on their Facebook. The final result will be published later after verification in case of any cheating. This is our third year being their media patron and we are super eager to see what they've created! Apparently this year's plot revolves around a clinic? Perhaps something to do with Soulmenders? This is all we know... Updated Nov 29th, 2022 - RESULTS ARE IN! Who are the winners? Click HERE to find out!!! This year the competition attracted more than 2,000 players who formed 660 teams. More than 6.5 million actions were performed during the elimination stage! We can't wait for next year! #erchamp #escaperoomchampion #pointnclick #game #event